These pretty-in-pink heart cut-out cookies are a real treat. Bake a batch for Valentine’s Day or any time you want to share a little love. They’re delicious and the recipe is simple to follow.
They’re fun to make with kids and perfect for gifting or decorating a party table.
We bake these every Valentine’s Day as a family tradition. My daughter and I enjoy decorating the kitchen and making a special dinner, and these cookies are always part of the celebration.
When Tori was little she loved giving these to her teachers in clear goodie bags tied with ribbon, and the teachers always appreciated them. My son Josh carried on the tradition when he was in grade school—now at 14 he’s a bit more reserved, but he still helps when we deliver treats to neighbors and coworkers.
These cookies are versatile — use any cookie cutter for other holidays like Christmas or Easter and change the icing color to suit the season.
The recipe uses basic ingredients and is straightforward. Have fun making them—these cookies taste as good as they look.
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Heart Cut-Out Cookies
Yields: about 12–18 cookies, depending on cutter size.
What you’ll need to make a batch of these beautiful heart cut-out cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (room temperature if possible)
Icing Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp cold water or milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt
- Pink food coloring gel or colored food drops (small amount to reach desired shade)
- White sugar pearls, optional
How these cookies are prepared
Easy step-by-step directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium-to-large bowl, beat the softened butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla, then mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. The dough will be firm. (No refrigeration needed.)
- Form the dough into a ball, place it on a nonstick surface or between sheets of parchment, and roll to a thickness of about 1/4″ to 1/2″. Cut with your chosen cookie cutter and transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Bake 7–10 minutes, until the edges show only slight browning. Let cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing: whisk the sifted powdered sugar with the cold water or milk until smooth. Add vanilla and salt, adjusting liquid a little at a time to reach a spreadable consistency. Mix in pink food coloring a drop at a time until you reach the desired shade.
- Spread the icing with a small offset spatula, butter knife, or small rubber spatula. You can also pipe the icing from a zip-top bag with a small corner cut. While the icing is still wet, add sugar pearls if desired. Let the icing set before storing or packaging.
Enjoy the pink deliciousness!
More cookie ideas to try
Cake Mix Red Velvet Cookies
Sprinkle Pudding Cookies
Lemon Glazed Cookies
White Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Dainty Tea Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Icing Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp cold water or milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
- Pink food coloring gel or colored food drops, small amount
- White sugar pearls, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla; mix until combined.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix until a firm dough forms.
- Roll dough to 1/4″–1/2″ thickness and cut with a cookie cutter. Place on prepared sheets and re-roll scraps as needed.
- Bake 7–10 minutes until barely browned. Cool on a wire rack.
- For the icing, whisk powdered sugar with water or milk, add vanilla and salt, then color to taste. Adjust consistency with a little extra liquid if needed.
- Spread or pipe icing on cooled cookies and add pearls while icing is wet. Let set before serving.
So yummy!
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy these pretty and delicious cookies.
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Ingredients and supplies shown are suggestions I use regularly.
