Description
Valentines Day Slice and Bake Cookies, easy to make with delicious vanilla and almond flavors, perfect for sharing with your loved ones!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring (gel food coloring works best for vibrant color)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Outer Cookie Dough In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups flour and ½ teaspoon salt. In a separate large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter and ¾ cup sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla, mixing until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until incorporated. The dough should come together but not be sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the red heart dough.
- Step 2: Make the Red Heart Dough Follow the same process for the heart center: whisk 1 cup flour and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream ½ cup butter and ⅓ cup sugar until fluffy. Add the milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough red food coloring to achieve a vibrant red. Mix in the flour mixture until just combined. The dough for your Valentine’s Day Slice and Bake Cookies should be slightly firmer than the outer dough.
- Step 3: Shape the Heart Center On a piece of parchment paper, roll the red dough into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes until firm enough to handle but not completely frozen.
- Step 4: Create the Heart Shape Remove the red dough log and cut it in half lengthwise. Place the cut sides down and gently press the rounded sides together to form a heart shape. Return to the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up again.
- Step 5: Assemble the Cookie Log Roll out the refrigerated vanilla dough between two pieces of parchment paper into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Remove the top parchment and place the red heart log along one long edge of the vanilla dough. Carefully roll the vanilla dough around the heart, using the parchment to help you lift and wrap it completely. Seal the edges and gently roll to smooth the outside of your Valentine’s Day Slice and Bake Cookies log.
- Step 6: Chill, Slice and Bake Wrap the completed log in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the log into ¼-inch rounds and place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just barely golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg