Our grandson, Blake (1 ½ years old) spent last weekend at our house. I decided that he could help me decorate some Christmas cookies for my mother (Blake’s great-grandmother).
I started with a nice sugar cookie dough (from the Christmas Cookies issue of Betty Crocker supermarket magazine #246) and rolled it out with my new nonstick rolling pin from the BettyCrockerStore.com. Then I cut out Christmas tree shapes with a cookie cutter. The recipe is really for Heart Sandwich Cookies which I also made, but without Blake’s help. I doubled the dough recipe so that I could make both the Heart Sandwich Cookies and some trees for Blake to decorate.
I melted some almond bark and piped it onto the trees. The almond bark works very well because it dries almost immediately. Then Blake sprinkled green sugar over the almond bark.
We brought some of the cookies with us when we visited Grandma Shirley. Blake was the first one to take one, after she opened the tin.
Later in the day, Blake’s parents came to pick him up. They stayed for a bowl of Wild Rice Soup and a chance to taste some of the cookies we decorated!
Heart Sandwich Cookies
Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon red edible glitter
Cinnamon Filling
1/4 cup red cinnamon candies
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1. In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk and vanilla, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour and baking powder until well mixed, scraping bowl frequently.
2. Shape dough into 2 equal halves; wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten each to 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 400°F. On generously floured surface, roll out 1 half of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with small (2-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookies 1 inch apart. Sprinkle glitter on cookies. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Repeat with remaining half of dough, except do not sprinkle with glitter. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat candies and water to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until candies are melted. Remove from heat. Using wire whisk, stir in butter and powdered sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, until smooth.
5. Spread or pipe heaping teaspoon filling in center of flat side of each undecorated cookie. Press decorated cookie over filling; press firmly to secure.
3 dozen sandwich cookies