Valentine’s Day Cookies
My Valentine’s Day Cookies are soft and buttery, with sweet and creamy icing on top that looks like a marbled or tie-dye design. They are beautiful and easy to prepare, making them the perfect treat for someone special!
These cookies are always a hit at my house. I tend to make a larger batch and gift them to my friends and family. They resemble my sugar cookies, with a soft, buttery center and crisp edges. In addition, the glaze gives them a galaxy effect, making these cookies unique and fun.
Table of contents
They can be personalized with those adorable “Kiss Me” and “Love You” messages, or to make my kids feel special, I put their initials on them. This recipe is so easy, everyone can make it, and if you are looking for a fun project to make with the kids, this is one that they will love!
Why you will love this recipe
- Perfect for Valentine’s Day: Shaped like hearts and colorful with lovely pink, purple, and red glaze, these cookies are the perfect Valentine’s Day treats. Great for parties, gifts, bridal parties, or baby showers!
- They are easy to make: After making the dough and letting it chill, they must be cut and baked before glazing. That is all there is to it before eating them.
- The special ingredients: I add a unique ingredient to the glaze that gives it a richer flavor. The complex taste profile makes it unique, so it stands out from other cookies.
- I like to make extra: One batch makes 24 cookies, but it is easy to double the recipe and freeze some for later.
What you will need
This is a classic sugar cookie recipe and while the glaze looks fancy, it’s easy to make. I use a mix of milk, powdered sugar, and corn syrup – to prevent sugar crystallization and to give them a shiny finish. I also add vanilla and almond extract, the latest being my special touch to make them unique.
- All-purpose flour – All-purpose flour provides a balanced texture with a tender chew and slight crispness. Cake flour would be too soft, and bread flour would be too chewy.
- Baking powder – I use baking powder to add a light and fluffy texture.
- Butter – Be sure to use real butter for a tender and soft texture. It helps create air pockets when mixed with the sugar and prevents the cookies from being too tough from excessive gluten.
- White granulated sugar – Granulated sugar creates a crisper texture, allowing for better air incorporation when creamed with the butter, resulting in a more defined and puffier shape.
- Large egg – Larger eggs provide moister cookies with a soft, chewy balanced texture.
- Vanilla extract – Be sure to use pure vanilla extract. Artificial flavoring has a bitter aftertaste.
- Milk – To add moisture and a bit of creaminess to the dough. The small amount of fat can make them tender and richer.
How to make:
Dry ingredients: In a bowl, I whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Wet ingredients: In another bowl, I beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, I add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Combine: Next, I add the flour a little at a time and beat until combined.
Refrigerate: Once it is fluffy, I roll the dough into two balls and flatten them into two disks. Then, I wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for about an hour.
Roll: I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place parchment paper over two baking sheets. Next, I remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.
Cut and bake: Using a heart cookie cutter, I cut heart-shaped cookies and arrange them 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. I refrigerate them for another 10 minutes. Next, I bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.
Decorate with icing glaze: In a bowl, I combine sifted powdered sugar, milk, light corn syrup, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk until smooth. Then, I decorate the cookies.
Rest and serve: I let them rest for about 30 minutes to harden the icing.
Expert tip
Why chill the dough before baking
There are two times when the dough should be chilled in this recipe; both are important. First, right after mixing the dough, it should be separated into two discs and wrapped in plastic before chilling it in the fridge for at least an hour. This makes it easier to work with and allows for cleaner cuts when shaping the cookies. It also enhances the flavor.
After shaping and cutting the cookies, they are placed on the baking sheets and chilled for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps the butter harden, slowing the melting rate and limiting the cookie’s spread. That makes the cookies hold their shape better and not become too thin.
More tips to consider
- If using sprinkles, add them right after dipping the cookies into the glaze.
- Do not use flour when rolling out the cookies. It makes a mess and causes dry, tough cookies.
- Be sure to chill the dough for at least an hour so the cookies hold their shape and keep them from spreading too much.
- If the glaze is not swirly enough, use a toothpick or paintbrush to swirl it around.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Chocolate chips: When I want a chocolate fix, I add a cup of mini chocolate chips to the mixture, and these cookies taste similar to chocolate chip cookies, only better.
- Caramel sauce: Instead of glaze, my caramel sauce is easy to make and perfect for sandwich heart cookies.
- Different extract: Rather than flavoring the cookies with vanilla extract, I sometimes use strawberry, peppermint, or lemon extract for a distinct flavor.
- Add nuts: I like to add chopped nuts to make these adorable cookies crunchier. Walnuts, pecans, or peanuts are some that I like.
- Coconut topping: Another way to make these different is to sprinkle some coconut on top of the glaze while it is still wet. The texture is fantastic.
Serving suggestions:
My kids love these with my Valentine’s Day hot chocolate bombs. The creamy white chocolate sphere is filled with hot cocoa, candy, and marshmallows. In contrast, I am happy to dip them in some Baileys Affogato or a rich peanut butter hot chocolate.
For a Valentine’s Day feast, I like to serve this wine-roasted beef tenderloin with these delicious cookies for dessert. I also like to use them in fun ways, such as at bridal showers, decorating them with initials, and using them as seating cards!
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Leftover cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- Freezing: They can also be frozen for up to four months. I like to double-bag them to keep them from getting freezer burn.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor and texture.
Frequently asked questions
The most common reason for this is too much sugar or fat compared to flour. This will cause the cookies to spread too much during baking as the butter and sugar melt when heated. Other reasons could be overmixing the dough, not chilling it long enough before baking the cookies or baking them at a temperature that is too low. Be sure to chill the dough for at least an hour and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
One of the most common mistakes people make when baking is adding too much flour. It is essential to use the spoon and level method of measuring. First, sift the flour three times. Then, use a spoon to gently put the flour into a measuring cup until it is overfull before leveling it with the back of a knife. Do NOT scoop the flour with a measuring cup. This will always produce too much flour, which makes dry cookies every time.
Overmixing the dough will cause too much gluten to develop and lead to a brittle cookie that is prone to cracking. If the butter is too warm or soft, it can also cause the cookies to spread too much, which makes them crack. Rolling the cookie dough out too thin will also make the cookies too thin and fragile, causing them to be more likely to crack or break.
More recipes for Valentine’s Day:
Valentine’s Day Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Marble Glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- Gel food coloring: purple, red, pink
Instructions
Sugar Cookies:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Next, with the mixer on low speed, add flour gradually, and beat until fully combined.
- Roll the dough into two balls and press into thick disks. Wrap each dough disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Roll and Bake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover two baking cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cover a flat surface with WAXED paper (no flour). Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and using a rolling pin, form a flat rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Remove the top waxed paper, and use heart cookie cutters to cut different size heart cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leave 1 1/2 inches distance between them.
- Chill for about 10 minutes. This will help to maintain the shape while baking.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden on the sides.
- Let cookies cool completely.
Marble Glaze:
- In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and light corn syrup. Whisk until smooth. If the mixture is too dry, add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time.
- Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
- The glaze should be thick, and not run off the cookies, it is too thin add more powdered sugar.
- Divide glaze into four small bowls. Make the glaze in one bowl pink, in another red, in another purple, one bowl stays white.
- Transfer the colored icing into icing bags and make a small incision. Drizzle some of the colored icing into swirls on top of the white icing bowl, do not mix.
- Dip the surface of each cookie into the marbled glaze, place on a cooling rack, and let the glaze settle. If using sprinkles, add them immediately after dipping the cookies into the glaze.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.