Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
5. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop when the flour is fully incorporated.
6. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
7. Once chilled, remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
8. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart shapes from the rolled dough. Place the heart cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them as they will spread slightly while baking.
9. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the second portion of dough. If desired, you can re-roll the scraps to cut out additional cookies.
10. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking.
11. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the royal icing. In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, egg whites, and lemon juice. Beat until the mixture is smooth and holds stiff peaks.
13. Divide the royal icing into separate bowls and add red and pink food coloring to each, mixing until you achieve your desired shades.
14. Once the cookies are completely cooled, use piping bags or a small spatula to decorate the cookies with the colored royal icing. You can create designs such as hearts, polka dots, or any other festive patterns you prefer.
15. Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature for a few hours until the icing hardens completely.
16. Once the icing is set, your Valentine's Day Heart Balloon Cookies are ready to be enjoyed! Package them in a decorative box or gift them to your loved ones.