sweetheart cookies xo

This is a recipe from my childhood, something my mom always used to make my brother and I around Valentine's Day... and since I'm visiting with my mom & dad right now I figured why not break out an ole favorite... the adorable, scrumptious sweet heart cookie.

This is not your typical sugar cookie recipe. This one has oats, walnuts and cream cheese in the dough. There is nothing tricky about it, and it is really simple to make. It's also good one to make in two parts - make the dough the night before you want to bake because it needs to set in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Making the dough simply requires beating together ingredients, rolling the dough in a log shape approx 1 1/2 - 2" in diameter, wrapping and popping in the fridge. The next morning unwrap the dough, slice about a 1/4" off, roll it into a ball, then shape it into a heart. Your fingers will get greasy but not sticky. If you find the dough sticky and difficult to handle you may need to put it back in the fridge for a second to firm it up.

Set your heart shaped cookies on an ungreased tray about 1" apart, bake then in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes. If they still look too doughy, then they are not ready. They cookies will not really brown, so you may need to lightly touch them to make sure they are set before pulling them out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling.

Meanwhile you can make the icing, which is a simple confectioner's sugar icing. Simply beat sugar, milk, butter and vanilla together. The icing is applied fairly thin since it is so sweet. If you like a lot of icing I would increase this recipe by another 1/2.

Sit back and enjoy with a cup of coffee and think about wonderful childhood memories...

Sweetheart Cookies
Dough:
1 c butter - softened
6 oz cream cheese
1 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour - sifted
1 TB baking powder
1/4 tsp salk
1 c uncooked old fashioned oats
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Pink Frosting:
2 c sifted confectioner's sugar
2 TB butter - softened
4 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 - 3 drops red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350°

• Beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat again.

• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat this slowly into the creamed mixture, until blended.

• Stir in the oats and chopped walnuts; Mix well. Roll into a log shape - approx 1 1/2" - 2" diameter, cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

• Slice off 1/4" slices and roll into a 1" ball. Shape into a heart and place on ungreased cookie sheet. (If you find it difficult to shape in your hands, put the ball directly on the baking sheet and form a heart by pressing ball down then shaping) If you do not want to make heart shaped cookies, simply slice pieces off of the chilled log and place them directly on the cookie sheet.

• Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack then top with icing.

• To make icing, combing sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add a few drops of food coloring and beat until blended. Frost cooled cookies.