Pink Valentine Cookies

Today is the day before Valentine’s Day; a holiday my husband likes to call a ‘chick holiday’. But I love Valentine’s Day because it falls in the dead of winter, just about the time everyone is cranky from being indoors for too long. It doesn’t require expensive presents. It is just a fun celebration of love. And unlike the credo of the ‘chick flicks’ that depict glassy-eyed, sad singles who hate the holiday because they aren’t in a serious relationship, I believe that Valentine’s Day is about fun, it’s about silliness, and it’s about not taking life too seriously. It’s one of those days when you can make someone happy with a bouquet of pink balloons, or a bag of ‘Be Mine’ valentine hearts. You can make memorable valentines with red paper, lace doilies, and a glue stick. You can even make valentines out of flour, butter and sugar. The recipe below is from my son Matt’s recipe files. They are without doubt, the best sugar cookies I’ve ever tasted. What makes them great is butter – the ingredient that makes all cookies and frostings great. They are an amazing and decadent treat for Valentine’s Day. Make them for the people you love:

Matt’s Amazing Sugar Cookies

6 cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
4 sticks (2 cups) salted butter, softened
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flower and salt. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, beat until well mixed.
4) Add flour mixture to the creamed sugar mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.
5) Divide dough in half and form into two balls. Flatten the balls into a disc shape and wrap
lightly with plastic wrap.
6) Refrigerate for one hour.
7) On a floured surface, roll out dough to a ½ inch thickness.
8) With cookie cutters, cut dough into hearts of desired size and shape and place on ungreased
cookie sheets.
9) Bake for 12 minutes. Do not brown. Immediately transfer to a cooling surface.
10) If decorating with the icing below, wait until the cookies are completely cooled.
Makes about 60.

Buttercream Frosting

½ cup butter (1 stick) softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 drops red food coloring

Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix with an electric beater until well blended. Use to
frost valentine sugar cookies above.

And remember, as Matt says, “The key to this is the butter, don’t skimp; lots of butter in the cookies, and lots in the frosting.” Enjoy!

Mom-Mom