Ladybug Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Add two eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle., On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 3-in. round cookie cuter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. , In a small bowl, beat remaining eggs. Add red food coloring; mix well. Brush over cutouts. , Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. With a small new paintbrush and black food coloring, paint two lines, forming wings., Arrange four chocolate chips in a half circle on the top third of each cookie. Randomly place 16 chocolate chips on the lower part of the cookie for spots. Return to the oven for 1 minute or until chips are melted. Spread the four chips to form the head. , For eyes, position two white chips, pointed side down, over melted chocolate. Return to the oven for 1 minute or until slightly melted. Place one miniature chocolate chip in the center of each white chip. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• Put the flour, butter, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk in a food processor. Dribble in 1 tbsp water and blitz until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Tip onto a work surface and knead briefly to bring together, then wrap in cling film and chill for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use your 8cm heart cutter to stamp out heart shapes - you'll have to re-roll the trimmings to make 20 biscuits. Put the hearts on 2 baking trays and bake for 12 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through, until pale golden and crisp. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Dye your lump of icing with red food colouring and wrap in cling film until ready to roll. Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. Dye the icing with the black food colouring. Pour the icing into a piping bag with a small plain nozzle attached (or use a small sandwich bag and snip off the corner). Roll out the red icing to 3mm thick and use your 6cm cutter to stamp out hearts. Stick onto the biscuits with a little of the black icing.
• Use the black icing to give your love bug a head at the pointy end, draw a line down the centre to give it wings, then add spots. Stick 2 pearly balls onto each love bug's head, then leave to set on a wire rack. You can pack your love bugs into boxes or cellophane bags to give as gifts for Valentine's Day.