These cookies might have waited until next month to be posted. Valentine’s Day is nearly a month away, and these heart cookies would be completely appropriate as a gift for your sweetheart (or, just for yourself!). In fact, I have no less than three other blog posts that I have prepared for you, ones that aren’t pink and colorful and might be better suited as my first true post of 2017. But after exalting 2016 in my last post of the year, it threw me for a loop on the very last day, and 2016 took with it a very big and bright part of my family — my uncle.
I don’t want to devote this post to the sadness that slammed our family on New Year’s Eve, or the void that’s been left by his loss — in fact, I didn’t want to talk about this on here at all, but I don’t seem to be able to help myself. Instead, I just want to focus on the bright spots. In the past week, my family has rallied to comfort my uncle’s wife and daughters, and each other, and I’m so grateful for all of the love that family has. Despite the sadness, there has been some light. My uncle’s immediate family has shown more strength, love, and hope in the past week than I ever imagined was possible under such circumstances, and I’ve found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the close-knit extended family that we share.
Instead of sharing one of my other recipes that I have ready for you, I wanted to share something bright, and a little symbolic. I spent all morning yesterday swirling pinks, reds, and purples through icing and dipping cookies — baking has always been therapeutic for me, but this time it was especially so.
These cookies are made using the same marbling, swirling, technique that I used for my galaxy cookies. Please see that post if you want step-by-step photos on how the glaze is prepared — it’s much simpler than you might think and is a simple glaze decorated with gel food coloring and swirled with toothpicks. Do make sure you use gel food coloring, which have a rich, vibrant color.
Enjoy, and I hope these bring some brightness to your day. PIN IT:
In memory of my uncle, Ray Parker. Among many other things, Ray was a supporter of The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, specifically the Maryland Chapter. Please consider making a donation HERE.
