Sweetheart Sugar Cookies

Here's a delicious recipe for Valentine's Day to celebrate with your loved ones!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons meringue powder

Pink sanding sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, beating until blended.

2. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended.

3. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; flatten each portion into a disk. Cover and chill 10 minutes.

4. Place 1 dough disk on a heavily floured surface, and roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Repeat procedure with remaining dough disk.

5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks, and let cool completely (about 30 minutes).

6. Whisk together meringue powder and 2 Tbsp. water. Brush cookies with mixture, or dip cookies in mixture, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

For jumbo cookies: Cut rolled-out dough with a 4 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Bake at 350° for 15 to 17 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Makes: about 1 dozen.

For bite-size cookies: Cut rolled-out dough with a 1-inch heart-shaped cutter. Bake at 350° for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Makes: about 20 dozen.

Note:

You may need to prepare additional meringue powder-and-water mixture as you decorate cookies. Sanding sugar may also be called "fine" sugar.

Southern Living

FEBRUARY 2011