Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies (Printer-Friendly)
Buttery sugar cookies in heart shapes topped with crisp, sweet royal icing for special occasions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sugar Cookies
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Royal Icing
08 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
10 - 3-4 tablespoons warm water
11 - Gel food coloring (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, beating on low speed until dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, 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 - Roll out one dough disc on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut heart shapes and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges begin to turn golden. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in medium bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and beat on low speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed.
10 - Divide icing and tint with gel food coloring as desired. Transfer to piping bags for decoration.
11 - Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing. Allow to set at room temperature until completely dry, approximately 1 hour.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough is incredibly forgiving and bakes up perfectly tender every single time
- Royal icing dries firm enough to stack but still melts in your mouth
- These cookies stay fresh for days making them ideal for gifting
02 -
- Chilling the dough is not optional because warm dough spreads and loses its heart shape in the oven
- Royal icing consistency changes everything, so practice on a plate before decorating your cookies
- Gel food coloring is worth the extra trip to the store because liquid coloring can thin your icing too much
03 -
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking for evenly golden cookies
- Let the royal icing dry completely before stacking or packaging