Love is in the air. Check out this new corner of the paper for a special Valentine’s Day cookie recipe for you and your significant other to enjoy together. Bon appétit!

‘Tis the season of love. Heart-shaped cookies are a Valentine’s Day necessity. So, get these on your list for that special someone or, more importantly, for yourself. When we make cookies for someone, aren’t we really making them just as much for ourselves?

Course: Dessert

Servings: 24 cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Stacey AKA “The Soccer Mom”

Kitchen Supplies Needed:

• 1 plastic squeeze bottle
• 1 container of pink sanding sugar or sprinkles
• 1 heart cookie cutter set (with multiple sizes)
• Stand mixer
• Cookie sheet
• Non-stick silicone baking mat

Ingredients:

Cookie Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tablespoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1 cup of unsalted sweet cream butter softened
• 1½ cups of powdered sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of strawberry jam

Icing Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of powdered sugar

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a cookie sheet with either parchment paper or a non-stick silicone baking mat.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Then add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, continuing to beat until creamy.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, one cup at a time. Mix until well incorporated, but take care not to over-beat.
5. Lightly flour a cutting board, then knead the dough by hand until smooth.
6. Roll dough out to 1 inch thick.
7. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out approximately 2 dozen cookies.Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out approximately 2 dozen cookies.
8. Using a mini heart cookie cutter to cut out a heart from the middle of 12 of the cookies, leaving the other 12 cookies whole.
9. Bake cookies for 15 minutes at 350°F.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Icing Directions:

1. Combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
2. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on medium speed until well combined and stiff peaks form. (About 5-7 minutes).
3. Scoop about 1/2 cup icing into a piping bag.
4. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water into the remaining icing and mix until smooth. Pour this thinned icing into a plastic squeeze bottle.

Decorating Directions:

1. Using the piping bag, outline all the cookies that have a cutout heart in the middle. Outline both the edge of the cookie and the cutout. Then, fill in the outlines with the thinned icing in the squeeze bottle. Allow to set until the icing is still wet, but not dripping.
2. Pour pink sugar sprinkles onto a small plate.
3. Carefully dip the icing part of the cookie into the sprinkles, then place back onto the cookie sheet.
4. Repeat steps with remaining cookies, once all have been icing and dipped in the sprinkles set aside for an hour for the icing to harden.
5. Using the solid cookies, scoop about 1 tbsp of jelly into the middle and spread with a butter knife.
6. Place the heart cookie coated in sprinkles on top of the heart with the jelly and slightly push down so that the hearts will stick together.
7. Let cookies sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to your Valentine.