Classic Conversation Heart Cookies
These nostalgic buttery sugar cookies feature soft pastel vintage messages, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any sweet occasion. They offer a tender crumb and melt-in-your-mouth softness with customizable decorations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5 tablespoons water
- Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, purple, green, yellow, blue)
- Edible food markers or piping bags with fine tips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until dough starts coming together. Avoid overmixing.
- Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness.
- Cut out heart shapes with cookie cutter and place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden. Avoid browning or crisping edges.
- Cool cookies completely on wire racks before decorating.
- For royal icing, mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Divide and tint icing with pastel gel colors.
- Spread a thin layer of colored icing on each cookie and let dry slightly.
- Write vintage messages using edible food markers or fine piping tips.
- Let decorated cookies dry overnight for best results.
Notes
Chill dough for at least 1 hour to ensure easier rolling and better cookie shape. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness for soft, chewy cookies. Let icing dry before writing messages to avoid smudging. Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (2-inch siz
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Protein: 1
Keywords: conversation heart cookies, sugar cookies, vintage cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies, royal icing, edible messages, nostalgic treats