Chocolate-Vanilla Heart Cookies

Wow! These cookies not only look cute, they taste amazing! Crisp and buttery, these are sure to please : )

This dough is also easy to work with, and can be made in any shape you want. Use your imagination!
Chocolate-Vanilla Heart Cookies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (or 13 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Knead dough gently for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into two equal portions. Add cocoa powder to one, and knead until thoroughly incorporated. Shape each dough portion into a disc , wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm (about 3 hours, or up to 1 day). When ready to shape cookies, allow dough to slightly soften before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 350º, and place rack in center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Work with one of the dough portions at a time. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness on a surface covered with parchment paper (I used plastic wrap). Use a floured 3-in heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Place on cookie sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.. Cover cookies with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 20 minutes, or until firm. Repeat with second portion of dough, refrigerating those also until firm. Using a 2-inch cutter, cut out smaller hearts from the centers of the vanilla and chocolate cookies. Swap the centers, placing the vanilla in the chocolate, and the chocolate in the vanilla. Repeat with 1-inch cutter, swapping those centers. You should now have two-toned cookies. (You may have to gently press the dough after placing in the new center, so that the edges come together.)

Chill in refrigerator for 20 more minutes. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. (You don't want the vanilla dough to get too browned, or the contrast won't be as vivid). Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. Enjoy!