No Sweethearts candy? No problem!

Making cutout sugar cookies at Christmastime has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. But why only Christmas?

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter and make your own conversation hearts cookies this Valentine’s Day. Frost them with pastel colors and pipe on your own messages with frosting. They’re much tastier than those chalky candies anyway!

Double or triple the recipe to make sure you have enough to share.

Vanilla Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Beat softened butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Stir in flour. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in waxed paper. Refrigerate dough until firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8″ thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place 1″ apart on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Vanilla Butter Frosting
1/3 cup soft butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 T. milk
Blend butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.

Barbara Jordan