Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Valentine's Day Cookies

I have what I think to be a pretty unique recipe for Valentine's Day cookies. I have sampled a lot of different kinds of cookies in my life and have never come across any like these but from my Mom's kitchen. The original recipe calls them Birthday Cookies, but I have always known them as the Valentine Cookies with the Red Hot Frosting. The frosting is what makes them really special, the color is almost a hot pink, and the taste is not like any ordinary frosting. Try them and you'll see.

Cookie:
1 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 cups oats (old fashioned)

Beat butter, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla together until creamy. Then add the dry indredients. If dough is too sticky to work with at this point, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in freezer for a few. Preheat oven to 375. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick and cut with heart shaped cookie cutters. ( My Mom uses a heart with a scalloped edge, I think that makes the prettiest cookies, I hope she wills that cookie cutter to me someday!) Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes. Do not let them get brown. While cookies are cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting:
1- 8oz. package cinnamon red hot candies(a.k.a. imperial hearts)
1 stick butter
1 pound powdered sugar
water

Put red hot candies in pan with just enough water to cover them, stir constantly. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then simmer with the butter until all of the candies are dissolved, keep stirring. This may take awhile. Take off heat and add powdered sugar and stir until it thickens just a little. You want it to be a bit runny because it will thicken as it cools. Ice cookies immediately. You can do this by dipping the cookie face down into the frosting(it is more of an icing) or with an offset spatula or knife. The icing will set up nicely on the cookie. Gotta go make some.

17 comments:

Mumsy said...

I'm seriously so excited to have this recipe. I've been wanting to make something new for V-Day with Lil. The frosting sounds interesting. I love those red hots. Nothing says it's Valentine's like those.

Denise said...

Jenni, I think you might be a baking Goddess. Mo, your input here?

Michelle said...

I can hardly wait! I am going to the store today and will get the fixins!

love.boxes said...

How fun! I'm in for Hot Pink Frosting!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for reminding me... its time to make the Valentine Cookies! Is it really almost Valentines Day? I think I just put the last of Christmas away!

Mo said...

Jenni is a Godess who happens to bake extremely well in addition to her many other talents.

Lisa said...

Yummy - I need to try this one!!

Amanda Neilson said...

This is so exciting- I'm making them first thing tomorrow. Nothing like cookies for breakfast!

Anonymous said...

I am making this with my "Beehaves" aka Beehives tomorrow! Brave undertaking!

Tania said...

mmmmm - definitely trying these.

Anonymous said...

My cookies just arrived!!!! You are next!!!!! Yipeee

mae said...

These look delicious. I can't wait to try them. I would much rather get together and bake them. Let me know when is good for you :-)

liz said...

somehow zane found a little container of red hots in the cabinet (thanks to the ikea chair!) and opened up the container and ate them, never having had them before.

how the heck did he know they were candy?!

anyway- he would be so thrilled to help me with this one!

laura said...

If I come visit you guys next weekend, will you save me some of these? I just can't bring myself to try something new. Connor and I "made" lollypops with chocolate. And I'm eating most of them instead of giving them to his friends. I'm not in the mood to make sugar cookies. I'd rather drive to R.I. Plus then I'd get to see you guys. Seriously!

Jenni said...

Come on up Laura,in fact, you're all invited for some of these tasty treats!

Shauna said...

I ate more of these at mom's house this weekend. They are totally the best when she makes them!!! I haven't mastered the icing. I am counting on you, Jenni to perfect the Valentine Cookie technique as a family legacy.

Anonymous said...

I have been looking for this Red Hots frosting receipe for years. I got the recipe from a neighbor in Arizona years ago. I have since lost the recipe and contact with the neighbor. I am so excited. I think I will go home tonight and make them. Thanks for posting it.