Valentine Cookies

A tradition that goes back to my childhood -- pink frosted heart cookies for Valentine's. Made for the grade school party. They were special then and they are special now!
I made them for Daughter Sarah and her grade school Valentine's Party. Using, of course, my mother's recipe and my grandmother's heart cooky cutter.
And I still make them -- for a Valentine tea. Nothing better than a cup of freshly brewed tea and a heart shaped sugar cookie frosted with an almond flavored pink icing.
What isn't eaten for tea is bagged for we give them as gifts to the bank clerk, a favorite waitress, and the children next door.
And then . . . . I do save one just for me!

It's Saturday which means that it's time for Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. It's a Pink Valentine Saturday as well and so there should be lots of pink Valentine posts this Saturday.

To me, there is nothing like a pink frosted heart shaped cookie for Valentine's!

The recipe was my mother's (and perhaps my grandmother's) -- we made hearts for Valentine's, stars and bells and trees for Christmas, sometimes pumpkins for Halloween and bunnies for Easter. It's a good sturdy cooky and can be hung on the Christmas tree if you're so inclined. (We were so inclined when Daughter Sarah was small -- we're not anymore).

It's a good cooky with a great almond flavoring. We often flavor the frosting with almond as well.

LINDERHOF CUTOUT COOKIES

1 cup softened butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 T. vanilla

1 t. almond flavoring

4 cups flour, resifted with

1/2 t. salt and 1 t. baking powder

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and flavorings. Add the flour mixture and beat or knead until smooth. Roll into two rolls, wrap in paper and chill for several hours.

Using one roll at a time, roll dough out on a lightly floured board. If thin crisp cookies are wanted, roll the dought about 1/16 inch thick; if soft, thicker cookies are wanted, roll about 1/8 inch thick.

Cut out as desired.

Bake in a moderate oven (375) until very delicately golden, usually 8 or 10 minutes. When cool, frost with your favorite buttercream frosting (to which I add almond flavoring).