Valentine Softies with Kisses Just for You !

These are great little cookies that you can whip up in a snap. The cookie itself is a simple thumbprint recipe. Use any thumbprint cookie base you like. Then add 1 1/2 tbsp of liquid red food coloring.

Some like Hershey Kisses, others like frosting. I did both !

LET'S GO !!

Little wrapped jewels

Just follow the recipe below and you will see how easily the dough comes together.
These little guys are ready for the oven

Eagerly awaiting their spot on top of a glorious pink cookie

With a Kiss

Or with sweet and rich cream cheese icing

RECIPE:

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

WHAT YOU NEED

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup fine white sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring
1 cup all purpose flour (sifted)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Sugar

MAKE IT

WITH hand mixer, mix butter until light and fluffy, slowly add sugar
ADD egg yolk, vanilla and food coloring, scraping down sides when needed, and blend well
SLOWLY add flour and salt, blend until combined

COVER dough with cling wrap and leave in fridge for 15 minutes
ROLL dough into 2 inches balls
ROLL balls in sugar
PLACE on parchment lining cookie sheets 1 inch apart
FLATTEN cookies slightly with palm of hand
BAKE for 10-12 minutes

ALLOW to cool completely before adding icing. For the icing, please see the Red Velvet Cupcake recipe in the blog entry below. If adding Hershey Kisses instead, let cookies sit for 5 minutes then press kiss down slightly into center of cookie. If you don't allow the cookies to cool somewhat first your kiss will melt.

The kids will love these and insist their friends come over to indulge so be prepared !

Featured Here: FOODIE FRIDAY !

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

THEY ARE FINALLY HERE and just in time for Valentine's Day!! The cupcakes are freshly decorated and last time I looked there were only a few left. They won't last long at your place either.

I cannot take credit for the recipe but I have tried many a red velvet cupcake recipe and found the one featured on Joy of Baking to be the best yet. My advice though would be to add 2 tbsp of red food coloring vs just the 1 tbsp as stated in the recipe.

For the icing, I did not use the one shown in the Joy of Baking Red Velvet link. Instead I opted for a basic cream cheese icing I use to frost anything from carrot cake to banana bread.

I snapped a few photos along the way!

Red food coloring being added to the buttermilk

Makes a nice and fluffy batter.
TIP: Make sure you really blend all the ingredients together
well before filling cupcake liners otherwise you will run the risk of a marbled affect
where you will see red cake streaked with cocoa lines.

Fresh out of the oven!

Cooled and ready to be frosted

The final result !

Here is the link to the Joy of Baking Red Velvet Recipe. Icing recipe below.

ICING:

1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar (ensure you sift this to avoid grainy frosting)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

With hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy ( 2 min, medium speed)
Add butter and whip 1 min, medium speed
Add icing sugar and vanilla. Mix until well blended

Fill piping bag with whatever tip you choose and pipe away !