I’m sharing soft conversation heart Valentine Sugar Cookies iced with royal icing and hand lettered with adorable romantic sayings that will make you want to read on.

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I can’t help but grin when I line up these Heart Sugar Cookie shapes, each one like a tiny conversation heart smothered in royal icing and cheeky romantic sayings. I messed with the dough until the texture felt right, all-purpose flour dusting the counter and unsalted butter giving that tender, soft bite you want.

On sallysbakingaddiction.com this recipe felt like a little love note, the kind of Valentine Cookies Decorated that make people actually pause and smile. Theyre a bit imperfect, sometimes my piping goes wonky, but those flaws are what make them irresistible.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour gives cookie structure, mostly carbs with a little protein, not very nutritious.
Cornstarch lightens dough and makes edges tender, pure starch so almost all simple carbs.
Butter adds rich flavor and fat, creates crisp edges and soft centers, pretty high calories.
Granulated sugar sweetens everything, helps spread and brown, no fiber just empty carbs.
Egg binds dough, adds protein and moisture, helps color and gives slight richness.
Sour cream or yogurt adds tang and tenderness, some calcium and protein, makes dough richer.
Powdered sugar and meringue powder make glossy sweet icing, mostly sugar with tiny protein.
Gel food coloring and sprinkles bring color and fun, they add little nutrition and sugar.

Ingredient Quantities

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 344 g)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, about 170 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt

1 to 2 tablespoons milk, optional

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (about 480 g) for royal icing

3 tablespoons meringue powder

6 to 8 tablespoons water for royal icing

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, optional

Gel food coloring (pink, red, purple, and a few pastels)

Assorted sprinkles and sanding sugar for decorating

Edible food markers, optional for writing little sayings

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk together 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 344 g), 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter (about 170 g) with 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g) until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt; mix until combined. If the dough seems too dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until just combined. Don’t overmix or cookies get tough. If dough is sticky chill 15 to 30 minutes so it’s easier to roll.

4. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut conversation-heart shapes or rounds, transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets leaving about 1 inch between cookies. If edges crack, press them gently to smooth.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but not browned. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be soft if you don’t overbake.

6. Make royal icing: in a bowl combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 480 g) with 3 tablespoons meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract if using, then beat until smooth and glossy. You want a lump-free base.

7. Divide icing into bowls. Reserve one small portion as a thick outline icing (it should hold its shape). Thin the rest with water, a teaspoon at a time, until it flows like a thick ribbon and smooths out within about 10 to 15 seconds when drizzled back into the bowl. Use gel food coloring to make pinks, reds, purples and pastels.

8. Fit a piping bag or squeeze bottle with the thick icing for outlines and another with flood consistency for filling. Pipe an outline on each cookie, then flood the center with the thinner icing. Use a toothpick to nudge icing into corners or pop air bubbles. Add sprinkles or sanding sugar while the flood icing is still wet.

9. Let cookies dry at room temperature until the icing is set to the touch, at least 4 hours; for completely hard, paintable surfaces wait 12 to 24 hours before writing. If you need to speed things up use a fan blowing gently, not heat.

10. Once fully dry write little sayings with edible food markers or pipe tiny letters, stack cookies with parchment between layers and store airtight for up to 3 to 5 days. Enjoy, and don’t worry if your writing isn’t perfect — it’s cute either way.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven, preheated to 350°F (177°C)
2. Mixing bowls, at least one large for wet and one medium for dry stuff
3. Electric mixer or a sturdy whisk for creaming butter and sugar
4. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you like grams
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar and flour
6. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface for rolling to 1/4 inch
7. Cookie cutters (conversation-heart and round) and a bench scraper or knife to lift shapes
8. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper and an offset spatula or flat spatula to transfer cookies
9. Wire cooling rack to cool cookies before icing
10. Piping bags or squeeze bottles with small round tips, plus toothpicks for popping bubbles and fixing details

FAQ

Q: How long should I chill the dough so the cookies keep their shape? A: Chill the dough at least 30 minutes after mixing, and after cutting shapes chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet 15 to 30 minutes. If your kitchen is warm, chill longer. Cold dough and sheets help them not spread while baking.

Q: What oven temp and baking time should I use? A: Bake at 350°F (175°C) on a parchment lined sheet for about 8 to 10 minutes for 1/4 inch thick cookies, until the edges just set. Thicker cookies need a minute or two more. Don’t overbake or they’ll lose that tender center.

Q: My cookies spread and lose detail, what did I do wrong? A: Most likely the butter was too warm or the dough wasnt chilled enough, or you added too much liquid. Measure flour properly by spooning and leveling, chill the dough, and roll to an even thickness. Also bake on a cool sheet not one just used.

