Get ready to fall in love with these adorable heart shaped cookies, perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just because! These buttery, soft sugar cookies are easy to make and a joy to decorate, making them the perfect baking activity with kids. So grab your cookie cutters, sprinkles, and icing, and let’s bake up something deliciously fun!
This heart shaped cookies recipe is a must-have for anyone who loves festive, fun, and easy-to-make desserts. Made with a simple sugar cookie dough, these cookies hold their shape beautifully while baking, making them perfect for decorating with icing, sprinkles, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Wondering how to make heart shaped cookies without hassle? All you need is a good cookie cutter and a smooth, chilled dough to create the perfect shape every time. They’re great for Valentine’s Day, weddings, birthdays, or any occasion where you want to add a little extra love to your baking
Try these other delicious Valentine’s Day treats: how to make heart shaped pancakes, heart shaped cookies with jam, and Valentines day pop tarts. Or check out our complete collection of Valentine’s Day recipes for a sweet breakfast, special dinner, or decadent treat.
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Why We Love This Heart Shaped Cookies Recipe
- Great activity for kids to help with
Get the kids involved with holiday baking with these conversation heart cookies. Cookie cutting and decorating are always a hit with the family. - Use the dough for any holiday!
While these are excellent Valentine treats, you can easily make this dough and use different shaped cutouts for other holidays. - Great for gifts
Neighbors and grandparents love getting homemade treats for the holidays! These heart shaped cookies are perfect for gifting.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best for this recipe, but if you use salted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon instead of 1 ½ teaspoons.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar is what makes the cookies crunchy.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs are best to use for baking.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor in these heart cut out cookies.
- Salt: Use kosher salt rather than table salt when baking.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for these easy cookies.
- Melt‘ems candies: You can find these in the baking department of your local grocery store or online.
Recipe Variations
- Heart shaped chocolate chip cookies: Add chocolate chips to the dough for a classic chocolate chip cookie with a festive twist. Use a heart-shaped cutter to shape them before baking for an extra special touch.
- Almond-flavored: Swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract to give it a nutty, aromatic flavor that pairs perfectly with icing or powdered sugar dusting.
- Brown sugar cut-out cookies: For a richer, caramel-like taste, replace some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar. This creates a softer, chewier texture while still keeping the shape intact.
- Royal icing decorations: Decorate it with royal icing for a professional bakery-style finish. Outline and flood the cookies with your favorite colors, and add sprinkles or edible glitter for extra flair.
- Powdered sugar & cream glaze: If you prefer a lighter topping, mix powdered sugar with a bit of cream for a simple, sweet glaze that hardens into a delicate finish.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Mixer
- Plastic wrap or bee’s wrap
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- 2 1/2 to 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter
- Cooling rack
How to Make Heart Shaped Cookies
- Mix the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy.
This is an important step because to make the cookies light as well.
Using the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, whip the ingredients for 4-5 minutes for the best results.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Bring your butter and eggs to room temperature before using! This ensures your cookies are light and crispy.
- Add the other ingredients and mix until just combined.
After adding the flour, mix the dough just until the white streaks have disappeared and no longer.
If the dough is overmixed, the Valentine’s Day sugar cookies will be tough.
- Refrigerate the dough.
After the dough is combined, place it on the counter and cut it in half.
Wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- Roll the dough and cut the cookies.
While the dough is still cold, roll it out on the counter until it’s about ¼” thick. Any thinner and the cookies will fall apart as you move them to the pan.
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the dough and gently transfer them to a baking sheet.
Press the dough back into a ball and put it back in the refrigerator while you wait for the cookies to bake.
- Decorate!
Once the cookies are cool, melt the candies and get your kids to help decorate them.
Dip one side of the cookies in the melted candies and then place them on a piece of parchment paper until the candy dip is completely dried and hard to the touch.
To make the Melt’ems easier to work with, keep them warm by placing the bowl of warm candy dip in another bowl of warm water.
Serving Suggestions
These heart shaped cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion where you want to share a little extra love! Serve them as a sweet treat with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, or pair them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
If you’re looking for a fun party platter idea, arrange them with chocolate-dipped strawberries, macarons, and mini cupcakes for a beautiful dessert spread. They also make a wonderful gift—simply package them in a decorative tin or clear bag with a ribbon for a thoughtful homemade treat.
