Iced Sugar Cookie Hearts are bite-sized love. Share your love and caring with these sweet, crunchy treats.
About this recipe
By the time you read this post, Valentine’s Day will be over, but I am still posting heart shaped goodies. Why?
Because, The Monday Box is all about sharing home baked love all the time. I believe that all year is a good time to tell those we love just how much they mean to us.
You should say it frequently with words and actions. You can sweeten the love with cookies. Iced Sugar Cookie Hearts can be bite-sized love messengers.
This is a very versatile cookie dough. It is super easy to work with and is full of lovely vanilla flavor. Though I used tiny 1 teaspoon portions for my heart mold, this dough could be used many ways.
I made these cookies with vanilla extract in the dough, but I used Fiori di Sicilia flavoring in the icing. Fiori di Sicilia is a citrus/vanilla flavoring traditionally used when baking panettonne, an Italian Christmas bread.
I love the flavor, but you have to be careful to use only a tiny bit. It is strong!
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If too much is added, there will be a bitter aftertaste to the icing. I recommend starting with ¼ teaspoon, tasting the icing, then, if need, adding additional flavoring in ⅛ teaspoon increments.
Directions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar . Then beat in the eggs, vanilla, flour, and baking powder.
- Place silicone molds on a baking sheet. Press dough into each mold cavity ½-¾ full.
- Bake 12-14 minutes (depending on the cookie size and thickness). Allow to cool before unmolding.
- Make the icing in the bowl of an electric mixer, combining the confectioner’s sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla (or Fiori di Sicilia) and food coloring. Mix until smooth.
- Place the cookies on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
- Hold each cookie over the bowl of icing and spoon icing over the cookie to coat.
- Sprinkle with edible glitter and add sprinkle hearts.
Tips
- To use this dough in any shape of silicone mold: Fill each mold cavity ½ -¾ full. The dough does rise a bit while baking. Adust the timing for the size and thickness of the mold.
- To use this dough for scooped cookies covered in sugar or sprinkles: Scoop portions of dough. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each dough ball in decorating sugar or sprinkles. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- To roll out this dough to use with cookie cutters: Chill dough after mixing for at least 1 hour. Roll out chilled dough between sheets of parchment paper to about ¼”. Use cookie cutters. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- To freeze the dough: Cover completely in plastic wrap and freeze until needed, for up to 1 month.
My heart shaped silicone mold has earned its coveted spot in my baking cabinet. So many adorable mini-heart possibilities!
In addition to these Iced Sugar Cookie Hearts, I used the mold this week to make Chocolate Marshmallow Hearts and Honey Sesame Brittle. All three recipes for little heart sweets help share love in every bite.
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Iced Sugar Cookie Hearts
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
Icing
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ - ½ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
Decorating
- edible glitter
- small heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
- Gradually mix in flour and baking powder, just until combined.
- Place the heart silicone mold on a cookie sheet. Press 1 teaspoon of sugar cookie dough into each mold cavity. (Any mold can be used with this recipe by adapting the amount of dough used. Fill each cavity ½-¾ full, as the dough does rise slightly in the oven.)
- Place the baking sheet with filled molds in the oven for 12-14 minutes (depending on the cookie size and thickness).
- Remove from the oven and leave the molds cooling for a few minutes before unmolding the cookies.
- Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- TO MAKE ICING: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the confectioner’s sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla (or Fiori di Sicilia) and food coloring. Mix until smooth.
- TO ICE THE COOKIES: Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Set a cookie on to a fork and hold over the bowl of icing. Spoon icing over the cookie to coat. Tap the fork gently against the bowl to remove excess icing from the cookie.
- Use the tip of a knife or toothpick to gently move the iced cookie off the fork and onto the prepared baking sheet.
- After icing about 4-6 cookies, while icing is still wet, sprinkle with edible glitter and add sprinkle hearts.
- When all cookies are iced and decorated, allow icing to harden for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- To use this dough in any shape of silicone mold: Fill each mold cavity ½ -¾ full. The dough does rise a bit while baking. Adust the timing for the size and thickness of the mold.
- To use this dough for scooped cookies covered in sugar or sprinkles: Scoop portions of dough. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each dough ball in decorating sugar or sprinkles. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- To roll out this dough to use with cookie cutters: Chill dough after mixing for at least 1 hour. Roll out chilled dough between sheets of parchment paper to about ¼”. Use cookie cutters. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- To freeze the dough: Cover completely in plastic wrap and freeze until needed, for up to 1 month.
- Be sure to allow the icing to harden completely. Overnight drying is recommended.
- Once the icing is set, cookies can be packed in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag.
- For a pretty presentation, place the little hearts in a mini cupcake liner and nestle snugly in a storage container. Add crinkled wax paper between the cookies and the lid to ensure that there is no movement during shipping.
Frances
Can these cookies also be coated with melted chocolate?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Frances. I think these little hearts would be both beautiful and delicious coated with melted chocolate. My one word of caution would be that unless you plan to serve the cookies the same day, coating chocolate needs to be either tempered chocolate or chocolate discs sold as melting chocolate so that the coating will stay looking beautiful. Something like melted chocolate chips will get white and spotted (from the cocoa butter rising to the surface) in as little as one day.
Jenny
Your sweet treat is perfect to treat your loved ones with on Valentine's Day. I'll be featuring it tonight at Merry Monday. Hope to see you at the party!
Calypso in the Country
These look amazing! Thanks for linking up to Best of the Weekend. You were one of my features this week! Have a great weekend!
Shelley
saltandserenity
I just ordered those heart-shaped molds. but they arrived too late for my Valentines day post. Thanks for reminding me that hearts should be used and celebrated all year long.
These cookies are very sweet.
The Monday Box
I know you will be doing all kinds of amazing things with your heart molds, Cindy! Hopefully, you will share your creations. I can't wait to see what you dream up!
Chris Scheuer
These are so pretty and fun Wendy! And I think Valentine's Day should be every day!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Chris! I agree! Every day is an opportunity to celebrate the love in our lives. 🙂