When I was 7 years old I decided to enter a cookie in the West Texas Fair. I knew I wanted to do something that adult judges might really like, so I made almond thumbprint cookies with raspberry preserves and an almond glaze – and I won 2nd place! When I made these again later for a bake sale one February, I decided to make them heart-shaped, and “Shortbread Sweethearts” were born! These are one of my top-selling cookies and are a favorite of my mom, Mamaw & Grammy. Shortbread Sweethearts are a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day gifting. I’ve made them for wedding showers and other parties too, sometimes with buttercream instead of preserves, which is a really pretty option that can be made to go with a party’s color scheme.
By Elsie Stark
Elsie Stark is a 12-year-old Abilene native who started her baking business in 2021. She competed in season 12 of “Kids Baking Championship” and in the season 13 Holiday Special “Frosting the Snowman” on the Food Network. She loves baking custom orders and holding local bake sales. Follow her on Instagram at @elsies_awesome_sweets or Facebook at Elsie’s Awesome Sweets & Treats.
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