Heart Shaped Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 stick of butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup of ground almond or walnuts
2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
some strawberry or rasberry jam
Powdered sugar for dusting.

Directions

1) Cream sugar and butter until light. Add in egg and continue to beat until incorporated. Add in vanilla and mix well.
2) In a separate bowl combined ground almond, flour, salt and baking powder.
3) Slow down the speed of the mixer and add in the flour mixture into the butter until incorporated and form a dough.
4) Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min.
5) Roll out the dough to about 1/8" and cut out the hearts and bake in a pre-hearted 325 degree F oven for 15 min or until lightly brown on the edges.
6) When the cookies is cool spread some jam on the bottom cookies and sandwich the cookies. Fill up the holes with extra jam and dust with powdered sugar.

recipe courtesy of My Kitchen Snippets

I found this on the back of a Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix (17.5 oz pouch).

Heat oven to 375 degrees (or 350 for dark or non-stick pan). Make cookie mix as directed--except decrease softened butter to 1/3 cup and stir in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with the cookie mix. Roll dough on floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutter. (Keep remaining dough covered while rolling and cutting first batch of cookies.) Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake as directed above. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Cool completely, Frost and decorate as desire

3 egg whites
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. almond extract or white vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy but will not increase in volume. Keep covered with damp cloth while using, removing small portions to bowl as needed. Tint if desired. To thin, add a few drops of water. Royal icing hardens with a nice sheen.

Recipe courtesy of Cooks.com

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil or pure vegetable shortening

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined.
2. On slow speed, beat in flour and salt until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/16-to-1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet; chill for 30 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 300º with a rack in the center. Press the tines of a fork into each cookie to make designs.
5. Bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. (Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.)
6. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oil.
7. Dip half or one third of each cookie into the chocolate mixture. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to dry, or place them on a piece of parchment paper in the freezer for 10 minutes. Serve.

recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Show your sweetheart how big your heart is with this giant chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate icing adds the finishing touch.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 22 mins
Cooling Time: 30 mins cooling

Servings: 12 servings

1 package (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Bar Dough
Frosting, decorator icing, sugar sprinkles, candies and/or melted chocolate (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Grease large baking sheet.

PLACE whole bar of dough in prepared pan. Allow to soften for 5 to 10 minutes. Using fingertips, pat dough gently to form an 8- to 9-inch heart shape.

BAKE for 22 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; carefully loosen cookie with spatula. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

DECORATE as desired.

courtesy of Recipe Goldmine

Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/2 cup light molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Icing Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine brown sugar, butter and molasses in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, salt, baking soda and spices; beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour).

Heat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut with 2 to 2 1/2 inch heart-shaped cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine all icing ingredients in small bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium. Beat, scraping bowl often, until stiff and glossy. If too stiff, add additional warm water. Decorate cooled cookies with icing, as desired..

courtesy of Land O Lakes