Whether you love it or hate it, adding a little sweetness to your kitchen table on Valentine's Day is something most of us can get behind. After a recent trip to my local bulk store, I picked up a few heart-shaped candies. I added them to the centre of an iced sugary cookie for a simple treat. Easy! Here's how to make them! Sugar cookie dough: 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder Pinch salt Pink icing: 3 tbsp (45 mL) meringue powder 3-1/2 cups (875 mL) icing sugar Pink paste food colouring Heart-shaped candy Sugar cookie dough: In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture, in 2 additions, just until combined. Divide dough in half; press into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. Between waxed paper or on lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1⁄8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Using 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out circles, rerolling and cutting scraps. Place, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, in 375 F (190 C) oven until bottoms are light golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 1 minute. Transfer to racks; let cool completely. Pink icing: While the cookies are cooking, make the icing. In bowl, beat 1/3 cup water with meringue powder until foamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in icing sugar until stiff, about 4 minutes. Using food colouring, tint icing until desired shade is obtained.  Spoon 1 cup into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; cover remaining icing with damp towel to prevent drying out. Pipe thick outline around edges of cookies. Let stand until dry, about 20 minutes. Stirring in 1/2 tsp water at a time, thin remaining icing until easy to spread. Pipe or spoon onto centre of each cookie; using toothpick or skewer, spread to piped edges, popping any air bubbles. Lightly press heat-shaped candy onto centre of icing. Let dry completely, about 30 minutes. Photography by Jennifer Bartoli