Valentine Cookie Bouquet Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 24 long wooden skewers
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the milk, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Place skewers on top of each cookie with one end of each skewer about 1 in. from top of each heart. Gently press into the dough. Place a little extra dough over each skewer; press into cookie to secure. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
• Roll out remaining dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut out centers with a 1-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
• In a bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar and enough cherry juice to achieve spreading consistency. Gently spread frosting over cookies with skewers; top with cookies with cutout centers. Yield: 2 dozen.

Valentine Cookie Bouquet published in Taste of Home February/March 2004, pback cover