Valentine's Day Cookies

I'm so excited to share my recipe for Valentine's Day cookies with you! These heart-shaped sugar cookies have become one of our favorite traditions in our Manhattan apartment. Last year, Sarah asked if we could make them together, and honestly, I wasn't sure how the decorating would go with a kid helping. But here's the thing – they turned out absolutely beautiful, and we had the best time making them.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love These Valentine's Day Cookies
• Ingredients for Valentine's Day Cookies
• How to Make Valentine's Day Cookies
• Storage and Keeping Your Valentine's Day Cookies Fresh
• Tips for Perfect Valentine's Day Cookies
• Valentine's Day Cookie FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts on Making Valentine's Day Cookies
• Valentine's Day Cookies

These cookies look just like those conversation heart candies you see everywhere in February, except they taste way better and you get to write your own messages. Alex loves reading what we write on them, and Donald always sneaks one (or three) before they even make it to the Valentine's Day party.

What makes these special is that they're surprisingly simple to make. The dough comes together quickly, and while the decorating takes some time, it's actually really fun. Plus, you can make them days ahead, which is perfect when you're juggling everything else life throws at you.

If you're looking for another sweet treat to make this season, you might want to check out my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – they're always a hit with my family too.

Why You Will Love These Valentine's Day Cookies

• Simple ingredients – You probably have most of these in your pantry right now
• Make ahead friendly – Perfect for busy parents who need to prep in advance
• Fun to decorate – Sarah and I tested different messages and colors together
• Buttery and delicious – These aren't just pretty, they taste amazing
• Customizable – Write any message you want on them
• Freeze beautifully – Make a big batch and save some for later

Ingredients for Valentine's Day Cookies

For the Sugar Cookies

• 2 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (this makes them taste so much better)

For the Royal Icing

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons meringue powder
• 9-10 tablespoons room temperature water
• Gel food coloring (pink, violet, green, yellow, orange, and red)

How to Make Valentine's Day Cookies

Preparing the Cookie Dough

Start by whisking together your flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this aside for now.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until it's completely smooth and creamy. This takes about 3 minutes with my hand mixer. The mixture should look light and fluffy.

Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat everything on high speed for about a minute until well combined. I always scrape down the sides of the bowl here to make sure nothing gets left behind.

Now add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will feel a bit soft, and that's exactly what you want.

Chilling the Dough

Here's where a lot of people skip steps, but please don't. Divide your dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper.

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each piece out to about ¼-inch thickness. I learned this trick from my mom when I was a teenager – if the dough feels sticky, just add a bit more flour.

Lightly dust one rolled-out piece with flour, then place a piece of parchment on top. Stack the second rolled-out piece on top of that. Cover everything with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually do this step the night before.

Cutting and Baking

Once your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Remove the top piece of dough from the fridge. If it's sticking to the bottom piece, just run your hand underneath to help separate them.

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. I use a 3.5-inch cutter, but any size works. Re-roll the scraps and keep cutting until you've used all the dough. You'll get way more cookies than you think from those scraps.

Place cookies on your prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. They don't spread much, but you want to give them some room.

Bake for 11-12 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This is important – you cannot decorate warm cookies.

Making the Royal Icing

Combine your sifted confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and 9 tablespoons of water in a large bowl. Beat everything together on high speed for about 2 minutes.

Here's how you know the consistency is right – when you lift the whisk, the icing should drizzle down and smooth out within 5-10 seconds. Too thick? Add more water, one tablespoon at a time. I usually need 10 tablespoons total.

Decorating the Cookies

Divide your icing into 6 bowls. Add one tiny drop of color to 5 bowls – pink, violet, green, yellow, and orange. These should be pastel colors, not bright.

For the sixth bowl (the writing icing), add 2-3 drops of red. Cover this with a damp paper towel since you won't use it for a couple hours.

Spoon the pastel icings into piping bags fitted with a round tip #4. Pipe a border around each cookie edge, then fill it in. The icing will smooth itself out.

Let these dry for at least 2 hours. I usually let them sit uncovered on the counter. Sarah always wants to write on them immediately, but we have to wait.

Once the base icing is set, use the red icing with a #2 tip to write your messages. Some of our favorites are "Be Mine," "XOXO," "Sweet," and "Love You."

The writing will set in 2-3 hours. Then they're ready to eat or package up.

Storage and Keeping Your Valentine's Day Cookies Fresh

These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I stack them between layers of parchment paper so the icing doesn't stick together.

If you want to keep them longer, they'll last in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Just bring them back to room temperature before serving.

