Heart Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Icing

Valentine's Day heart cookies are here!!! Sugar cookies are the perfect cookie to decorate. Unfortunately, my piping skills are not the greatest, but I love great tasting icing with pazazz. Although, I must admit I love buttercream icing on my sugar cookies.

They have so many cute decorative sugars and small heart candies that it is hard to choose. So I purchased four or five containers only because I could not decide.

I also chose not to put the icing on the whole top of the cookie because I wanted to see part of the pink sugar cookie. But to be honest, it is easier to put the icing on the whole top.

Ingredients

I separated the ingredients, one for the sugar cookie and the other for the buttercream icing.

Heart Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup Butter unsalted 
• 1 cup Sugar white
• 2 drops Coloring gel pink
• 1 Egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups All-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon Baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Buttercream Icing

• 2 cups Powdered sugar
• ½ cup Butter unsalted 
• 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Milk whole or 2%

Making Valentine's Day Heart Cookies

This recipe is my favorite sugar cookie recipe and the easiest buttercream icing, and I hope you enjoy them!

Creating the Sugar Cookies

To prep, I weigh out the sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, salt, baking powder into a bowl and run a whisk through to blend.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand or hand-held mixer until light and fluffy. I do this for a good 2-3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla extract and then the egg. Next, add the coloring gel. Add the second drop if you want it as pink as mine. Remember that the dry ingredients have not been added yet, so it will decrease in the pink color just a little after the flour is added. Finally, add the flour mixture.

Place the cookie dough onto a pastry mat and bring it all together into a ball. Split the ball in half. Flatten them into two round flat disks and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Using a Heart Shape Cookie Cutter

Taking one of the disks, I break it in half and roll the cookie dough out on a floured pastry mat. You can use whatever size heart shape cookie cutter you like; the one pictured (de Buyer Cookie Cutters Set, Heart) here is 3-¾ inch measured at the middle down to the point at the bottom. Next, move the cut-out cookies to a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan.

Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 7-9 minutes. I leave them on the pan for a minute after taking them out of the oven. Next, move them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before making your icing.

Easy Buttercream Icing

Did I say easy? I did indeed...

Add your softened butter to a mixer bowl and beat it for a minute or two. You want it smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the powdered sugar. Start on a low speed!!! I say this from experience. 🙂 Once the powdered sugar is incorporated with the butter, gradually increase the mixer speed. Mix for a good 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the vanilla extract and the milk. Now, on a medium to medium-high mixer speed, beat till smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Finally, add icing to your heart-shaped sugar cookies and add any decorations you want on the top. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!