What's as cute as a conversation heart candy, but tastes about a billion times better? These cookies. They are soft and chewy, and the frosting is light and lemony. Make some for your friends, your valentine, or yourself. It's a great way to start a conversation.
Frosted Conversation Heart Cookies
Cookie Dough 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup shortening (butter flavored) 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
Royal Icing 3 pasteurized egg whites 3 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon lemon extract food coloring
Directions For Cookies: Cream the shortening and butter, then add the sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt gradually to the creamed mixture. Cover and chill dough overnight or at least four hours, at least overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll chilled dough out on a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to create desired shapes, then place on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until puffy and barely golden brown. Remove to cool on a rack before icing.
For Icing: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip egg whites until light and frothy. Add powdered sugar slowly, mixing on low, until completely incorporated and shiny in appearance. Add lemon extract. Turn speed up to high, and mix for 5-7 minutes, or until frosting develops thick, stiff peaks. Divide 1/3 of frosting into a mixing bowl. Add in a dash of food coloring (a little goes a long way). Stir until color is completely incorporated. Add colored frosting to a pastry bag with a fine tip, then outline each cooled cookie. Set colored frosting aside. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the remaining icing, mix well, then transfer to another pastry bag or squeeze bottle and fill in the remaining surface of each cookie. Use a toothpick to spread it out and fill in any holes. Allow the surface to dry for 10 minutes before piping the colored frosting into letters on the surface of the cookie.
If you don't have time to make and frost your own cookies, there's still time to get your hands on some of mine! Our new frosted cookies are buttery, mouthwatering, and ready to be delivered for Valentine's Day. Mmm!