You can also freeze these cookies for up to 3 months. Wait until the icing is completely set, then layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature when you're ready to enjoy them.

Tips for Perfect Valentine's Day Cookies

Don't skip the chilling step. I know it seems like extra work, but it makes cutting the cookies so much easier. The first time I tried to skip this, my cookies spread everywhere and lost their heart shape.

Keep your work surface well floured. The dough is soft, and it can stick. I learned this the hard way when half my first batch stuck to my counter.

Use gel food coloring, not liquid. Liquid coloring can throw off the consistency of your royal icing. Gel is much more concentrated and works better.

Let the base icing fully set before writing. If you write too soon, the colors will bleed together. Trust me on this – I've ruined more than one batch by being impatient.

Make extra cookies. Some will break, some won't look perfect, and some will mysteriously disappear before you can decorate them. Alex is usually the culprit in our house.

Room temperature ingredients matter. Cold butter won't cream properly, and cold eggs won't mix in smoothly. Take everything out of the fridge about an hour before you start.

Valentine's Day Cookie FAQs

Can I Make Valentine's Day Cookies Ahead of Time and Store Them Before Decorating?

Yes, and I actually recommend it! You can make the plain cookies up to 3 days ahead. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature. I usually bake mine on a Saturday, then decorate on Sunday when I have more time.

You can also freeze the baked cookies (undecorated) for up to 3 months. Let them thaw completely at room temperature before decorating. This is perfect if you want to get really ahead of the holiday rush.

The cookie dough itself can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If you freeze it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and cutting.

Why Does Sugar Cookie Dough Need to Be Chilled Before Baking?

Chilling the dough does a few important things. First, it makes the dough much easier to handle and cut. Room temperature dough is sticky and soft, which makes it really hard to get clean shapes.

Second, chilling helps the cookies keep their shape while baking. When you put cold dough in a hot oven, the butter doesn't melt as quickly, so your cookies don't spread as much. Your hearts will actually look like hearts, not weird blobs.

The cold dough also gives you cleaner edges when you cut the shapes. I've tested this both ways, and the chilled dough makes such a difference in how professional the final cookies look.

Plus, chilling lets the flour fully absorb the moisture, which creates a better texture. The cookies come out more tender and have that perfect bite.

How Do I Know When Valentine's Day Cookies Are Done Baking Without Overbaking?

Watch the edges, not the centers. The edges should be lightly golden brown, while the centers might still look a bit pale. That's exactly what you want.

These cookies will continue baking a bit on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven. If you wait until the centers are completely done, you'll end up with overbaked, hard cookies.

I set my timer for 11 minutes, then check them. If the edges aren't quite golden yet, I give them another minute. Every oven is different, so you might need to adjust the time slightly.

The cookies should look set but not browned all over. They'll feel soft when you first take them out, but they'll firm up as they cool. Don't worry if they seem a bit underdone – they're probably perfect.

How Long Does Royal Icing Take to Set on Decorated Valentine's Day Cookies?

The base coat of icing takes about 2 hours to set enough that you can write on it without the colors bleeding together. I usually decorate in the morning, then write the messages in the afternoon.

For the icing to fully harden and be safe to stack or package, give it at least 4-6 hours. I prefer to let mine sit overnight to be completely sure they're dry.

The humidity in your kitchen can affect drying time. On humid days in our Manhattan apartment (especially in summer, though these are winter cookies), icing takes longer to set. On dry winter days, it sets faster.

You'll know the icing is set when it feels completely dry to a gentle touch and doesn't leave any residue on your finger. The surface should have a slight sheen but shouldn't feel tacky at all.

Recipes You May Like

• Sugar Cookie Balls with Festive Sprinkles – Another fun cookie that's perfect for holidays and celebrations
• Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing – These are so pretty and taste amazing
• Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies – A delicious option if you want something a bit different

Final Thoughts on Making Valentine's Day Cookies

These Valentine's Day cookies have become such a special tradition in our family. Sarah looks forward to making them every year, and I love how they turn out looking so professional even though they're really quite simple to make.

The best part is watching the kids' faces light up when they see the finished cookies. Whether you're making them for a school party, as gifts for friends, or just for fun at home, they're always a hit.

Don't stress about making them perfect. Some of our favorite cookies are the ones where the icing wasn't completely smooth or the writing got a bit wobbly. They still taste delicious, and honestly, the imperfect ones have the most character.

Give these a try this Valentine's Day! Your family will love them, and you might start a new tradition just like we did. Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again next year when it's time to make another batch.

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