Sweetheart Slices

Name: Sweetheart Slices
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: about 2 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup sugar; 4 large egg yolks; 3 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips; Red or pink paste food coloring

You get the flavor of a snickerdoodle plus the texture of a shortbread in these fun cookies. Make them for your sweeties, or make them together for the memories!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Red or pink paste food coloring

Directions

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough into two portions, 2/3 of the dough and 1/3. Stir chocolate chips into larger portion; set aside. Tint remaining dough pink.
On a lightly floured surface, roll smaller portion to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 1-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Brush one side of hearts with water and gently stack together to form two 5-in. long logs, running finger along sides to smooth edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
Divide chocolate chip dough into 10 portions. Roll each into a 5-in. coil. Brush outside of heart log with water; mold coils around heart logs, gently pressing to adhere. Wrap cookie logs tightly in plastic; roll to mold the dough into a smooth roll. Freeze 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2-in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 12-14 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Originally published as Holiday Sugar Cookies in Ultimate Cookie Swap 2016 Bookazine