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Yields:
20 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
The season of love has officially arrived and what better way to share how much you care for someone than with sweet homemade Valentine's Day cookies? These cute iced heart cookies are sure to impress your sweetheart or anyone deserving of DIY Valentine's Day gifts! The sugar cookies bake up nice and soft and the pink frosting on top is just as delicious as it is pretty.
Find more adorable heart-shaped foods to try on Valentine's Day!
What makes these cookies different from a regular sugar cookie?
Inspired by the cult favorite grocery store treat, Lofthouse cookies, these cookies have two unexpected ingredients: sour cream and cornstarch. Sour cream amps up the moisture to create a tender crumb, while cornstarch keeps them from spreading too much. The result is a cookie with a super soft texture that keeps its shape when baked. Don't have sour cream in the fridge? There are plenty of sour cream substitutes to try.
Do I need to refrigerate the dough before rolling?
Refrigerating the dough before rolling helps with a couple things. First, it gives the dough some time to sit and helps the flour to absorb more liquid, creating a more consistent crumb when your cookies are baked. It also helps the dough firm up, making it much easier to roll. For these cookies, we recommend refrigerating the dough for about an hour before rolling.
Can you make these dough the day before?
Yes, you can make the dough up to 1 day ahead and let it refrigerate overnight. If the dough feels a little too firm when it's time to roll, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. Give the dough a little poke to test if it's ready. If your finger leaves a clean indent without having to push too hard, it's time to roll!
What's the best way to store heart cookies?
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay fresh for about three days.
Can you freeze heart cookies?
If you'd like to freeze these cookies, freeze before frosting them. Simply stack the cookies in an airtight container, with parchment paper between each layer, and place in the freezer for up to three months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature before frosting.
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/3 cups
all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp.
cornstarch
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp.
baking powder
- 1/4 tsp.
baking soda
- 1/2 cup
unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup
granulated sugar
- 1
large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup
sour cream, room temperature
Frosting
- 1/2 cup
unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups
powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp.
milk
- 1 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
Liquid red food coloring
Rainbow sprinkles, to decorate
Directions
- Step 1Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
- Step 2Cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until fully combined. Add in the sour cream and beat until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Step 3Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Step 4Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 2 to 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Step 5On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into hearts using a 2 1/2-inch heart shaped cookie cutter, re-rolling scraps only once. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Step 6Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until the tops are dry. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the pan, then move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Step 7For the frosting: Beat the butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt, beating until fully combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until lightened and creamy, about 2 more minutes. Add three to four drops of red food coloring and mix until a light pink color is reached.
- Step 8To decorate: Spread frosting onto the cooled cookies using a small offset spatula. Decorate with rainbow sprinkles, if desired.
Tip: Only re-roll the extra dough one time. Any more than that and the cookies will shrink when baked.
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