Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl.

In another large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar for 3 minutes.

Stir in the molasses and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and stir until it becomes a dough. If it is too sticky add a little extra flour.

Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough on a floured surface and use Valentine's cookie cutters to cut out your cookie shapes.

Place onto the prepared cookie sheet and place back in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

To make the decorating icing, place the powdered sugar and meringue powder and add water little by little while mixing to the desired consistency. You don't want it to be too thin so that it runs everywhere, nor too thick so that you can't pipe it.

Divide the icing into three bowls. Color one red, another pink, and leave one white.

Transfer the icing to piping bags and decorate the cookies however you wish - use the photos as a guide.

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!