It’s beginning to smell like Valentine’s Day! I woke up to the scent of buttercream frosted goodness….You know how some tastes just anchor the holiday for you?? Well, for me, it cannot be St. Valentine’s Day unless I have these cookies! My mother, Elizabeth, made these cookies every Valentine’s Day since before my birth…they date back to an old Oakland Tribune recipe circa 1950s… one of my sister’s has the original black and white newspaper cut out, I believe. My mom would frost these in pink with a frilly lacy white buttercream edged frosting…yes, I still use real butter, flour and sugar, vanilla and yes real buttercream frosting…the mere smell and taste of these brings about warm happy Valentine’s memories.

These are a thick frosted soft oatmeal sugar cookie and are fantastic at Tea-time or after school, but frankly I have been know to nibble on one with my morning tea!!

I do, think these are best enjoyed with a large glass of cold milk, or my Ascot tea blend, but my dad, Walter, preferred his in the evening- unfrosted-while sipping a mug of Ceylon tea with milk. My twins prefer’s this cookie with my Baci-Latte! However you like them; here is to you sharing these Silva family Valentine cookies with the ones you love!! Even if that is just you and your dog…and maybe some neighbors, co-workers, teachers….you get the picture!

This is a generous recipe, plenty for sharing!
And I often prepare the over 2-3 days: Batter; Roll, Cut, Bake; Frost!

I would regularly bring these freshly baked to classrooms as a Room Mother and we would frost and decorate with the kids…a lovely, pink frosted butter-creamy sprinkled mess!

For the Cookie

1 1/3 cup soft butter (I use Kerry Gold)
2 cups cane sugar
2 large free-range eggs
2 tsp. pure Vanilla extract
1/2 cup water

4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups rolled oats, old fashioned or quick; but not steel cut.

IN large mixer bowl, beat the butter, then the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla extract and water… Beat well. Don't’ worry if it looks curdled, this will smooth out with the addition of the flour.

Stir the baking soda and salt into the flour, and then add flour mixture by cupfuls to the butter mixture and blend well, scraping sides.

Breathe in the intoxicating butter-sugar vanilla goodness…

Slowly stir in the oats, cup by cup…Bowl will be quite full.

Be sure to scrap the oats off the bottom of the bowl and into the batter.

Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.

Pre-heat the oven, and on a well floured board, roll out dough to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with heart shapes. I use my mother’s large 4” fluted heart cutter and a 3” cutter for tea-time.

Bake on UN-greased cookie sheet for 12 minutes. They puff up a bit whilst baking. The thickness of the dough does affect the cookie- for crisper cookie roll dough thinner.

When cool, frost with Buttercream Frosting half tinted pink.

Makes 48- 4”
60 -2-3” cookies
and 24. large 6-8 inch cookies to write messages on!

They are marvelous in cello bags tied with a ribbon as individual Valentines!

Liz’s Buttercream Frosting

In tall mixer bowl cream together:

1 lb. ( 3 1/2 cups) confectioner’s sugar ( I prefer without corn starch)
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup soft Butter
+Drops of pink coloring..

Beat until smooth and creamy.

Add drops of red coloring to make pink.

Lisa’s Valentine’s Day Cookies

1 1/3 cup soft butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups oats
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and water.
Stir together the flour, salt and soda. Add into butter moisture and blend well.
Stir in oats.. Chill 1 hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Roll out dough with flour and cut into hearts. Bake on un-greased cookies sheets for 12 minutes.
When cool, frost with pink and white butter cream frosting.

Buttercream frosting

In mixer bowl cream together:
1 lb. (3 1/2 cups) confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup ( 5 TBS) soft butter.
Add few drops of red food color to make pink.

Silva family Valentine’s Day cookies

For the Cookie

Liz’s Buttercream Frosting