Austin resident Cathleen Johnson offers this month’s recipe for a Valentine’s treat from her grandmother: “She used to cut the heart-shaped cookies out of the dough by hand, adding swirls and what-not. As kids, we thought they were the best. She let us cut our own cookies out, and mine were always lop-sided and funny looking. We had great fun, and that made them taste that much better.”
Makes: 3 ½ dozen cookies
Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Red decorator's sugar, optional
Directions
Combine the butter, cream and sugar in a mixing bowl, then add the beaten egg and extracts. Stir in the flour and mix well. Chill for two hours.
Dough can be colored red with food coloring, if desired. If you do that, use white kitchen sugar as topping before baking
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch. Thickness. Cut the dough with a 2-1/2- or 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, or use a paring knife to cut out heart shapes by hand.
Place the dough cookies on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with red sugar if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven, and cool on baking racks or waxed paper. Serve with cold milk.