A Muse in My Kitchen
My Funny Valentines
This post is not about fancy recipes and exotic cooking…
There’s plenty out there in the last few days from other bloggers on the perfect meal and dessert for Valentine’s Day.
This post is about a perfect Valentine.
We had the joy of watching our 4 year old twins this weekend and I had the joy of turning it into a Valentine craft and cookie extravaganza.
As I sit here and watch them fighting sleep in their sleeping bags while watching Charlie Brown, I have a tired smile of my face…
for the day was sweeter than any Valentine’s Day I’ve had in the past.
We made cookies…
Rather, I made cookies ahead of time so all we had to is decorate.
Cookies were cooling and I made the frosting while they were watching the white frosting turn to pink.
“Magic!” they squealed as they watch the red food coloring swirl around in the white frosting turning to pink.
I laid out a myriad of colored sugars and sprinkles as their little hands went to work.
I frosted – they embellished and the production line was in full force.
They decorated and chattered…
and chattered…
until Alas!
They were done.
MeeMaw…I’m tired of this. I wanna do something else!
And off they went to leave me with at least two dozen more cookies to decorate.
I didn’t mind as I watched them playing in the other room.
Such joy!
The recipe for the cookies were adapted from Annie’s Eats…delicious crispy sugar cookies with a hint of lemon.
Topped with a simple cream cheese frosting.
Life is much better touched with a bit of sweetness.
- COOKIES:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tsp. vanilla extract
- Zest of a lemon
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- FROSTING:
- 1 lb. powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk, more if necessary
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- COOKIES:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until smooth. (1-2 minutes)
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until blended.
- Mix in the flour and salt on low speed just until incorporated.
- Form the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate until chilled and firm. (at least 1-2 hours)
- Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out on a well floured work surface to about ¼ ” thickness.
- Cut with cookie cutters as desired and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until fully cooked but not at all browned.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate.
- FROSTING:
- Beat the cream cheese for a couple of minutes until soft and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and milk.
- Mix until blended.
- Add a bit more milk, if necessary.
- You want the consistency of the frosting to be thick so it doesn’t slide off the cookie.
- Adjust consistency with more sugar or milk.
- Frost cookies and decorate.
