Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies (Printable)
Buttery, tender sugar cookies cut into charming hearts and finished with colorful, sweet icing for special occasions.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Sugar Cookies
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
→ For the Icing
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
11 - 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring (assorted colors)
14 - Sprinkles (optional)
# Step-by-step:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
05 - Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out heart shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are just turning golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Add more milk, a few drops at a time, if icing is too thick.
10 - Divide icing into bowls and tint with food coloring as desired. Spread or pipe icing onto cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Allow icing to set completely before serving or packaging.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is incredibly tender with just the right amount of soft chew in the center
- These cookies freeze beautifully so you can always have homemade treats on hand
02 -
- Chilling the dough is nonnegotiable for maintaining those clean heart shapes
- Work with one dough disk at a time keeping the other chilled until ready
03 -
- Double wrap dough disks to prevent freezer burn if storing longer than a week
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid for more vibrant colors without thinning the icing