Share heart-shaped cookies with Valentines old and new

There’s nothing sweeter than sharing the love on Valentine’s Day by giving a homemade gift. Whether married, dating someone or single, this is the perfect holiday to cheer everyone up with a hearty dose of sugar and bright pink sprinkles.

Valentine’s Day is a highly commercialized occasion that used to be a saint’s feast day in the Catholic church’s calendar. It has become yet another American excuse to buy cards and plush animals and overindulge in chocolate and candy — why not join in the sugar-covered fun? The holiday is a reminder to show appreciation of loved ones and friends with a small token or treat.

The holiday couldn’t fall at a better time in the northeast, just when many people need to be cheered up a little. Abington’s streets have been a mess of ice and snow for months now, temperatures have plummeted and only teased a little hope out of residents by peaking up to the early 40s. Winter has settled in, and so have the doldrums.

To brighten up the weekend and have a little fun, invite a few friends over for a cookie-making party, or crank up some romantic music and get busy in the kitchen with a sweetie. Sugar cookies make the perfect Valentine’s Day gift because they are a blank canvas ready to be decorated and personalized. After baking the cookies, go wild with different color icing or sprinkles and makes each cookie as special as the recipient.

Williams Sonoma in Willow Grove,carries plenty of cookie cutters in cute Valentine’s Day-themed shapes, from hearts to cupids. Stock up on bright pink, purple or white sprinkles and icing at Genuardi’s on Susquehanna Road in Abington, or Wal-Mart in Willow Grove.

Unlike some baking recipes, this sugar cookie recipe doubles well. Make a big batch and keep some of the dough in the freezer reserved for a later date. Roll it into a log, wrap it in parchment paper, then put it in a freezer bag. Frozen dough will keep for 1 to 2 months.

Sugar cookies

 1 cup shortening, room temperature

½ cup sugar

½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon salt

Colored sugar or sprinkles for decoration

Use an electric mixer to beat the shortening, oil and both sugars in a large bowl until it is well blended. Mix in egg and vanilla and almond flavorings. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together. Mix it into the shortening mixture. Cover and chill until the dough is firm, at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick spray. Roll dough out with rolling pin to about ½ inch thick, and cut using heart-shaped cookie cutters. Space evenly on cookie sheet, and dust with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly browned, but still tender. Transfer to wire cooling racks, and let cool completely. Makes about 36 cookies.