Description
Slice and Bake Heart Cookies are charming, festive sugar cookies perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. These tender, buttery cookies feature a delightful heart shape made by layering colored dough. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, they are ideal for bakers seeking a fun and decorative treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Red or pink food coloring (gel preferred)
- Optional: sanding sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined, ensuring the dough is smooth and aromatic.
- Incorporate Flour and Salt: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms that is manageable but not sticky.
- Color and Shape Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Tint one portion with red or pink gel food coloring, kneading until the color is evenly distributed. Roll the colored dough into a log, then shape it into a heart by pressing a dent down the center and pinching the bottom to create a pointed heart shape. Wrap this heart-shaped log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 15–20 minutes until firm.
- Prepare Outer Layer: While the heart dough chills, roll the plain, uncolored dough into a rectangle large enough to wrap around the chilled heart log.
- Assemble and Chill: Once the heart log is firm, wrap the plain dough around it, pressing gently to seal. Roll the combined log lightly to smooth the surface, then wrap again in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Slice Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the dough log from the fridge and slice it into 1/4-inch thick cookies carefully to maintain the heart shape.
- Decorate and Bake: Place the cookie slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, decorate the edges with sanding sugar for extra sparkle. Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden brown.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving, helping them set and preventing breakage.
Notes
- You can prepare and freeze the dough log up to a month in advance for convenience.
- For cleaner and more defined heart shapes, make sure to chill the dough thoroughly before slicing.
- Sanding sugar adds a decorative touch but can be omitted if not desired.
- If you prefer less vibrant colors, adjust the amount of food coloring accordingly.
