Valentine Cherry Filled Heart Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

    * 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
    * 1/2 cup shortening
    * 1 cup granulated sugar
    * 1 egg
    * 1/2 cup milk
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    * 2 teaspoons baking powder
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cherry Filling

    * 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    * 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
    * 1/2 cup orange juice
    * 1/4 cup red maraschino cherry juice
    * 12 red maraschino cherries, chopped
    * 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
    * Additional sugar

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening; gradually add sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, make Cherry Filling.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place half of the cookies on greased baking sheets; spoon 1/2 teaspoon filling in the center of each. Use a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter to cut small hearts out of the other half of the cookies. (Bake small heart cutouts separately.) Place the remaining hearts over filled cookies; press edges together gently. Fill centers with additional filling if needed. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Yields about 4 1/2 dozen filled cookies.

Cherry Filling

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Add juices, cherries and butter. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minutes. Chill.