Welcome to the month of love, also known as February. For this month’s edition of “In Purrsuit of Flavours,” we’re once again joining our ‘fur-bulous’ chefs and hosts, the Weim boys over at Easy Rider and kitties from Canadian Cats in sharing a sweet for a sweet. recipe. Click on their links to check out other sweet treat recipes.
Ok Norman, you ready to start baking? Righto mum…my toque, apron are all clean, pressed and ready to go. Let’s do it!
Today we’re making a soft sugar cookie that I have made every February for over 45 years (egad, am I really THAT old?). This recipe originated from the kids’ first daycare/babysitter which I wrote down in the margin of the 1967 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that I received at my wedding shower. It’s so old I’ve had to re-ink the recipe due to fading. What is really surprising to me is not how long I’ve been making these cookies but that this tasty treat is not chocolate, though the cookies could be topped with a chocolate frosting.
Before my kids even started school, I would make these heart shaped cookies for each of the kids at the daycare, each one frosted with their name on it. Try frosting “Tiffany” on a small heart shaped cookie. 😳 Even after they were past the daycare years, I still made these cookies, sans names.
Ok, let’s get started. Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Thoroughly cream 1/2 cup of shortening with 1 cup of sugar. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla, 1 egg and beat until well mixed (*Note: I frequently use almond extract instead of vanilla for more flavour and well…because I love the taste of almond extract in cookies though the original recipe calls for vanilla). Blend in 3 cups of flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 3 tsp. baking powder and then add 1/2 cup of milk. Roll out on a floured surface and cut shapes with a cookie cutter. Place on a GREASED cookie sheet, about an inch or so apart. I can’t stress the greased part enough. Trust me, I learned the hard way so benefit from my idiocy experience. Bake for 6 minutes or until cookies are set, depending on the thickness of your cookies. If you bake until the tops start to turn golden, they will be crispy (like the large hearts since those needed to have a bit of structure to avoid breaking when frosted). Once baked, allow to cool and then frost with your favorite frosting spread. I just use a simple confectioners frosting or you could spread some hazelnut spread on top. Normally I just spread across the entire cookie but decided to jazz them up a bit with some piping for today.
Wow mum, those look yummy! They are sweet dear boy but sadly you cannot have one. I’ll give you some chicken jerky instead, maybe you’d accept that for all your obstruction in the kitchen help in the kitchen? Why this dog MUST lay in front of the stove or sink and underfoot whenever I’m in the kitchen remains a mystery.
So there you have it. Easy-peasy and always a favorite. If you like a soft sugar cookie, these are just the ticket.
Umm, where’s my piece of jerky, mum?
Live, love, bark! 🐾