Vanilla Shortbread Hearts

Submitted by CookingONTheSide

"These heart-shaped sandwich cookies are sure to warm your Valentine's heart. Plan ahead because the dough has to chill at least two hours or overnight."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 2 dozen
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar, for decoration
• 1⁄2 cup seedless raspberry jam

directions

1. In small bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in vanilla.
4. Beat in flour mixture just until blended.
5. Shape dough into 2 disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
7. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8. Between 2 sheets of floured wax paper, roll 1 disk 1/8-inch thick.
9. With floured 3-inch heart-shape cookie cutter, cut out cookies.
10. Cut out centers of half cookies with floured 1 1/2 inch heart-shape cookie cutter.
11. Slide cookies on wax paper to another large cookie sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes, or until firm.
12. Remove heart-shape centers from cookies; place cookies on prepared sheets, 1 inch apart.
13. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
14. Cool on parchment paper on wire racks.
15. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps.
16. Sift confectioners' sugar over cookies with cut-out centers.
17. Spread 1 t jam on each plain cookie; top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches.