Description
These Heart Cookies are delightful, buttery cut-out cookies perfect for any celebration of love or special occasion. Soft and tender with a smooth cream cheese frosting tinted in shades of pink and red, they combine classic flavors with charming aesthetics. Easy to make, these cookies feature a buttery dough that is chilled and rolled thin for crisp edges and a slightly golden finish, finished off with a creamy, colorful frosting and festive sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Pink food coloring (as needed)
- Red food coloring (as needed)
- Sprinkles (for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening and seasoning in the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color, which helps create a tender texture for the cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring the dough is smooth and well-mixed.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing continuously until the dough is fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Chill Dough: Shape the dough into two flattened discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the dough, making it easier to roll out and cut.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for even baking.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out one disc of dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Use a 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and transfer them onto prepared baking sheets.
- Freeze Cookies: Place the cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to help them hold their shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until their edges are lightly golden, indicating they are crisp while still tender inside. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Make Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, then beat again until the frosting is fully combined and fluffy.
- Color Frosting: Divide the frosting evenly into three bowls. Add pink food coloring to one bowl and red to another, mixing well to achieve desired shades. Leave the third bowl plain or lightly tinted as desired.
- Frost and Decorate: Use an offset spatula to frost the cooled cookies with the colored frostings. Decorate with sprinkles while the frosting is still soft to ensure they stick.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling helps prevent spreading during baking and makes it easier to handle.
- Freezing the cut-out cookies before baking ensures they hold their shape and have crisp edges.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives.
- Adjust food coloring quantity to achieve your preferred frosting color intensity.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week due to the cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: heart cookies, cream cheese frosting, cut-out cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies, buttery cookies, decorated cookies
