Description
These Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies are a delightful treat perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any special occasion. Soft, buttery, and just sweet enough, these cookies hold their shape beautifully thanks to chilling the dough. They can be decorated with royal icing or colorful sprinkles to add a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Decoration
- Royal icing or colored sprinkles
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring just until a dough forms without overmixing.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Chilling helps the dough firm up to maintain cookie shape during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and even baking.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disc to about ¼-inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once fully cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing, glaze, or colorful sprinkles as desired.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to help cookies keep their shape during baking.
- These heart-shaped cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any special celebration.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
