Valentines Cookies

Last week Brandy and I went to Target in Augusta and found some really cute Valentines sprinkles. I decided to make sugar cookies with Bronwynne and Anice yesterday. They turned out really well and the girls had a lot of fun decorating them. The recipe I use is below; it's the best one I've found so far. You can eleminate the crushed peppermint and substitute the peppermint extract for another flavoring. I used a little lemon flavoring for my glaze this time.

The battery in my camera died so I didn't get any pictures of the finished cookies after the girls were done. :(

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream shortening and butter together. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Mix sifted flour and salt together. Add flour and salt to egg mixture. Mix well. Cover bowl of dough with foil and refrigerate until chilled (at least 30 minutes). Using rolling pin, roll our dough to 1/4" thick on a flour surface. Dip cookie cutter into flour and "cut out" cookies. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11-15 minutes depending on how brown you prefer cookies. Remove with a spatula while still warm. Allow to cool. Decorate with Pepperming Glaze.

Peppermint Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 drop red food coloring
1/2 cup crushed pepperming candy

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drizzle over cooled cookies.