Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery sugar cookies shaped like hearts, topped with sweet, colorful icing, ideal for festive occasions and gifts.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

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

→ Royal 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 as desired
14 - Sprinkles for decoration

# How-To:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Incorporate egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed. Mix just until flour disappears—avoid overworking.
05 - Divide dough into equal portions. Form into disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate minimum 60 minutes.
06 - Set oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut heart shapes and arrange 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake 8-10 minutes until edges barely golden. Cool 2 minutes on sheet, then transfer to wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
10 - Tint icing with food coloring. Spread or pipe onto cooled cookies. Add sprinkles immediately. Allow icing to set completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough handles like a dream, no sticking or tearing when you roll it out
  • That almond extract creates the most incredible aroma while they bake
  • The icing sets perfectly smooth without spreading too thin or cracking
02 -
  • Warm dough spreads into blob shapes, so respect that chilling time completely
  • Overworked dough becomes tough cookies, so mix the flour in gently and stop as soon as it's combined
  • Icing that's too thick will tear your cookies, but too thin runs off the edges
03 -
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through for even browning
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to keep your icing thick

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