Chocolate Strawberry Hearts

Prep 35 minutes Chill 30 minutes
Bake 7 minutes per batch Oven 375°F
Makes 18 to 26 sandwich cookies

1 pouch (17.5 ounces) sugar cookie mix, Betty Crocker®
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, Ghirardelli’s®
1⁄3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
White, red, and pink sparkling sugar 1⁄2 cup strawberry jam, Knott’s®

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cookie mix, cocoa powder, butter, and egg until dough comes together. Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Using a 21⁄2-inch heart-shape cookie cuter, cut out shapes. Reroll dough scraps and cut out more cookies until all the dough is used. Space half the cookies 1. 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool completely.
4. Using a 11⁄4-inch heart-shape cookie cutter, cut out the centers of the remaining cookies. Space cut-out hearts 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Arrange the heart centers on another prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets on a wire rack for 2. 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely.
5. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the strawberry jam on each of the whole cookies. Top with cut-out cookies. Spread half the cut-out heart centers with some of the remaining jam; top with remaining cut-out heart centers to make tiny heart cookie sandwiches.

Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Bake Sale Cookbook, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2011 SLSH Enterprises, Inc. www.sandralee.com