My Gram’s Valentine Cookies…

My Gram, Mary DeLauter and I have made these a time or two.  I’m sharing the recipe because we’ve never heard one complaint.  Not even from grandpa, who gets stuck eating the over-done ones because gram and I’ve gotten side-tracked yakking or fussing over icing details.  Fussing meaning, grandma puts red hots on EVERYTHING and I’m not such a fan of red hots…although they look so dang cute (truthfully, as I age, they are growing on me).  But, I will never tire of these cookies or apologize for eating two or three in one setting.  Neither should you.  Ok, grab your heart cutters because here’s the recipe.

Mary D’s Sugar Cutout Cookies

¾ C shortening (part butter or margarine)

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 ½ C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

-Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla

-Add flour, baking powder and salt

*Chill at least 1 hour

-Oven @ 400

-Roll dough 1/8” thick on lightly floured board.  Cut with cookie cutters and place on un-greased baking sheet.  Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Butter-cream Decorating Icing (future Candie is editing here–I think this is actually called Royal icing)

½ C butter

½ C solid vegetable shortening

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

4 C confectioner’s sugar

3 Tbsp cool milk or cream

-Cream butter and shortening together with electric mixer

-Add vanilla and salt

-Beat in sugar, 1 C at a time, blending well after each addition

*Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often

-Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy

-Add color if you like too…

*Keep icing covered with lid and store in fridge.