1. You will cut the recipe in half so please keep this in mind when you are preparing your batter. Two bowls will be required. I made the white batter first and then the pink batter to make sure I kept everything separate.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Remember, use half the ingredients in each bowl!
   

4. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and egg together.
5. Sift flour, cornstarch, salt. Mix until incorporated.

6. In the second bowl, add a few drops of red/pink food coloring to the sugar/butter mixture. Mix until a desired color is reached. Sprinkle ¼ cup pink sanding sugar to this bowl.

7. Transfer both batters to plastic wrap, separately.
   

8. Roll each batter into a disk and chill for about 1 hour.

9. Take some white batter and some pink batter and mix together to make a white and pink mixture. Don't mix together too much or the batter will look pink, you want some white batter showing. Roll the batter to a 1/4 inch thickness.

10. Cut cookies with a heart shaped cutter.
11. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.

12. Bake for 10 minutes and watch them closely, you don't want them to brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

Buttercream Frosting

1. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes.

2. With the mixer running on low, add 2 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream, and the vanilla extract. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.

3. Add 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin; 1 more Tablespoon cream if frosting is too thick.

4. Yields about 2.5 cups of frosting

5. Pipe frosting using a tip of your choice onto the cooled sugar cookie.