Preparation of Baking Environment: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
Combining Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar. This mixture should be set aside until required.
Creaming of Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter with the granulated and powdered sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the mixture, ensuring a lighter cookie.
Integration of Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, ensuring each component is thoroughly integrated before adding the next.
Incorporation of Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can result in tough cookies.
Forming the Cookies: Utilize a ¼ measuring cup to scoop the dough, then roll it into balls. Place these balls onto the prepared cookie sheet and gently flatten each one to form a disc shape.
Baking: Position the cookies on the baking sheet, ensuring ample space between them, and bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 12 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden and set when done.
Cooling: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack to ensure they set properly before frosting.
Preparation of Icing: For the frosting, cream the softened butter with the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add heavy cream or milk and continue mixing until you achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Adjust the consistency with additional cream or powdered sugar as needed.
Coloring the Icing: Add a few drops of pink food coloring to the icing, adjusting the amount to achieve the desired shade.
Application of Icing: Once the cookies have completely cooled, apply a generous amount of the pink frosting to each cookie.
Chilling: After frosting, place the cookies in the refrigerator to chill, which helps set the icing and enhances the flavors.