These Heart Cookies are a delightful blend of buttery richness and sweet indulgence, perfect for any occasion. With a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a hint of vanilla, each bite feels like a warm hug. Ready in just over an hour, they’re surprisingly simple to make yet look stunning with their charming heart shape. Whether for Valentine’s Day, a thoughtful gift, or a cozy treat, these cookies are sure to steal hearts.
Packed with just the right amount of sweetness and a golden, slightly crisp edge, these cookies are as satisfying to bake as they are to eat. At under 100 calories per cookie, they’re a guilt-free way to enjoy a little indulgence. The recipe yields about 50 cookies, making them ideal for sharing or savoring over time. Perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, they’re a treat that’s as lovely to look at as they are to devour.
Ingredients for Heart Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups (295 g) all-purpose flour
Marble Icing Glaze
- 3 cups (415 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Gel food coloring (red, electric pink, and royal purple recommended)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a mixer, beat 1 cup (226 g) softened butter until creamy.
- Add ¾ cup (150 g) sugar and beat for 30 seconds until combined.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon salt. Scrape the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add 1 large egg yolk and beat until incorporated.
- Gradually add 2 ¼ cups (295 g) flour on medium-low speed. Scrape the bowl frequently to avoid dry spots.
- Form dough into a ball, flatten into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface. Use floured cookie cutters to cut shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Re-roll scraps to maximize cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes (longer for larger cookies). Cool completely before glazing.
Marble Icing Glaze
- In a bowl, whisk 3 cups (415 g) powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons corn syrup, and 3 Tablespoons milk until smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too thick.
- Stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon almond extract.
- Test glaze consistency: It should settle smoothly on a cookie. Adjust with powdered sugar or milk as needed.
- Divide glaze into 4 small bowls. Add a small drop of gel food coloring to each bowl and swirl with a toothpick for a marbled effect.
- Dip each cookie into the glaze, adjusting swirls with additional food coloring if desired. Repeat with remaining bowls as colors mix.
- Let glaze set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Creative Topping Ideas for Heart Cookies
While the marble icing glaze is stunning, you can also try other toppings to make your heart cookies extra special. Dip them in melted chocolate (dark, milk, or white) and sprinkle with crushed nuts, edible glitter, or colorful sprinkles. For a simpler option, dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle with a contrasting glaze color. Pro tip: Use a piping bag for precise designs!
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
These heart cookies are delightful on their own, but they pair beautifully with a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea. Arrange them on a platter with fresh berries or a small bowl of whipped cream for dipping. They also make a charming addition to dessert tables at parties or as a sweet gift when packaged in a pretty box.
Storage Tips for Freshness
To keep your heart cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you’ve glazed them, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw and glaze before serving.
Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Bakers
Short on time? Prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to a month. When ready to bake, let it soften slightly before rolling. Alternatively, skip the glaze and decorate with store-bought icing or sprinkles for a quicker finish. Remember: Chilling the dough ensures easier handling and cleaner cuts.
Fun Variations to Try
Switch up the flavors by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the dough for a citrus twist. For a nutty flavor, mix in ½ cup of finely chopped almonds or pecans. You can also experiment with different cookie cutter shapes for holidays or special occasions. Get creative: The possibilities are endless!
Heart Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Marble Icing Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- gel food coloring I used red, electric pink, and, for some cookies, just a touch of royal purple
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In KitchenAid mixer or with electric hand-mixer beat your butter until well-creamed.
- Add sugar to the mixing bowl and beat with the butter until well combined (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt, stirring until well-combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Add egg yolk and beat until combined.
- With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add flour until well-incorporated (you will definitely need to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl several times for this, as the mixture is fairly dry and crumbs tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl).
- Transfer dough to clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball.
- Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Once dough has chilled, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to about 1/4″ thickness.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes, transferring them to ungreased cookie sheet.
- Once you have cut out all of the shapes that you can, be sure to re-combine the scraps and roll out and cut out again to get the maximum number of cookies from your dough.
- Bake on 350F for 10-12 minutes (longer if you are using larger cookie cutter) and allow cookies to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
- Marble Icing Glaze
- In a large bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp milk, and light corn syrup. Whisk until smooth. If mixture is too dry, add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time until mixture can be stirred.
- Stir in extracts.
- Glaze should be thick, to test that it is the right consistency drop a few droplets on top of a test cookie. If the glaze remains stiff, it needs to be thinned. If it runs off the cookie, it is too thin and needs more powdered sugar. If it settles down smoothly, it is just right.
- Divide glaze into four small bowls.
- Working with one bowl at a time, use a toothpick (a different toothpick for each color) and dip it into the food coloring bottle and then into the glaze. You want a small pool of food coloring about the size of a mini chocolate chip or two.
- Drag a toothpick through the food coloring and glaze until it is prettily swirled/marbled.
- Holding your cookie at the base, dip the surface of each cookie into the glaze (take a look at your first cookie — are you satisfied with the pattern? Adjust whorls with additional food coloring as needed).
- Once the first bowl runs out or the colors become too muddled together from dipping, move onto your next bowl of food coloring (you will probably need to stir as the surface may have begun to harden).
- Repeat steps 5-7 until all cookies have been dipped. Allow them to harden at least 30 minutes (may take longer) for glaze to set. Enjoy!
- Keep uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.