Valentine sugar cookies

In celebration of Valentine’s Day these sugar Cookies are inspiring, use heart-shaped cookie cutters. 

Why wait till Valentine’s Day to enjoy them? Change the colour and shape of both cookies and filling to suit your whim and theme. St. Patrick day, you go green etc. Have fun with it!

To make valentine sugar cookies

Cookie

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons red food colour
2½ cups flour
¼ cup corn flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cream filling

½ cup vegetable shortening or margarine
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon sugar
3½ cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons hot water

Oven temperature is 180°C, grease or line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminium foil.

In a bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and smooth.

Beat in the egg, add vanilla essence and red food colour. Mix till well blended.

Combine flour, corn flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl, add to the butter and mix to form a soft dough.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll to about ¼ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut heart-shaped, 2½-inch-circles or any desired shape.

Preheat oven. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to control spreading.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set, let cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To make the Filling:

Beat together shortening, vanilla essence, sugar, icing sugar and hot water till smooth. Spread on one cookie and cover with another.

Makes 24 cookies