There is an interesting story of how these shortbread cookies came about. Sorry Willie, (my 16 year old brother) but I am going to bash on you for just a second. So, I had just finished a long day of work and was looking forward to putting my feet up for the rest of the night when my brother calls me and asks if I can make him cookies for a bake sale the following day. I can never say no to baking no matter how tired I am so of course I agreed.
I thought for about 30 minutes about what was easy to make and what he could sell easily and I decided upon shortbread. My mom makes it every year at Christmas time and it is delicious but I had never actually taking a whack at it myself, so I thought why not?
They worked out quite splendidly and though my brothers bake sale was not very successful overall I happen to think that the cookies were... and my friends who got the left overs agreed as well.
The bake sale that my brother did was to prevent sex trafficking and to help people to escape to freedom so in the end I was happy to help out for a good cause.
I figured that I would do heart shaped cookies because everyone can use a little love. Especially at the end of the school year!
Also want to mention that I got this recipe from the Joy of Baking blog!
Ingredients:
This recipe makes about 25 heart shaped cookies.
2 cups flour
1/4 cup salt
2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup melted chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Whisk the flour and salt together and set aside.
2. Beat butter in an electric mixer until creamy. Add in sugar and mix until smooth for several minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Gently stir in the flour mixture (you will probably have to use your hands to knead it until it has a doughy consistency).
4. Flatten into about a 1/2 inch round shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350.
6. Roll out the dough on a flat surface while making sure there is plenty of flour to keep it from sticking to the surface and the rolling pin.
7. Line baking sheets with parchment paper before placing cookies onto them.
8. Continue to roll it out until it is about a quarter inch thick and using cookie cutters cut out whatever shape you want.
10. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are just turning a very light brown color.
11. If you want to make these twice as delicious melt some chocolate chips in a glass bowl and using a knife, spatula, or dipping, paint some melted chocolate onto each cookie and set aside to allow them to cool and harden.
Feel free to add different sprinkles or decor onto the chocolate as displayed below.
Once they have set (or even before) dig in!
Happy Baking as always!
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