This is my grandma Marcella’s recipe for Valentine’s Day heart cookies, and they’re my most adored Valentine’s Day tradition. She died when I was 9 months old, and I love the way I feel so connected to her and grounded in my roots when I make these. Before I roll the dough out, I always end up just staring at it for a second, resting my hands on it and imagining her making the very same cookies years ago. It’s kinda magical. Plus, they’re just delicious — delicate oat flavor, with a light crispy crunch. I usually frost them with pink icing (as tradition dictates) but they’re so good plain that I just left them happily ungilded this year. However, I must say the pink icing is adorable, so if you wish just mix a little icing sugar with any kind of milk (dairy or not; I prefer coconut milk creamer) until it’s right for frosting with. I like to use beet juice to turn it pink, but you probably don’t have any of that, so you can always use the natural red food coloring that’s stocked in larger natural foods stores. Honestly though, if you don’t have a juicer, it’s easy enough to procure the few drops of juice that you need for this purpose by squeezing grated beet in some cheesecloth. Or use conventional red food coloring. I won’t tell anybody.
Valentine’s Day Hearts
To make these vegan, use an Ener-G “egg” and Earth Balance. You’ll also have to use more non-dairy milk — about 1/4 cup.
3/4 c. butter (see note for vegan option)
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg (or egg replacer)
1 t vanilla
2 T dairy or non-dairy milk (different for vegan option. See note.)
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c quick oats (or just pulse regular oats in the blender to break into smaller pieces)
Preheat oven to 375.
Cream the butter or EB and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg or replacer and vanilla. Beat another minute or two until light. Beat in milk. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. (You can be proper and sift the dry ingredients together first, but sometimes I don’t. Nothing bad ever happens as a result!) Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm. (If you chill this dough for much more than an hour, you might have to let it warm a few minutes on the counter so that you can roll it out with ease.)
Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper, or grease lightly. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 2 inch hearts (or whatever the heavens you want!) and transfer the cut-outs to the prepared sheet. Save and re-roll the scraps. (Fill one cookie sheet, and while it’s baking fill the second and place it in the refrigerator until the first sheet finishes baking. If you only have one sheet, NEVER refill a hot or warm cookie sheet with unbaked cookies. Simply rinse the outside bottom of the cookie sheet with cold water, and it will instantly be cool enough to use again.) Bake for about 12 minutes (check after 10) until delicately browned. Cool or racks. Frost or decorate as desired…or not.
Don’t forget to make these with lots and lots of love. ♥
