These cutout cookies let the filling be the decoration. Try icing, your favorite jam, peanut butter, or chocolate as a filling. Let your tastes (or your loved ones’!) dictate the direction of the flavor. Slip a few into a treat bag and give to someone you love!

Start by creaming together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between additions. Mix in vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and mix just until blended.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut out two cookies of the same shape. Cut a smaller heart out of the middle of one cookie. Transfer all three shapes to a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes. Cookies will still be pale when done.

Now it’s time to assemble your cookies!

Frost the top of one complete cookie with filling (red cookie icing is the pictured filling).

Place another cookie of the same shape, but this one with the heart cut out of it, on top of the icing. Decorate with sprinkles (if using) while filling is still wet.

Peekaboo Heart Cutout Cookies

Makes about 30 sandwich cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 ¾ cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cookie icing, frosting, or jam for cookie filling
Sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well in between. Mix in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture in thirds to the butter mixture, mixing just until blended.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Working with half the dough at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut 2 larger shapes (circles or hearts). Cut a smaller heart out of the middle of one of the cookies. Transfer all three shapes to a cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 7-9 minutes. Cookies will still be pale when done.

Once the cookies are cool, frost the top of one complete shape. Lay another cookie of the same shape, but this one with the heart cut out of the middle, on top of the icing. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired, while the filling is still wet.