Trust me when I say this Valentine’s Heart Cookie Recipe is an absolute showstopper. These tender, buttery heart-shaped cookies burst with soft pink hues, charming sprinkles, and so much love baked right in. Perfect for sharing with your special someone or spoiling yourself!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I honestly love how approachable this Valentine’s slice and bake heart cookie recipe is—there’s something so satisfying about shaping a log of dough, chilling it, then slicing perfect little hearts whenever you want fresh cookies. Plus, they taste like a buttery daydream with just a hint of vanilla.
- Easy Preparation: Most of the work happens upfront, then chilling does the rest — minimal hands-on time!
- Beautiful Results: The red gel food coloring gives a gorgeous pink shade that’s just right for Valentine’s Day.
- Fun Decoration: Rolling the dough in pink and white jimmies sprinkles adds festive, eye-catching charm.
- Great Texture: Tender, buttery, and slightly crisp on the edges — these cookies hit all the right notes.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Getting your ingredients right makes all the difference here. I recommend using European-style unsalted butter for its richness, and sourcing quality vanilla bean paste for that deep, authentic flavor. Also, the way you measure your flour can impact texture big time, so be mindful!
- All-purpose flour: The base for your dough, providing structure and tenderness when measured properly.
- Baking powder: Just a touch to help cookies rise slightly, keeping them light and soft.
- Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the buttery flavor.
- Unsalted European butter: The star of the show—rich, creamy, and perfect for that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the light, fluffy dough when creamed with butter.
- Large egg & egg yolk: Give structure, richness, and moisture to your cookie dough.
- Heavy cream: Adds a little extra moisture and tenderness to ensure a soft crumb.
- Vanilla bean paste: For that sweet, fragrant vanilla flavor with little black flecks that look beautiful in the dough.
- Red gel food coloring: This gives your cookies that gorgeous pink/red hue without altering texture.
- Pink and white jimmies sprinkles: These add festive, colorful crunch on the outside of the cookies and make them visually irresistible.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Valentine’s Heart Cookie Recipe is how easy it is to make it uniquely yours. Whether you want to play with colors, sprinkles, or textures, these slice and bake cookies lend themselves beautifully to personal touches that bring a little extra love to your baking.
- Variation: I love swapping out the pink and white jimmies for a mix of sanding sugar and tiny edible pearls to give the cookies a bit of sparkle and a delicate crunch. It feels extra special for Valentine's Day and makes the hearts look like little treasures.
- Dietary tweak: For a dairy-free version, try substituting the unsalted European butter with a plant-based alternative and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. The dough texture changes slightly but still bakes up wonderfully tender and buttery in flavor.
- Seasonal twist: While these cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, you can swap the red gel food coloring for green or orange shades and use seasonal sprinkles for Christmas or Halloween celebrations. The heart shapes are always a crowd-pleaser!
Step-by-Step: How I Make Valentine’s Heart Cookie Recipe
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking together the 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in a small bowl. Setting this mixture aside gets you ready for smooth incorporation later. Pro tip: Use a kitchen scale or the spoon-level method when measuring flour to avoid dense cookies.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy
In a mixing bowl, beat 14 tablespoons of cool, room-temperature European butter with 1 cup granulated sugar for about 3 minutes. You’ll notice the mixture lighten and become airy—that’s perfect. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides so everything blends evenly for a tender crumb.
Step 3: Add Eggs, Cream, and Vanilla
Next, add 1 large room-temperature egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste. Mix these with the creamed butter and sugar until fully incorporated, creating a smooth and luscious base for your dough.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until the dough just comes together—overmixing can toughen the cookies. At this stage, your dough should feel soft but firm enough to handle.
Step 5: Divide and Color the Dough
Leave about half of the dough (around 375-400 grams) in the mixing bowl. Add red gel food coloring to this half, stirring until you reach your ideal pink or vibrant red shade. I find adding the gel little by little helps control the color intensity perfectly.
Step 6: Roll and Chill the Colored Dough
Roll the colored dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ½ inch thickness. Then, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm it up. Meanwhile, cover and set aside the remaining plain dough to keep it fresh.
Step 7: Cut Out Heart Shapes
Using a 1 ½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, stamp out hearts from the chilled red dough. Don’t toss those scraps! Reroll them once more to cut additional hearts and reduce waste—baking made sustainable.
Step 8: Stack Hearts Into a Log and Freeze
Lightly dab the center of each red heart with water to help them stick, then stack them gently on top of each other to form a log about 9–10 inches long. Place this heart log on parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Step 9: Wrap the Heart Log with Plain Dough
Remove the log from the freezer. Take the plain dough you set aside, cover gaps around the heart log completely by wrapping it evenly. Then wrap the entire log tightly in plastic wrap and gently roll to create a smooth cylinder.
Step 10: Chill the Dough Log Thoroughly
Refrigerate the wrapped dough log for at least 2 to 3 hours, or preferably overnight. This chilling time is key—it firms up the dough for neat slicing and ensures your cookies keep their heart shape in the oven.
Step 11: Preheat Oven and Coat with Sprinkles
Twenty minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Unwrap the chilled dough log and roll it in a generous ½ to 1 cup of pink and white jimmies sprinkles, pressing lightly so the sprinkles stick all around.
Step 12: Slice and Bake Your Heart Cookies
Slice the log into ½-inch thick rounds and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, looking for lightly golden bottoms and matte tops. If you want crispier edges, bake a couple minutes longer. The aroma filling your kitchen at this point is such a warm hug!
Step 13: Cool and Enjoy!
