Valentine Sugar Cookies

Cookies usually spread when the dough is too warm, there is too much fat or not enough flour to hold the shape or the butter was over creamed. Chill the shaped cookies before baking, measure flour accurately and avoid greasing the baking sheet. These three fixes solve most spreading problems.

Chill the cut shapes on the tray for at least 20 minutes (or pop them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes), use a little cornstarch in the dough or slightly more flour and bake on parchment or silicone rather than a greased sheet so they hold sharp edges. These simple steps will help make a big difference.

A short chill of 20 to 30 minutes makes a big difference and is a good minimum for cut outs. For best flavour and even firmer shaping chilling 2 to 24 hours is recommended. If you are short on time, freeze for about 25 percent of the recommended fridge time to speed things up.

Put granulated sugar in a small zip bag or food processor, add one drop of gel food colouring at a time, knead or pulse until even then spread to dry. For longer storage or to prevent clumps, dry the coloured sugar briefly in a low oven. This two ingredient approach is cheap, foolproof and gives you exact control over shade and sparkle.

Use the right butter to sugar ratio, avoid overbaking, chill the dough briefly and remove cookies when the edges are set but centers still look pale. A little extra egg yolk or a touch of brown sugar can add chew without losing soft centers. These small tweaks give the bakery style texture people praise.

Yep, shaped or unshaped dough freezes well for later baking (wrap tightly) and baked decorated cookies can be frozen between layers. Thaw in the container at room temperature to avoid condensation on decorations. Many bakers rely on freezing for stress free batches and gifting.

Roll dough to an even thickness (about 6 mm / 1/4 inch), use a sharp cutter, transfer shapes with a thin spatula and chill the cut cookies on the tray before baking. That combination preserves crisp outlines and prevents rounded, uneven shaped hearts. Using a small amount of cornflour in the dough also helps edges stay tidy.