Description
Delight in these charming Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies that are soft, tender, and visually delightful. Perfect for sharing love on any occasion, this recipe uses simple pantry staples and offers easy customization options for all skill levels. Bake soft, beautifully shaped cookies that melt in your mouth and impress everyone with their classic flavor and versatility.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Start by creaming the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which is crucial for soft cookies. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla extract, making sure everything is well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gradually add it to the wet ingredients, mixing until it forms a smooth dough.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten it into a disk, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps prevent spreading and keeps your heart-shaped sugar cookies perfectly thick and tender when baked.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to avoid sticking. Roll the dough out evenly to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, press firmly down to create your shapes, then place the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them for spreading.
- Bake to Perfection: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to get golden but the centers remain lightly pale. This ensures soft, chewy cookies instead of crunchy ones.
- Cool and Decorate: Allow your cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. Use royal icing, buttercream, or simple powdered sugar glaze and add colorful accents like sprinkles or edible glitter to bring your heart-shaped sugar cookies to life.
Notes
- Don’t skip chilling the dough to prevent over-spreading and to make cutting shapes easier.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Measure flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid dense cookies.
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for the best texture.
- Decorate cookies only after they have completely cooled to avoid mess and runny icing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: heart shaped sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, holiday cookies, valentine cookies, homemade sugar cookies, decorative sugar cookies
