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Valentine's Day heart cookies are here!!! Sugar cookies are the perfect cookie to decorate. Unfortunately, my piping skills are not the greatest, but I love great tasting icing with pazazz. Although, I must admit I love buttercream icing on my sugar cookies.
They have so many cute decorative sugars and small heart candies that it is hard to choose. So I purchased four or five containers only because I could not decide.
I also chose not to put the icing on the whole top of the cookie because I wanted to see part of the pink sugar cookie. But to be honest, it is easier to put the icing on the whole top.
Ingredients
I separated the ingredients, one for the sugar cookie and the other for the buttercream icing.
Heart Sugar Cookies
- 1cupButter unsalted
- 1cupSugar white
- 2dropsColoring gelpink
- 1Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3cupsAll-purpose flour
- 2teaspoonBaking powder
- ¼teaspoonKosher Salt
Buttercream Icing
- 2cupsPowdered sugar
- ½cupButter unsalted
- 2 teaspoonVanilla Extract
- 2TablespoonsMilkwhole or 2%
Making Valentine's Day Heart Cookies
This recipe is my favorite sugar cookie recipe and the easiest buttercream icing, and I hope you enjoy them!
Creating the Sugar Cookies
To prep, I weigh out the sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, salt, baking powder into a bowl and run a whisk through to blend.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand or hand-held mixer until light and fluffy. I do this for a good 2-3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla extract and then the egg. Next, add the coloring gel. Add the second drop if you want it as pink as mine. Remember that the dry ingredients have not been added yet, so it will decrease in the pink color just a little after the flour is added. Finally, add the flour mixture.
Place the cookie dough onto a pastry mat and bring it all together into a ball. Split the ball in half. Flatten them into two round flat disks and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Taking one of the disks, I break it in half and roll the cookie dough out on a floured pastry mat. You can use whatever size heart shape cookie cutter you like; the one pictured (de Buyer Cookie Cutters Set, Heart) here is 3-¾ inch measured at the middle down to the point at the bottom. Next, move the cut-out cookies to a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan.
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 7-9 minutes. I leave them on the pan for a minute after taking them out of the oven. Next, move them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before making your icing.
Easy Buttercream Icing
Did I say easy? I did indeed...
Add your softened butter to a mixer bowl and beat it for a minute or two. You want it smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the powdered sugar. Start on a low speed!!! I say this from experience. 🙂 Once the powdered sugar is incorporated with the butter, gradually increase the mixer speed. Mix for a good 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the vanilla extract and the milk. Now, on a medium to medium-high mixer speed, beat till smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Finally, add icing to your heart-shaped sugar cookies and add any decorations you want on the top. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!
Storage
I store my sugar cookie with icing in a large airtight container. I also lay the cookies in a single layer then tear off wax paper or parchment paper and lay that between my layers. This way they do not stick together, and they look as pretty as the day I baked them.
Try a Few Other Cookies
Chocolate Cookie Cups with Strawberry Cream
Strawberry and Chocolate Meringue Cookies
Recipe
Heart Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Icing
Barbara Hall
Easy cookie and icing recipe to make for a great Valentine's Day treat.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Bake Time 24 minutes mins
Chill 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 9 minutes mins
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 27 cookies
Calories 208 kcal
Ingredients
Heart Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
- 1 (1) Egg
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 2 drops (2 drops) Coloring gel pink
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature (1 stick)
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Milk whole or 2%
Instructions
Heart Sugar Cookies
Weigh or measure your sugar into a bowl and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, salt, baking powder into a bowl and run a whisk through to blend.
Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla extract and the egg. Now add 2 drops of coloring gel and mix till incorporated. Finally, add your dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Place the dough on a pastry sheet and divide it in half. Flatten each cookie dough half before wrapping it in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Now, please take one of the chilled cookie disks out and place it onto a lightly floured pastry mat. I made my cookies about ⅛" thick. There are bands on the ends of my rolling pin so that you can roll out the dough evenly. If you roll out your dough thicker, you may need to add a minute or two to the time. Next, cut out 8 pink hearts and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan. They are ready for the oven.
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 7-9 minutes. After baking, leave the cookies on the pan for a minute before moving them to a cooling rack.
Easy Buttercream Icing
In a mixer, cream the butter till smooth, Add the powdered sugar, and on the LOWEST mix the butter and powdered sugar together. Once most of the sugar is incorporated, gradually increase the mixer speed. Mix for a couple of minutes. Then, stop and scrape down the sides and add the vanilla extract and the milk. Turn the mixer to medium to medium-high speed and beat for about 5 minutes. You want a fluffy and smooth texture for the icing.
Ensure the heart sugar cookies are completely cooled before putting the icing on the top. This buttercream icing is white, so you can put anything on top to make them your own. Enjoy!
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 58mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 326IUCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
