Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies (Printable)

Tender, buttery sugar cookies cut into hearts with sweet, colorful icing for a festive touch.

# What You Need:

→ For the Sugar Cookies

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

→ For the 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 optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until thoroughly incorporated.
04 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing just until dough forms.
05 - Divide dough into two portions, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
06 - Heat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut heart shapes and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges turn golden. Cool on sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add additional milk as needed for desired consistency.
10 - Tint icing with food coloring, spread or pipe onto cooled cookies, and add sprinkles if desired. Let icing set completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The almond extract creates this subtle bakery fragrance that makes everyone immediately ask what youre baking
  • These cookies stay tender for days unlike other sugar cookies that turn into rocks overnight
02 -
  • Cold dough is absolutely non negotiable, warm dough spreads into blob shapes that barely resemble hearts
  • Overbaked sugar cookies never recover that tender texture, pull them out when you think they need just one more minute
03 -
  • Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and eliminate the need for excess flour
  • Room temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly, creating cookies with consistent texture throughout

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