Want to know how to make heart shaped cookies even more special? Decorate them with royal icing, sprinkles, or a powdered sugar glaze, and serve them alongside a glass of milk for a classic and comforting snack. No matter who you’re baking for—friends, family, or even just yourself—these heart shaped cookies recipe will be a hit.
These are the perfect sweet treat for your next date or a delightful addition to your Valentine’s dinner ideas!
Recipe FAQs
If you find your cookies are too dry, it’s possible that they were baked slightly too long. Be sure to pull them from the oven when the bottoms are slightly brown but before the edges and tops start browning. You also may have added too much flour. Make sure to lightly scoop the flour into the cup, then gently level off. Don’t pack the flour in!
We love using candy melts because of how easy they are, but you can use your favorite frosting or icing with these Valentine’s day sugar cookies.
One of the best ways to make these heart cookies stand out is to add sprinkles! Choose your favorite colors and let the kids decorate before the melted candy dip dries.
Store extra cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer on the counter for up to three days.
You can also freeze leftovers in a plastic container or bag for up to three months.
This is a great way to make them ahead of time or save them for your next holiday.
Consider these other easy cookie recipes!
- Creme Brulee Cookies
- M M Cookies Original Recipe
- Recipe For Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Better Than Costco Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you tried this heart sugar cookies recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Heart Shaped Cookies
Equipment
- mixer
- plastic wrap or bee's wrap
- rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper
- rolling pin
- 2 1/2 to 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks room temperature (see notes for substituting salted butter)
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ – 5 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting
For decorating:
- 12 ounces Melt ‘Ems candy dip in pink, red, or white
Instructions
- Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until light in color and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each one. Then add vanilla and salt and mix on medium speed until combined. Turn mixer down to low and add 4 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time. Skip the final 1/2 cup of flour if dough comes together without being overly sticky.
- Add the cookie dough to a clean wooden board or counter top and cut in half. Pat each half into a disc shape and wrap with plastic wrap or bee’s wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 7 days.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Lightly dust a wooden board or the countertop with flour. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thickness. Use 2 1/2 to 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through.
- Use a spatula to carefully move the cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- Follow the directions on the bag to melt the candy dip. Drizzle the melted candy dip over the top of the cookies or, if you prefer, dip half of each cookie in the dip, then place on a sheet of parchment paper to dry.
- Store the cookies in an air tight container with parchment or waxed paper between each layer of cookies. Cookies can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Notes
- Heart shaped chocolate chip cookies: Add chocolate chips to the dough for a classic chocolate chip cookie with a festive twist. Use a heart-shaped cutter to shape them before baking for an extra special touch.
- Almond-flavored: Swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract to give it a nutty, aromatic flavor that pairs perfectly with icing or powdered sugar dusting.
- Brown sugar cut-out cookies: For a richer, caramel-like taste, replace some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar. This creates a softer, chewier texture while still keeping the shape intact.
- Royal icing decorations: Decorate it with royal icing for a professional bakery-style finish. Outline and flood the cookies with your favorite colors, and add sprinkles or edible glitter for extra flair.
- Powdered sugar & cream glaze: If you prefer a lighter topping, mix powdered sugar with a bit of cream for a simple, sweet glaze that hardens into a delicate finish.
- Bring your butter and eggs to room temperature before using! This ensures your cookies are light and crispy.
- Store extra cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer on the counter for up to three days.
- You can also freeze leftovers in a plastic container or bag for up to three months.
- This is a great way to make them ahead of time or save them for your next holiday.
Nutrition
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Kechi says
Beautiful + delicious sugar cookies! I made this recipe with my daughter and they came out so well! It was a fun bonding project!
MacKenzie says
We made these heart cookies for fun this weekend. My daughter can’t wait to make them again. We plan on making them for her teacher for Valentine’s Day.
Caroline says
So cute and simple, plus fun to get the kids involved in making them, too.
Tara says
Oh how fun! Definitely the perfect holiday treat for Valentine’s Day. I bet my kids will love these festive cookies.
Nathanaelle Yoshimura says
Bookmarked! I’ll make these in a couple weeks with my kiddos! Gonna try and decorate them like yours!