Cookies

• 1
  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• 2
  Beat in egg and vanilla.
• 3
  Combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter mixture.
• 4
  Divide dough into thirds, shape into thick rectangles and place in gallon-sized plastic food storage bags, roll to ⅛-inch thickness then chill dough until firm.
• 5
  Preheat oven to 375°F.
• 6
  Cut bag at seams and uncover top of dough. Cut dough with 2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Dough scrapes can be placed within the cut bag for re-rolling (chill if necessary).
• 7
  Use an off-set spatula to transfer cut-outs to cookie sheet. Allow about ½-inch between shapes on unbuttered cookie sheet. (Cookies can be sprinkled with colored sugars before baking or left plain to ice and sprinkle with colored sugar after baking.)
• 8
  Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
• 9
  Allow cookies to cool.
• 10
  Spread with icing and sprinkle with colored sugars if desired.
• 11
  Store in air tight container.

Butter Icing

• 1
  Cream butter.
• 2
  Blend in powdered sugar.
• 3
  Beat in vanilla and milk (or water). Blend in food color if desired. Add additional sugar or liquid if necessary for desired spreading consistency.