This may be a hot take but I do not like those little candy conversation hearts. At least, not the taste… The vibe is super cute! And I love the idea. So I decided to make a yummier version, using sugar cookies and royal icing! 💕
Using my all-time favourite no-spread sugar cookie recipe and some simple decorating techniques, these are a breeze to make (although slightly time consuming as there are so many pieces).
Sugar Cookie Recipe
I have discovered 3 key factors that make my sugar cookie recipe one of the best out there. First, is the chilling time. It only needs 1 hour in the fridge, after you’ve cut out your shapes. You can use that time to do other things! You can also leave them in there for longer, if you want to prep the dough the day before. This chilling time allows the butter to set up, so the cookies don’t spread in the oven and you get to keep the beautiful shapes that you cut out with the cutters.
This is especially important with this design, since the cookies are so small – they can easily turn into blobs if not chilled long enough!
Number two: vanilla bean paste! To avoid a bland cookie, you’ve gotta add flavourings, of course! Vanilla extract works great, but for next level deliciousness, try vanilla bean paste.
My last trick helps most with texture, and it is to roll the cookie dough thiiicck. Like, 1cm thick. This is more than most recipes call for, but trust me! This allows the cookies to stay soft and chewy when they bake, instead of becoming a crumbly, brittle little cookie.
Since the hearts are so little, it’s really important to keep the dough thick so that it’s still a nice chewy bite. And a thicker roll produces a chubby cookie that I think just adds to the cuteness!!
Decorating the Hearts
In order to be able to write on the cookies, you’ll need an icing that hardens. For this, we have to go with royal icing. So ignore the “easy icing” option in the recipe card below!
There are plenty of recipes available to make royal icing from scratch… But I do not have one. I use eggless royal icing mix that I get from Bulk Barn. You can also order on Amazon! All you have to do is add water, and whisk!
Once you’ve made your royal icing, you’ll want to separate it into 6 bowls to make the 6 icing colours. DON’T! 😂 I have a trick to save you time, and dishes. First, dip one sixth of your cookies in the white icing, before colouring any of it at all. Then, divide into just 3 bowls. Dye one yellow, one blue, and one pink. Dip one sixth of your cookies into each one of those colours. Then, mix half of the remaining blue with the remaining yellow icing. Mix the last bit of blue with the remaining pink icing. Now you have green and purple too! Not only does this minimize your dishes, but it also ensures the colour scheme is cohesive, as they all have the same base. Let the cookies fully dry before moving on to the next step.
For the writing, you can use royal icing in a piping bag with a small round tip. Since my writing is horrible, I opted for the easier option which is edible markers. The ones I use can be found on Amazon here: Edible Markers (12 pack). Choose whatever cutsie sayings you want – go with the classics, or get creative!! Just make sure to let the writing dry before handling, so it doesn’t smudge.
And that’s it! The perfect little Valentine’s Day treat.
Video
Here’s a short video showing the decorating process:
Happy baking!
Recipe
*NOTE: Reduce the bake time to 8-10 minutes for smaller cookies.
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup butter softened (170g)
- ¾ cup sugar (150g)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste I use Nielsen Massey
- 1 egg
- 2¼ cup flour plus extra, for rolling out dough (280g)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp milk or milk alternative
Easy Icing (Option 1)
- 2-3 cups icing sugar
- 3-5 tbsp milk or milk alternative
Royal Icing (Option 2)
- 1 bag Royal Icing Mix
- 80-100 mL water
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 3 minutes, until white and fluffy. This can also be done with a hand mixer.
- Add egg and vanilla bean paste, mixing until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix slowly (so the flour doesn't puff up) until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Sprinkle countertop with flour. Gather the dough into a ball and place on the counter. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough ball with flour.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to be 1cm thick (about the same as the width of your pinky).
- Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, and place onto parchment or silicone lined baking sheets. Don't worry about how far apart they are – we are not baking yet!
- Gather remaining dough scraps into a ball, adding in 1 tablespoon of milk. Knead by hand on the countertop until combined, then roll out and repeat!
- Once all of the dough is used up, cover cookie sheets with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to 2 days if fully sealed).
- Preheat oven to 350°. Re-arrange cookies on the cookie sheets so they are a few centimeters apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are golden.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
Easy Icing (Option 1)
- Whisk icing sugar and milk together to create a paste. Consistency is up to you! Add more icing sugar for a thicker icing, and more milk for a runnier icing. Add food colourings and brush on cookies with a pastry brush. Top with sprinkles if desired. Let cookies sit out for 2 hours to allow icing to dry before packing in air-tight containers.
Royal Icing (Option 2)
- Add bag of royal icing mix to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or to a bowl if using a hand mixer. The package recommends adding 56mL of water, but I find this is far too thick. Start with 80mL, mixing until combined. Check the consistency by pulling the whisk out of the bowl and watching the icing that runs off of it – it should form a line on top of the icing in the bowl, but disappear within a few seconds. Add more water and mix as required.
- Add food colourings and pipe onto cookies from a piping bag. Top with sprinkles if desired. Let cookies sit out for 2 hours to allow icing to dry before packing in air-tight containers.