Q: How do I get royal icing the right consistency for piping and flooding? A: Start with 6 tablespoons water for the batch, mix to smooth, then add tiny amounts more if needed. For outlines make it thicker so it holds a peak, for flooding thin it until lines smooth out in 10 to 20 seconds. Use gel color sparingly, it wont thin the icing like liquid color does.

Q: Can I substitute sour cream and what does it do? A: Yes, sour cream or full fat plain yogurt both work. They add moisture and tenderness so cookies stay soft, but use the amount listed so dough isnt too loose. If dough seems dry add 1 tablespoon milk at a time.

Q: How should I store decorated cookies and how long will they keep? A: Let royal icing dry completely, then store cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days. For longer keeping, uniced baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months, thaw then decorate. Refrigerating decorated cookies can cause sweating and dull colors.

Valentine’s Day Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour: you can swap for a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (weigh it like the recipe, about 344 g). If the blend has no xanthan gum add 1/4 tsp to help the dough hold together.
Unsalted butter: use an equal amount of vegan stick butter or slightly less solid coconut oil (use 90 to 95% of the butter weight). Tip: if using coconut oil chill the dough 30 minutes so cookies dont spread too much.
1 large egg: replace with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) for binding, or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for moisture. Flax gives more structure, applesauce makes them a bit softer.
Cornstarch: swap 1:1 with arrowroot powder or potato starch for the same tender texture in the dough and royal icing stabilizing effects.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh your flour, seriously. Spoon and level with a spoon if you gotta, but weighing (344 g) makes these soft and consistent. Too much flour = dry, crumbly cookies, and thats the #1 rookie move.

2) Chill the dough and roll between pieces of parchment if it’s sticky. Even 15 to 30 minutes helps a lot; if edges crack after cutting just press them smooth with your finger, it wont hurt the shape.

3) Don’t overbake. Pull the sheet when the edges just look set but not brown, they firm up on the pan as they cool. Rotate pans halfway through so one batch doesn’t end up darker than the other.

4) For royal icing, save a small batch extra for fixes and keep thinning the rest one teaspoon of water at a time until it flows like a ribbon and smooths in 10 to 15 seconds on a plate. Use a fan to speed drying, add a tiny bit of corn syrup or glycerin for shine if you like, and always pop air bubbles with a toothpick before sprinkles go on.

Valentine's Day Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing soft conversation heart Valentine Sugar Cookies iced with royal icing and hand lettered with adorable romantic sayings that will make you want to read on.

Servings

servings

Calories

224

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven, preheated to 350°F (177°C)
2. Mixing bowls, at least one large for wet and one medium for dry stuff
3. Electric mixer or a sturdy whisk for creaming butter and sugar
4. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you like grams
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar and flour
6. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface for rolling to 1/4 inch
7. Cookie cutters (conversation-heart and round) and a bench scraper or knife to lift shapes
8. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper and an offset spatula or flat spatula to transfer cookies
9. Wire cooling rack to cool cookies before icing
10. Piping bags or squeeze bottles with small round tips, plus toothpicks for popping bubbles and fixing details

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 344 g)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, about 170 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons milk, optional
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (about 480 g) for royal icing
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 to 8 tablespoons water for royal icing
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, optional
Gel food coloring (pink, red, purple, and a few pastels)
Assorted sprinkles and sanding sugar for decorating
Edible food markers, optional for writing little sayings

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk together 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 344 g), 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter (about 170 g) with 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g) until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt; mix until combined. If the dough seems too dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until just combined. Don’t overmix or cookies get tough. If dough is sticky chill 15 to 30 minutes so it’s easier to roll.
On a lightly floured surface roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut conversation-heart shapes or rounds, transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets leaving about 1 inch between cookies. If edges crack, press them gently to smooth.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but not browned. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be soft if you don’t overbake.
Make royal icing: in a bowl combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 480 g) with 3 tablespoons meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract if using, then beat until smooth and glossy. You want a lump-free base.
Divide icing into bowls. Reserve one small portion as a thick outline icing (it should hold its shape). Thin the rest with water, a teaspoon at a time, until it flows like a thick ribbon and smooths out within about 10 to 15 seconds when drizzled back into the bowl. Use gel food coloring to make pinks, reds, purples and pastels.
Fit a piping bag or squeeze bottle with the thick icing for outlines and another with flood consistency for filling. Pipe an outline on each cookie, then flood the center with the thinner icing. Use a toothpick to nudge icing into corners or pop air bubbles. Add sprinkles or sanding sugar while the flood icing is still wet.
Let cookies dry at room temperature until the icing is set to the touch, at least 4 hours; for completely hard, paintable surfaces wait 12 to 24 hours before writing. If you need to speed things up use a fan blowing gently, not heat.
Once fully dry write little sayings with edible food markers or pipe tiny letters, stack cookies with parchment between layers and store airtight for up to 3 to 5 days. Enjoy, and don’t worry if your writing isn’t perfect — it’s cute either way.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.