Valentine Cookie Bouquet
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling
YIELD: 2 dozen.
"I always try to do something special with my fair entries. This cookie bouquet was a blue-ribbon winner," says Marlene Gates, Sun City, Arizona. "It is a great gift for a loved one or makes a nice Valentine's Day centerpiece."
Ingredients
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1 cup butter, softened
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1 cup sugar
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1/4 cup milk
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1 egg
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup baking cocoa
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3/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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24 long wooden skewers
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FROSTING:
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1/2 cup butter, softened
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2 cups confectioners' sugar
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2 to 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
Directions
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1.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 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.
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2.
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.
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3.
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.
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4.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
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5.
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.
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6.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
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7.
In a small bowl, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and enough cherry juice to achieve spreading consistency. Gently spread frosting over cookies with skewers; top with cookies with cutout centers.
Nutrition Facts
1 each: 234 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 146mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
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