The Best Homemade Valentine's Day Cookies

Trying to think of something special for your loved ones this Valentine's Day? How about a gift straight from the heart? Heart-shaped shortbread cookies, made with the very best of ingredients, will show those you love how much you care. Homemade shortbread cookies are easy to make and incredibly delicious. Far more rich than any cut-out cookie you've ever eaten, shortbread is a buttery indulgence and is well worth the time and effort.

If you've made rolled cut-out cookies for Christmas or Hanukah, you already have the basic idea for making Valentine Shortbread. Make sure you buy the very best of ingredients. This is no time to buy low-fat or low-calorie substitutes! You'll also want to have a heart-shaped cookie cutter on hand; however, if you don't have one, you can make a cardboard template and trace around each cookie with a sharp knife.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Shortbread Cookies

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture thoroughly, using a wooden or other large spoon. Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and form the dough into a flat disk. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the ovn to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or cardboard stencil. (I roll these a bit thicker than I would traditional cut-out cookies).

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes. The cookies will be light in color. Be careful not to overcook. Remove from the baking sheets and cool on racks. May decorate if desired.

Decorating the Shortbread

You don't have to decorate these at all as they are excellent plain. Should you choose to decorate, here are some suggestions:

- For a light touch, simply sprinkle a little white sugar on the cookies before they go in the oven. Just a sprinkle will do.

- For a more festive touch, frost the cooled cookies with store-bought frosting or homemade royal icing and add Decorating Sugar. I use India Tree Frost White Decorating Sugar because it is all-natural, but any decorating sugar will do.

This year, forget the chocolate hearts and make Homemade Valentine Shortbread instead. Your loved ones will be glad you did and so will you!