Maggie has her Valentine’s Party this morning at school and she started the day jumping up and down saying, “I am so excited. I am so excited. I am so excited.” Her enthusiasm for this holiday has been amazing to see crescendo as the week comes to a close. This (almost) four year old girl has been sitting for a week now patiently writing her name on each card and envelope. Then, she meticulously packs cards, candy and treats inside the envelopes – custom-stylized for a special friend. Amazing.

The gist of this is that we are going to celebrate Maggie’s new favorite holiday by making her (my) favorite sugar cookies over the weekend and I have to get ready today.  Notice how the hearts (cookies) in the drawing above are larger than anything else in her world – including house, pets, and parents! Got to love a girl who loves to cook…

The base of our recipe comes from Kim’s Cookbook For Young People that was given to me by my Grandmother Smith on my 13^th Birthday.

For whatever reason, this recipe has never been surpassed – well, with a few modifications:

MAGGIE’S FAVORITE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar (we use raw sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon homemade baking powder (see below)
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and raw sugar on medium speed until they are creamy – about 3 minutes. (That mixer would make a great Valentine’s Gift for a deserving chef if you still don’t have an idea and they don’t already have one.)

Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter and raw sugar and blend on medium.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and add in quarters to dough. Blend on low until just smooth – do not over beat.
Chill your dough for 1 hour – trying not to taste.

Roll to about 1/4” thick on a lightly floured board. Cut with floured heart cookie cutters. Place on parchment paper lined pan and bake for 8 -10 minutes. The trick is not to overcook. Test often to make sure that the cookies are “done.”

Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Decorate with Buttercream Frosting.

A Note on Homemade Baking Powder
The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock (In my top ten list of cookbooks and also a great Valentine’s Day gift):

Distressed by the chemical additives and aftertaste of commercial “double-acting” powders, Miss Lewis years ago started making her own baking powder – a traditional mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda. When I first used her formula (from her books, before we met), I couldn’t really taste any difference. Soon, though, I realized that muffins and quick breads made with aluminum-sulfate-based powders left a metallic “tingle” on my tongue. Today, I make up a batch of this powder every week for use at the restaurant and bring a jar home for Miss Lewis. We recommend it for all the recipes here. If necessary, you can substitute commercial baking powder in equal amounts.

Sift 1/4 cup cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons baking soda together 3 times, and transfer to a clean, tight-sealing jar. Store at room temperature, away from sunlight, for up to 6 weeks.

Happy Valentine’s Week(end),
From all of us @ Alabama Chanin