Valentine Cookie Bouquet

Total Time Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling
Yield 2 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
"I always try to do something special with my fair entries. This cookie bouquet was a blue-ribbon winner," says Marlene Gates, Sun City, Arizona. "It is a great gift for a loved one or makes a nice Valentine's Day centerpiece."

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 24 long wooden skewers
  • FROSTING:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Place skewers on top of each cookie with one end of each skewer about 1 in. from top of each heart. Gently press into the dough. Place a little extra dough over each skewer; press into cookie to secure.
  4. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
  5. Roll out remaining dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut out centers with a 1-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter.
  6. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
  7. In a small bowl, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and enough cherry juice to achieve spreading consistency. Gently spread frosting over cookies with skewers; top with cookies with cutout centers.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 234 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 146mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

"I always try to do something special with my fair entries. This cookie bouquet was a blue-ribbon winner," says Marlene Gates, Sun City, Arizona. "It is a great gift for a loved one or makes a nice Valentine's Day centerpiece."
Recipe Creator

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