These easy Valentine's Day heart sugar cookies are adorable! They're a fun twist to classic sugar cookies and great for any special occasion!
There are always cookies in our house! Ladokouloura Greek olive oil cookies are crunchy, and my healthy tahini breakfast cookies are great with coffee!
These easy Valentine's day heart sugar cookies are definitely a sweet Valentine's treat! These cookies are based off my easy dairy free sugar cookies. Of course, they would also be great for birthdays, baby showers, or any other special occasion! I think they would even make great party favors, too!
Instead of decorating them with icing or a glaze, I wanted to do something totally different, so I made a lattice design! Then I used all the scraps to make marbled cookies!
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Why this recipe works:
They're easy to make. Don't let the complicated design fool you! They may look complex, but I guarantee they are incredibly simple to make, but it does take some time! I think it's totally worth it, though!
No special equipment required: You don't need any fancy equipment apart from a hand mixer and cookie cutters. You could also cut them out using templates if you don't have any cookie cutters.
What do these Valentine's Day heart sugar cookies taste like?
They are firm and crunchy. There aren't any leaveners, so they don't puff up. As a result, they're perfect for making the cute lattice design. They are also buttery, but not too sweet. Since they're not overly sweet, you could also add other toppings, like melted chocolate and sprinkles, if you want.
What you'll need to make Easy Valentine's Day Heart Sugar Cookies:
Butter: I use unsalted butter, but you could use salted if you prefer.
Sugar: I use regular, granulated sugar.
Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
Vanilla: I use vanilla extract, but you could use almond extract, if you like.
Salt: I use just a bit to enhance all the flavors.
Egg: I use organic eggs.
Cornstarch: It really helps make the dough come together.
Food coloring: I used a tiny amount of red food coloring gel by Wilton (I ran out of pink). Of course, this is optional!
Frequently asked questions
Yep! No need to worry about them getting too puffy, as there aren't any leaveners in the recipe.
Of course! They'll still taste great! I made a few plain ones and filled them with Nutella!
Yes! Just flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for about 2 months. When you're ready to make them, thaw the dough in the refrigerator, roll it out, cut out the cookies and bake!
Yep! First, make sure the cookies have completely cooled. Then I like to put them on a tray in a single layer and pop them in the freezer. When the cookies have frozen, individually wrap them in some plastic wrap and then put them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for about 2 months. To thaw, I just take out the freezer bag or container and put it on the kitchen counter. They usually take a few hours at room temperature to thaw completely.
How to make valentine's day lattice heart sugar cookies
Tips for success
- Measure the flour properly for best results.
- I like to use a non-stick measuring tape to cut strips, but you could use a ruler, instead.
- Rolling the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper makes it so much easier to work with the dough! It also makes clean-up a breeze because you don't flour the work surface or rolling pin! And there's no extra flour which could make the cookies hard and tough.
- Make sure the butter and egg are at room temperature before you begin! It'll make the dough A LOT easier to work with!
- Don't overwork the dough because this could make the cookies tough.
- You're going to have some scraps leftover, so I suggest re-rolling them to make two-toned or marbled cookies!
Let me know how these easy Valentine's day heart sugar cookies turn out for you in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe
Easy Valentine's Day Heart Sugar Cookies - 2 Ways
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (284 g) all-purpose flour (you may need 1-2 tablespoons more)
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- red or pink food coloring gel (optional)
Before You Start:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until creamy using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary to fully combine.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined and the dough forms. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour, a tablespoon a time, until it comes together. It's perfect when you are able to pick up the dough in one piece.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Using a toothpick, add a tiny amount of food coloring (if using) to one half of the dough and knead by hand until the dough is fully colored.
- Roll out each batch of dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to your desired thickness (I roll out mine about ¼ inch / 0.5 cm thick).
- Put the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Cut each batch of dough into ½ inch (1 cm) strips.
- For one batch of dough, slightly separate the strips by quickly pushing a knife left & right in between each cut to create tiny gaps. Put the dough in the freezer again for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Make the lattice (see the picture tutorial in the post)
- Starting from the center, fold back every second strip of dough.
- Take a strip from the other batch and place it in the center.
- Fold the strips back down to cover the middle strip.
- Fold back the strips that weren't previously used.
- Add another strip of dough and repeat the process until you have a complete lattice.
- Pinch the dough to fix any tears or rips.
- Cut out the cookies with a cookie cutter.
- Remove all the excess dough.
- Re-roll the scraps for marbled cookies and cut them out.
- Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are light brown.
- When done, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them on to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
- Enjoy!
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