Valentine Treats

I found this recipe on one of my new favorite foodie blogs, Sprinkle Bakes.  These butter cookies looked so cute I thought I would give them a try.  I think they turned out pretty good, and Jim and Haley really liked the taste of the butter cookie, but if you visit Heather over at Sprinkle Bakes, no judging.  Hers are perfect!

COLORFUL SPIRAL COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsifted cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp strawberry (or other flavor) extract
1/2 tsp rose food coloring
2 Tbsp unsifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups multi-colored nonpareil decors

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugars in a food processor and process briefly to mix.  Add the butter in pieces; pulse mixture until it has the consistency of cornmeal. 

Add vanilla and process until mixture forms a ball.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.  Return one portion to food processor.  Add the strawberry extract, food coloring and the extra tablespoons of flour to the processor and process until just incorporated.

Roll out each portion of dough between sheets of waxed paper.  Create a rectangle (about 11x8 inches) about 1/8 inch thick.  Leave the dough between the sheets of waxed paper and slide onto a baking sheet. (I was out of waxed paper so I used foil.  It worked okay, but waxed paper would have been much better.)  Refrigerate until firm, for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Remove dough pieces from refrigerator.  Pour the nonpareils decors into a shallow rectangular dish (such as a 9x13 pan).

Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper from both doughs.  Brush the vanilla dough very lightly with water.  Using the waxed paper, lift the strawberry dough and flip it onto the vanilla dough so they are stacked.  Press with your fingertips to seal the two doughs together.  Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and trim the edges even.

When the dough is pliable, roll up like a jelly roll, beginning with the long side.  Gently curl the edge with your fingertips so you don't get any air pockets as you roll dough into a log.  As you roll, the outer portion may tear, pinch tears together as they happen and keep rolling.

Gently lift log on top of nonpareil decors in the dish and roll until the log is completely coated with decors.  I used large colored crystal sugars and candy sprinkle hearts.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to slice, about 4 hours.  You can refrigerate up to a week or freeze up to 2 months.

Slice log into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick cookies.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Bake at 325 for 15-17 minutes.

I will definitely make these again.  Maybe green for St. Patty's day?

Enjoy!

Kelly