Valentine's Day.

You're a Homerun!

Please don't let me Strike Out!

I hope our love goes Extra Innings!

Swing, Batter Batter Batter, SWING, Batter!

{ok...that has nothing to do with Valentine's Day. I just like a Ferris Bueller reference where I can get it.} Click the link to watch...it's in the upper right corner of the linked page.

You're a Hit!

Don't throw me a Curve Ball!

I love you at Home or Away!

You've Stolen my heart!

We make a great Team!

{Let's skip the whole "getting to second base" theme.}

As the mom of a boy, I know they usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to Valentine's Day. Not everything has to be pink, and ribbons, and lace (and I love those things)!
Valentines for boys can be cute, too!!!

{image: Decorating Cookies}

In Decorating Cookies, I created some Heart Robot cookies...which is one of my favorite designs in the whole book. Yay for boy valentines! Today...Baseball Valentines.

{These cookies were inspired by this Valentine from Minted....how cute is that card?!?}

To make baseball valentine cookies, you'll need:

baseball themed and heart cut-out sugar cookies
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Bright White, Warm Brown, and Super Red
disposable icing bags
couplers and tips: #2, #1
squeeze bottles
toothpicks
fan (paint) brush
paper towel
AmeriColor Chocolate Brown

Using #2 tips, outline all of the cookies. Outline the caps and hearts in white and the bats in brown.

Thin the brown and white icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. (Reserve some of the white icing for piping details later.) You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles.

Fill in the outlines with the thinned icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry for 30 minutes to one hour.

Use #1 tips to add detail piping to the caps and the heart "baseballs." I like to make the stitching into little hearts.

Let the cookies dry 6-8 hours or overnight.

Once they are completely dry, mix water with the chocolate brown food coloring....a 1 to 1 ratio or so. Trim the fan brush, so that it is uneven. Dip the brush into the food coloring mixture, dab the excess on a paper towel and brush onto the cookies.