This Monday is an exciting day at school and once again, we will be making heart shaped sugar cookies for the classroom exchange. It’s a fun activity to do with kids because they get to do a lot of decorating. I’ve found the perfect cookie bags in the cake department at Michael’s. They are just the right size for tucking into a schoolmate’s Valentine mailbox.
I like to do this project in two steps. The dough needs to chill and the children don’t have the attention span to get through the mixing, baking and decorating in one spell.
3/4 cup butter softened and unsalted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla (or other flavoring)
2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Using an electric mixer, put the butter and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl and beat for 30 seconds; add the egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy; , mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and add them to the butter mixture, mix together to form a dough and chill for a couple hours. Roll the dough on a flour covered surface to 1/4 inch and get out your heartshaped cookie cutter. Decorate with whatever colored sugars strike your fancy. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes depending on size. Be sure to pull them out of the oven just when they start to turn gold on the edges. Leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before the cooling rack. These can also be decorated after baking – add your child’s name using icing or special frosting. This recipe makes about 20 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.