Orange Scented Valentine Sugar Cookies

Love is in the air.  The images of heart shaped objects abound during this time of year.  Whether you walk into a department store or your local drug store, you can’t help but be bombarded with the iconic symbol of love – the heart.  My hubby always calls Valentines Day, the hallmark holiday.  It got me thinking, what is the actual origin of this multimillion dollar holiday for retailers. Okay after reading here, I learned that it is beyond an obsessive retail holiday but a real holiday.  I knew that deep down, but had to check myself.

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Hubby and I have been consumed this season with watching what I deem – “Love Movies” on the Hallmark Channel.  They are a collection of new movies created for 2015 that simply make you feel good.  In our world of negative news, it is quite refreshing to watch a happy movie that warms your heart and reveals the meaning of love.  Hubby and I are romantics to the core.  We met years ago on a blind date and by the third date, we knew we would be together forever.  This September we will celebrate our 17^th wedding anniversary and he proposed just after knowing each other for a little over five months.  Everyone would always say to me – “you will know when it is the right person, you just know”.  It is hard to put into words, the “you just know thing” – but I can vouch that it is true. I feel like the last 17 years simply flew by and I am excited about our continued journey - just want it to slow down just a bit. Each year gets better and better and I love him more each day.

I can’t believe that it will be seventeen years this year – it has gone by way too fast.  When most of the time, it is easy; that is the sign of a good marriage.  A few of the secrets to having a solid marriage is having straightforward communication, respect for one another, being supportive, trustworthy and keeping the romance alive.  In addition, doing nice things for one another and spending quality time together.  Hubby loves to be nurtured and loves that I bake for him.  Since the love holiday is around the corner, I thought I would make some Orange Scented Valentine Sugar Cookies for my darling hubby.  Our orange tree is pretty loaded with these sweet gems and when I used the micro plane for the zest, the scent permeated the kitchen.  The addition of the orange was the perfect compliment and these cookies simply delighted my hubby. 

Orange Scented Valentine Sugar Cookies

Makes 40 Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. Almond extract

Zest of one Orange

Beat the butter until softened, add sugar, egg, flour, salt and vanilla extract, orange zest and mix until combined. Chill dough for 1-2 hours. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Use 2 inch heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out the dough and place the cookies 2-inches apart onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or silpats.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light brown.

Icing

3 Cups Confectioners sugar

8 teaspoons Orange Juice

4 teaspoon Water

Red Paste Food Coloring

Use 3 medium size bowls.  Place one cup of confectioner’s sugar in each bowl.  Add 4 teaspoon of orange juice to the first bowl and 4 teaspoon of orange juice to the second bowl and 4 teaspoon of water to the third bowl.  Use three different spoons – one for each bowl.  Mix the sugar and liquid in each bowl until really smooth.  The bowl with the water will be your white icing.  Next add just a drop or two of the red food coloring to the second bowl and mix to make a pink frosting.  For the third bowl add 6 to 7 drops of the red food paste to make a dark red icing.  You may need to add a bit more water to any of them to make smooth.

Lightly dip the top of each cooled cookie in the desired color icing. Let the excess drip back into the bowl by gently shaking.  Lay on a cookie rack to dry.  Will take 3 to 4 hours to completely dry.  Repeat until all cookies are iced.