Valentine Cookie Bouquet

Valentine Cookie Bouquet


From Taste of Home

"I always try to do something special with my fair entries. This cookie bouquet was a blue-ribbon winner," says Marlene Gates, Sun City, Arizona. "It is a great gift for a loved one or makes a nice Valentine's Day centerpiece."
INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup baking cocoa
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 24 long wooden skewers
* FROSTING:
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 2 to 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the milk, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Place skewers on top of each cookie with one end of each skewer about 1 in. from top of each heart. Gently press into the dough. Place a little extra dough over each skewer; press into cookie to secure. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
Roll out remaining dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with a floured 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut out centers with a 1-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar and enough cherry juice to achieve spreading consistency. Gently spread frosting over cookies with skewers; top with cookies with cutout centers. Yield: 2 dozen.