These Slice and Bake Heart Cookies are a fun and festive way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any special occasion! With a simple buttery sugar cookie dough, you can create cute pink or red hearts inside every slice—no cookie cutters needed!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔ Easy Slice & Bake Method – No rolling or cutting required!
✔ Buttery & Delicious – A soft sugar cookie with a slight crunch.
✔ Perfect for Gifting – Beautiful and fun to make!
✔ Customizable – Change the colors for any occasion.
Ingredients (Makes 24-30 cookies)
For the Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
For the Heart Dough:
- Pink or red gel food coloring
How to Make Slice and Bake Heart Cookies
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a dough forms.
Step 2: Create the Heart Shape
- Take ⅓ of the dough and color it with pink or red gel food coloring.
- Roll out the colored dough to ½-inch thickness.
- Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts.
- Stack the hearts on top of each other, forming a log.
- Freeze the heart log for 20-30 minutes to keep its shape.
Step 3: Wrap with Plain Dough
- Roll the remaining plain dough into strips.
- Press the plain dough around the heart log until fully covered.
- Roll the entire log gently to smooth it out.
Step 4: Slice & Bake
- Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into ¼-inch thick rounds and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Tips for Perfect Heart Cookies
???? For Neat Hearts – Freeze the heart log before wrapping with plain dough.
???? Change the Colors – Use different gel colors for other holidays!
???? Dip in Chocolate – Add a layer of melted chocolate for extra indulgence.
???? Make Ahead – Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
Make-Ahead & Storage
???? Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
???? Freezing: Freeze the unbaked dough log for up to 3 months. Slice and bake straight from the freezer!
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