Valentine's Day Pink Heart Shaped Shortbread Cookie Sandwiches with Chocolate Ganache Filling

If I bake you something, it means I love you. But if I bake you pink heart-shaped shortbread cookies stuffed with chocolate ganache? Well then, it’s really serious. So what better way to show your love for Valentine's Day than with these cookies?

Coming by their gorgeous pink color naturally with beetroot powder, these cookies are also a treat for the eyes. Not too sweet, they allow the almond extract to shine through.

The ingredients for these plant-powered cookies are easily accessible (and if you don’t have beetroot powder, it’s ok - you can leave it out). You can customize these cookies endlessly - change the color, the flavor, and the shape to your liking. And the process is so simple, even the most inexperienced people in the kitchen can do this - I promise.

Ingredients for the cookies:

• 2 sticks of butter or 1 cup, softened room temp*

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp beetroot powder**

• 1 tsp almond extract***

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache filling:

• 2 oz of dark chocolate

• 1.5 tbsp of strawberry jelly

• 1.5 tbsp of soy milk (or plant-based milk of choice)

Directions for the cookies:

1. Cream the butter and the sugar.

2. Add in almond extract and beetroot powder, if using.

3. Add in the flour one cup at a time and mix until just combined.

4. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out until it’s about a quarter inch thick.

5. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut into hearts (or the shape of your choice).

6. Recombine and roll out the scraps and repeat.

7. When you’ve cut all the cookies, place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and refrigerate for at least half an hour, or in the freezer for 10 minutes.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

9. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges start to get golden

Directions for the ganache:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave.

2. Stir in the jam, and then the soy milk.

3. Stir really well - it will seem like it won’t combine, but it will, just keep stirring.

4. Spread the ganache on the cookies and then sandwich together.

Notes:

*I use earth balance vegan butter and have not tested this with dairy butter, but I am sure it would work just fine either way.

**This is optional, to make the cookies pink. You can either omit it or choose another coloring, like matcha powder.

***If you have other types of botanical extracts or tinctures, you can experiment and use those here in place of almond (or in addition to, your choice). Rosemary, lavender, vanilla, coconut, and any citrus would all work nicely.