If you haven’t noticed by browsing Pinterest or your favorite food blogs lately, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It seems the entire internet has erupted in a fit of red and pink!
I wouldn’t say I love Valentine’s Day. I learned long ago, after a little phone chat with a famous TV Doctor, that piling up huge expectations on your loved one for Valentine’s day is not the greatest idea in the world. I found that even though my husband treats me awesome, does really nice things for me all the time, does the laundry, helps with the kids, works really hard so I can stay home to work and care for our kids, helps clean house, buys me nice things, runs errands, deals with my occasional high maintenance moodiness, helps out with dinner, etc, etc, etc. I was often becoming disappointed on the one day out of 365 that he wasn’t quite hitting the mark.
Seems a little backwards, doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I think it is fantastic that there is one special day out of the year to go out of your way to show someone you care about them, but putting all your expectations and hopes on that singular day is not what it should be all about. Look at what your Valentine does for you every other day of the year and I imagine you’ll find they measure up beyond what a dozen roses or a new necklace would be worth.
I’m pretty lucky that my Valentine is a simple guy. His favorite cookies, a bowl of ice cream and a back rub and he’s a happy camper. So, this is why I’m presenting to you my simple Valentine’s day recipe… my husbands favorite cookies. Soft & Chewy Vanilla Butter Cookies are exactly what their title says. They may not be red, heart shaped, or elaborate but sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to hit the mark.
Recipe: Soft and Chewy Vanilla Butter Cookies
You might think it is ironic that these butter cookies don’t actually have butter in them. I’ve tried experimenting with butter and have found that I can’t get the same softness and chewy texture with butter as I can with butter flavored Crisco.
- 1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon butter flavor extract (optional)
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together Crisco, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, water, vanilla and butter-flavored extract until well mixed.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl and mix well.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls; slightly flatten and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown. (Do not over bake. The key to these cookies is to take them out when they still look slightly under cooked. Allow them to cool and firm up on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.)
Very sweet post! He is a lucky man!
Not as lucky as I am
OHHHHHHHH, yea. You had me at butter-flavored crisco. Pinned!
Nice! I like simple too, and thankfully, so does my man.
I’m not so sure I could deal with a high maintenance kind of guy!
I told my husband that I didn’t expect anything fancy for Valentines Day, but to not forget that our 15th Anniversary is this June…
Oh he’d better not forget that date! That’s a big one. Congrats!!
Simple is best. And, I love how much you love your husband…and how much he loves you!
We’re pretty lucky to have found each other! Thanks, friend!
I, too, love how much you love your husband! You are both blessed to have found each other! Wish I had one of those cookies!
Adding these cookies to my list for when the shearing crew is here. I am not a cookie baker, but they require a daily “something” for their after break. These should be perfect.
As for Valentine’s Day, I also have to remind myself that my Hubs does so many things for me day in and day out. He isn’t a great gift-giver, and any holiday can be a disappointment if I don’t keep the proper perspective that he truly is a great guy.
simple is perfect . . . in my humble opinion . . . and am totally w/you in celebrating all the fantastic things our husbands do throughout the year; yes, Valentine’s day is THE day set aside to celebrate but i thoroughly enjoy the other 364 days of the year too . . . great cookies, great post Kristen!
Such a lovely post, Kristen. I’ve learned through these last few months that I have an absolute gem of a husband too. I don’t want, or need, anything for Valentine’s day. He’s more than shown me how much he loves me with everything we’ve had to deal with. Those are some gorgeous cookies though!
yup I have to try them
Yum! I can’t wait to try these. I appreciate your words about expectations, such a good reminder and a perspective-shifter. Like you, I am so blessed by a husband who serves my socks off everyday. I want to remember that on Valentine’s Day.
What a lovely reminder to be aware of the love in each day, not just February 14th. And butter flavored Crisco. Really, what’s not to love about that? Must make these!
These are beautiful cookies and I agree….a simple Vday is the perfect Vday! No reason to pile on silly expectations!
I agree with you Kristen, why relegate a celebration of love to just one day that can never hope to live up to anyone’s expectations. I think it’s the little gestures we do all year long that mean the most.
these cookies sound just perfect!
Thanks for writing this post. Not only for the cookies (which look AMAZING, I love vanilla ANYTHING!), but for being honest about Valentine’s day expectations. It’s good to have that little reminder.
I love you.
I just ove this post darlin’
DS and I have always tried to do one simple thing for each other on Valentines Day but nothing over the top. Your loves cookies sound perfect.
Such a sweet, sweet post. You speak truth. I’d much rather have a husband that does little things for me daily than “big shows” on special occasions. Your cookies perfectly fit this post, and look comfortingly delicious.
We are all about simple at our house…well, we are more about fun-you know Josh:) Can’t wait to try these cookies!