Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies (Printer-Friendly)

Buttery heart shapes topped with sweet, colorful icing, ideal for celebrations and gifting.

# 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 (optional)

→ 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, as desired)
14 - Sprinkles (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 with electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, beating until well incorporated.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
06 - Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut heart shapes and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool 2 minutes on sheet before transferring to wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add remaining milk if needed for consistency.
10 - Tint icing with food coloring. Spread or pipe onto cooled cookies. Add sprinkles if desired and allow icing to set completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving and rolls out beautifully without sticking
  • The icing sets perfectly smooth and stays glossy for days
  • These freeze beautifully either as dough or baked cookies
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional it prevents spreading and keeps those sharp heart edges
  • Let the icing set completely before stacking or packaging or they will stick together
03 -
  • Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to prevent sticking without adding too much flour
  • For razor sharp chill cut shapes on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking

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