Remove your Valentine’s Heart Cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Cooling is important so the cookies set perfectly and the sprinkles don’t fall off. Now you have 20 beautiful, buttery, festive treats ready to share or savor!
Top Tip
These Valentine’s Heart Cookies are as charming as they are delicious, and a few handy tips can really make your baking experience smoother and your cookies prettier. I’ve learned the hard way that attention to detail truly pays off!
- Perfect Butter Temperature: Using cool room temperature butter (around 64-68°F) is key. Too soft, and the dough gets greasy; too cold, and it won’t cream properly. I always use a thermometer to get it just right.
- Firm Dough for Clean Cuts: Freezing the dough log for at least 30 minutes before slicing is essential. Early on, I skipped this and ended up with misshapen hearts. Chilling keeps the shapes crisp and perfect.
- Rolling with Parchment: Rolling the tinted dough between parchment sheets prevents stickiness and makes clean, even shapes every time. No messy cleanup either!
- Don’t Overbake: These cookies look done when their tops appear matte and the bottoms are lightly golden. Baking a bit longer makes them crunchier, but watch closely to avoid drying them out.
How to Serve Valentine’s Heart Cookie Recipe
Garnishes
Serve these adorable cookies with extra sprinkles on the side for dipping or decorating, or dust them lightly with powdered sugar for a delicate, festive touch. Fresh raspberries or a drizzle of white chocolate can elevate them beautifully for special occasions.
Side Dishes
Pair your Valentine’s Heart Cookies with a warm cup of herbal tea, a rich hot chocolate, or a smooth latte for a cozy experience. Light fruit salads or pink champagne also complement the sweet, buttery flavor perfectly for celebrations.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh and tasty for up to 5 days. Just keep them away from direct sunlight or heat to maintain their texture and color.
Freezing
These dough logs freeze beautifully! Wrap the cookie dough log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then slice and bake as usual for fresh-from-the-oven goodness.
Reheating
If you want to warm the cookies, pop them in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-5 minutes. This revives that fresh-baked softness without drying them out. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the cookies rubbery.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, you can. European butter has a slightly higher fat content and creamier texture, giving the cookies a richer flavor. However, regular unsalted butter will work fine—just make sure it's cool room temperature for proper creaming.
Start by adding a small amount of red gel food coloring to your dough and mix well. You can always add more gradually until you reach your desired pink shade. The key is to add little by little to avoid an overly intense red.
Absolutely! While sprinkles add a festive touch, these cookies are delicious plain as well. You can also experiment with sanding sugar or cocoa nibs for different textures and flavors.
For crispier cookies, slice the dough log thinner—about ¼ inch thick before baking. Just watch the baking time closely, as thinner slices will bake faster, usually around 8-10 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Making these Valentine’s Heart Cookies is such a rewarding way to add a personal touch to your celebration. They’re simple to prepare with just a bit of patience for chilling and freezing, and the results are irresistibly beautiful and tasty. Whether you’re baking for your sweetheart, family, or friends, these slice-and-bake cookies are a sweet way to show love right from your kitchen. Happy baking—and happy Valentine’s Day!
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Valentine’s Heart Cookie Recipe
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Chilling Time: 2 to 3 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Valentine’s Slice and Bake Heart Cookies are a delightful American dessert perfect for sharing love through baking. Featuring a tender and buttery dough colored elegantly with red gel food coloring, these cookies are layered with charming pink and white sprinkles for a festive touch. Simple to prepare and bake, they make a lovely treat for Valentine's Day or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons unsalted European butter, cool room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Red gel food coloring
Decorations
- ½ to 1 cup pink and white jimmies sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted European butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, which should take about 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the large egg, egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until fully blended.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix in the flour mixture to the wet mixture until the dough comes together and is fully combined.
- Color the Dough: Divide the dough, leaving about half (around 375-400 grams) in the mixing bowl. Add red gel food coloring to this portion and mix until you achieve your desired pink or red shade.
- Roll and Freeze Colored Dough: Roll the tinted dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ½ inch thick. Freeze the rolled dough for 10 minutes to firm it up.
- Cut Heart Shapes: Using a 1 ½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut hearts from the chilled red dough. Reroll scraps to cut out additional shapes once.
- Stack and Freeze Hearts: Lightly dab the center of the hearts with water, then stack them together pressing gently to adhere, forming a single log approximately 9–10 inches long. Place this log on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm.
- Wrap with Plain Dough: Take the remaining plain dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside. Remove the heart log from the freezer and wrap the plain dough all around it, covering any gaps completely. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and roll it to create a smooth log shape.
- Chill the Dough Log: Place the wrapped dough log in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2–3 hours or preferably overnight to firm up the dough.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare for Baking: About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll the chilled cookie dough log in the pink and white jimmies sprinkles so the outside is well coated.
- Slice and Bake Cookies: Slice the cookie log into roughly ½-inch thick rounds and place them on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops appear matte. Bake a little longer if you prefer crispier cookies.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before serving or storing.
Notes
- Measure your dry ingredients properly using the spoon-level method or a kitchen scale for best results. Avoid scooping flour directly with a measuring cup to prevent using too much.
- Use cool room temperature butter, ideally between 64-68°F, to ensure proper dough texture and consistency. Too soft or too warm butter can affect the dough.
- Sprinkles can be varied—use sanding sugar, jimmies, pearls, or any favorites for decoration.
- For crispier cookies, slice the logs thinner, about ¼ inch thick, before baking.
- Freezing times are essential to keep the dough firm for neat slicing and better cookie shape retention during baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
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