My first introduction to Valentine’s Day came by way of awkward grade school card exchanges. (The ones everyone dreaded because they showed just how popular or unpopular you were.) The only good part of these exchanges, to my way of thinking, were the boxes of Sweetheart candies – the little sugar hearts with saying impressed on them (“Be Mine,” “Crazy 4U,” “All Mine”). If, like me, you associate Valentine’s fun with Sweetheart candies, why not whip up some of your own? Make them in cookie form, and you’ll have something that shows you took time and care to create them – plus, unless you have the taste buds of a seven year old, they will taste a lot better, too.
Sweetheart Cookie Recipe
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Betty Crocker Cookie Icing in desired colors
- Food coloring or colored sugar
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, beating until combined and smooth.
3. Form the dough into two equal balls. (If you want to color the cookies using food coloring, divide the balls into smaller balls – one for each color you want. Using your thumbs, create a well in the middle of each ball. Drop the desired food coloring – 1 or 2 drops should do – into each well, then work the dough until the color is thoroughly mixed in. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap.) Refrigerate for at least one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Remove one of the dough balls from the refrigerator. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface until about ¼ in. thick. Cut out using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. (If you want to color the cookies using colored sugar, now is the time to sprinkle it on each cookie. Be sure to cover the entire top of each cookie.) Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, about ¼ in. apart. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to completely cool.
7. Betty Crocker Cookie Icing comes in convenient, already mixed tubes. Use these to outline each heart cookie (if desired) and write a saying inside.
Makes about 36 cookies.
