Description
Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies are buttery, soft, and made with love—perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or anytime you want a sweet treat that’s as cute as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional decorating items: colored icing, sprinkles, sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼‑inch thickness. Use a heart‑shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8–12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2‑3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, decorate with icing, sprinkles, or sanding sugar as desired.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes for better shape retention during baking.
- Almond extract adds a subtle, nutty depth of flavor.
- Roll thinner for crispier cookies or thicker for soft centers.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies, buttery sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, Valentine's cookies, love cookies, decorate sugar cookies, sugar cookie recipe, heart cookies