If You’ve Ever Wanted to Share a Cookie, This One’s for You
Okay, confession time: the first time I made Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies, I totally botched the shapes. Like, Picasso would’ve been proud, but probably not my family. My niece still calls those “abstract love cookies!” Altogether, there’s just something sweet (pun very much intended) about baking these with people you love, even if half the flour ends up on the dog. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you find random pink sprinkles in your hair for, oh, a week after. Guess you could call that festive?
Why You'll Love This (or At Least Laugh Trying)
I mostly make these when my daughter wants to play ‘bakery’ in the kitchen and, I’ll be honest—sometimes it’s pure chaos. But when the sun’s coming through the window and the house smells like vanilla, well, even the dog gets excited. My family goes a little wild for these heart cookies because they’re crisp on the edges (I once forgot a batch and, uh, they were more like heart crackers, but I digress). The best part? No one expects perfection; they just want the sweet stuff.
What You'll Need (Heart-Shaped Love Optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur, but whatever’s on hand. My gran swore by White Lily—tbh, I think any will do)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (I eyeball this, mostly... don’t tell folks who bake by the book)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (if you’re in a hurry, whack it in the microwave for ten secs—just don’t melt it to a puddle. I’ve done both!)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (I once used two small eggs cause that's what we had, and honestly? Tasted fine)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I love lots, but sometimes I throw in a drop of almond—takes it up a notch)
- Red or pink food coloring (liquid or gel, doesn’t matter, though gels are less messy if you’re clumsy like me)
- Sprinkles, colored sugars, or whatever makes your heart happy—I've even crumbled freeze-dried raspberries on top, no regrets
So, Here’s What You Do—Mostly
- First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F. (I always forget this until halfway in. Don’t be me, heat that oven early!)
- In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. I use a big old fork, actually, cause that’s what I usually grab.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together till it’s light and fluffy. An electric mixer helps, but good old elbow grease works if you need the workout.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla. This is where I usually sneak a taste—because who can resist?
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture. (I’m impatient. Sometimes I dump it all at once. It works—just go slow if you don’t want flour all over your jumper.)
- If you want pink cookies, add a bit of food coloring here. Or divide the dough and do two colors—my daughter insists on rainbow hearts sometimes, which is a whole different level of messy joy.
- Chill the dough 20–30 mins wrapped in cling film—it makes rolling so much easier. (But not gonna lie, if I'm in a rush, I’ve skipped this and just dealt with sticky hands.)
- Flour your surface (and probably yourself at this point), roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Use a heart cookie cutter—or improvise with a knife, which I’ve done when I couldn’t find the cutter hiding behind the canned beans.)
- Place hearts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave a bit of room between, or you might get, um, one giant cookie cuddle.
- Bake 8–10 minutes or till the edges are juuust turning golden. Don’t sweat it if they’re puffed up—settles as they cool.
- Cool on the tray for a bit, then transfer to a rack (or straight to your mouth; no judgment, friend).
- Decorate: go wild with sprinkles, drizzle melted chocolate, or dust with powdered sugar. Or do all three, who’s stopping you?
Stuff I’ve Learned the Hard Way
- Chilling the dough is great, but if you forget or don’t have time, just flour up. It’s fine. Actually, sometimes the cookies are even more tender.
- If your hearts look a little lopsided, nobody cares. Seriously. They all taste the same, trust me.
- I accidentally left them in the oven too long once, thinking 'crisper is better,' but nope. A few minutes makes a big diff—they go from perfect to tooth-breaker fast!
Experiments and Misadventures (Otherwise Known as Variations)
- Tried using lemon zest—that was a win. Tangy, fresh, really nice actually.
- Subbed half the flour for almond flour once... let’s just say they, um, fell apart. Maybe don’t do that unless you’re up for crumbles.
- I’ve also used a bit of cocoa powder for chocolate hearts. Good, but not my favourite (the kids were happy though).
- Oh—and if you press a chocolate heart into a warm cookie, you get instant bonus points from the chocolate lovers in the room.
Tools and Workarounds
- A heart cookie cutter is ideal, but not essential. I once used a small glass and smooshed one side into a point—look, it passes for a heart in the right light!
- Don’t have parchment paper? Greased foil or just a buttered tray works, though cleaning up is a little less fun.
- Rolling pin gone walkabout? A wine bottle does the job—just don’t drink the wine till you’re done, or do, it is Valentine’s after all.
What About Leftovers? (Ha!)
Honestly, these cookies barely last more than a day at my place. But if you have superhuman restraint, pop them in an airtight tin or box, room temp, up to four days. They do get a bit softer after a couple days, which I oddly quite like. Some folks freeze the dough pre-cut and bake straight form frozen, but I usually forget it’s there.
How I Like to Serve These (Family Traditions, Oddities & All)
So, at our house, we stack these heart cookies into little piles, dust with a bit more powdered sugar, and serve with mugs of hot chocolate (with the big marshmallows if we’re feeling fancy). Or, if it’s tea time, I just eat one before anyone else shows up. Also, these cookies make a pretty sweet gift; just pop in a paper bag with a doodle on the front and your Valentine will think you planned it for weeks—even if you whipped them up in an afternoon.
Pro Tips, Learned the Hard Way
- Don’t rush the cooling. I once tried to ice them while still warm, and everything slid off into fantastically sad puddles.
- Over-mixing makes them tough. I always think ‘just one more stir’—nope! Resist the urge.
- If you skip the chilling, expect a stickier adventure. Extra flour helps, but so does a good attitude (and possibly some energetic music on in the background).
FAQ From Real, Slightly Frazzled Cooks
- Do I have to use food coloring?
Nope, not at all. The cookies taste great plain; I only add color for kicks. Or, sometimes I forget entirely and pretend I was going for the 'classic' look. Kids never complain. - How thin should I roll them?
A quarter inch is my usual, but honestly, a bit thicker makes them softer, a bit thinner and they’ll be crispier. Do what you fancy—it’s not rocket science. - Can I use margarine instead of butter?
You could, though I think the flavor is better with butter. I did it once, and it was fine—but maybe a bit less rich. Up to you, mate. - How long can I make the dough ahead?
A day or two is fine. I’ve even gone three days; just make sure it’s really wrapped up so it doesn’t go dry. Learned that the hard way (one sad, crusty dough log in the fridge...oops.) - My cookies spread, any quick fix?
Yup, just chill the cut-out cookies on the tray for 10 mins before baking. I forget this a lot and sometimes get heart blobs. Still good, though. - How do you clean up all the sprinkles?
Ha! If you figure that out, let me know! I just embrace the sparkle and have a vacuum handy.
P.S.—If you ever make these with kids, prepare for a level of kitchen chaos you’d never imagine from such a simple recipe. But honestly, isn’t that half the fun?
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red and pink royal icing, for decorating
- Sprinkles (optional), for garnish
Instructions
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1In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
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2Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
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3In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough forms.
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4Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
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5Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut out heart shapes using a cookie cutter.
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6Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Let cookies cool completely, then decorate with royal icing and sprinkles as desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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