Valentine Shortbread Cookies

If you're a frequent visitor to The Café, you may be realizing that we are quite smitten when it comes to shortbread. I have shared a variety of different shortbread recipes, and often, my desserts feature a shortbread crust. I mean it doesn't get too much simpler or better than flour, sugar and butter transformed into a crispy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, sweet delight................

I've been making this shortbread for over twenty years, ever since my husband came home with it written on a tiny scrap of paper. He had a co-worker from Scotland who had brought a treat to work; after one bite he knew that I'd have to have the recipe. It's super simple to make and I often just pat the dough in a round cake pan, bake it and cut it into wedges while it's still warm.

Since we're coming up on Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something a bit more special so I rolled the dough, cut it out in heart shapes and then dipped the cookies in a glaze-type frosting. I'm definitely not a fancy-schmancy cookie decorator, but this was fun and easy and they turned out quite festive. Share your affection for family and friends this month by whipping up a batch of these Valentine Shortbread Cookies - they'll definitely feel well-loved!

Valentine Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add flour and vanilla; mix until well blended. Gather dough into a ball and place in plastic wrap. Flatten slightly to form a disc (this will make rolling out the dough much easier later) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Don’t roll these too thin or they will be difficult to handle and to frost with the glaze. Cut out desired shapes and place on ungreased sheet pan, on silpat or on sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake at 350˚ F. for 12 to 16 minutes or until pale golden. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

4. Gather scraps of dough into ball, reroll and proceed with cutting and baking. Store in airtight container or freeze.

Glaze

Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
food coloring, if desired
colored sprinkles, if desired

Directions:
Combine glaze ingredients in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired one drop at a time and mix well to combine after each drop, adding more until desired color is achieved. Dip top side of each shortbread into icing then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread glaze over cookies. Decorate with colored sprinkles, if desired. Set glazed cookies back on wire racks and let set, for several hours. Once completely dry, store in an airtight container.

PRINTABLE RECIPE