I first made these love heart shaped cookies on a rainy afternoon with my niece. We wanted something simple, pretty, and quick to put in little gift bags — and this recipe delivered. These are shortbread-like cookies with a vanilla base and pretty pink-to-red hearts pressed into the dough, so they look impressive without requiring royal icing or piping skills.
Why you’ll love this dish
This recipe is perfect when you want decorative cookies without the fuss. The finished cookies look like a mosaic of tiny hearts set into a neutral base, which makes them great for Valentine’s Day, anniversary treats, bake sales, or classroom gifts. They’re also forgiving: the dough is sturdy, easy to roll, and holds shape well with just a brief chill.
“They looked like bakery cookies but took under an hour of active time. Kid-friendly, beautiful, and not too sweet.” — A quick review from my niece after our first batch.
What makes these cookies especially useful:
- Low ingredient count — pantry staples, plus gel coloring.
- No complicated icing or piping required.
- Buildable: make them pink for baby showers or deep red for a dramatic gift.
How this recipe comes together
A quick step-by-step before you bake so you know what to expect:
- Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla; add the egg.
- Fold in dry ingredients to form a smooth dough.
- Divide dough into three; tint two portions pink/red.
- Chill until firm, then roll each color out.
- Cut many small hearts from the pinks and arrange them on the uncolored dough in a mosaic.
- Press lightly, then cut large heart cookies from the assembled sheet.
- Freeze briefly, bake 7–8 minutes, and cool.
This overview helps you pace your work: most of the time is chilling. Active hands-on time is mainly mixing, cutting, and assembly.
What you’ll need
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1½ cups all‑purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red gel food coloring
Notes and small substitutions:
- Butter: use unsalted for consistent control of salt. If using salted butter, omit the extra ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Egg: helps bind and slightly lift the cookie. For an egg-free swap, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, chilled 10 minutes.
- Gel coloring is recommended for vivid pinks without changing dough consistency. Liquid food coloring will work but may require extra chill time.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) only when you’re about 15 minutes from baking. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone mat.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat ½ cup room-temperature butter, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until light and creamy.
- Add the egg: Beat in 1 large room-temperature egg until combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add 1½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Stop once homogeneous — avoid overmixing.
- Divide the dough: Split the dough into three portions. Leave one portion uncolored.
- Color the dough: Add a few drops of red gel to portion two and knead to a soft pink. Add more gel to the third portion to make a brighter red or dark pink.
- Chill: Flatten each portion, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight or freeze for about 3 hours until firm.
- Roll out base: Roll the uncolored dough between two sheets of parchment lightly dusted with flour to about 1/4 inch thickness. Transfer the rolled sheet to a work surface.
- Roll colored doughs: Roll the pink and red portions to the same thickness between parchment sheets.
- Cut small hearts: Use a small heart cutter to cut many little hearts from the pink and red doughs.
- Arrange the mosaic: Place the small pink and red hearts onto the uncolored dough in a pattern you like. Alternate colors and pack them close but not overlapping.
- Press gently: Cover with parchment and run a rolling pin over the surface once or twice to press the hearts in. Don’t roll too hard or the shapes will distort.
- Cut large hearts: Use a large heart cutter to cut the assembled dough into cookies. Transfer each to the prepared baking sheet.
- Chill before baking: Place the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 7–8 minutes. Edges should be set but not browned.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Best ways to enjoy it
- Serve with a cup of tea, café latte, or hot chocolate for a cozy afternoon treat.
- Package a stack of three in cellophane with a ribbon for easy gift-giving.
- For parties, arrange cookies on a doily-lined platter alternating sizes and colors.
- Pair with a simple buttercream or raspberry jam sandwiched between two cookies for an elevated look.
How to store & freeze
- Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Refrigeration: Not necessary and can dry them out; only refrigerate if your kitchen is very warm — bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze unbaked cookie dough discs tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling. Baked cookies freeze well in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Food safety: Cool cookies completely before sealing to avoid condensation and sogginess.
Pro chef tips
- Use gel food coloring: It gives vibrant hues without extra moisture that can change dough texture.
- Keep dough cold: If the small hearts get soft while you work, pop them back in the fridge for 10–15 minutes. Cold dough cuts cleaner.
- Uniform thickness: Roll all three doughs to the same 1/4 inch thickness so the hearts sit flush in the base dough.
- Avoid overbaking: These are best just set at the edges. They finish firming up as they cool.
- Use parchment + gentle presses: Place a sheet of parchment over the mosaic and roll once—this avoids tearing or distorting the small hearts.
Creative twists
- Chocolate base: Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder for a chocolate base that makes the colored hearts pop.
- Pattern swaps: Instead of small hearts, use tiny stars or circles for a different mosaic effect.
- Flavored dough: Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in place of half the vanilla for a subtle nutty note.
- Mini sandwich cookies: Bake slightly smaller hearts and sandwich with raspberry jam or chocolate ganache.
- Vegan version: Swap butter for a firm vegan butter and use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water). Texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
FAQ
Q: How long does this recipe take from start to finish?
A: Active time is about 30–40 minutes (mixing, rolling, cutting). Most of the time is chilling: plan for at least 3 hours in the freezer or overnight in the fridge. Baking is quick — 7–8 minutes per sheet.
Q: Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel?
A: You can, but liquid colors add moisture and may soften the dough. If using liquid, use only a drop at a time and chill the colored dough well before cutting.
Q: Will the colors bleed while baking?
A: Properly gel-colored and chilled dough usually keeps colors in place. To minimize bleeding, avoid overlapping colored pieces and chill the assembled sheet briefly before baking.
Q: How many cookies does this make?
A: Yield depends on your large cutter. With a medium-large heart cutter (about 3 inches), expect roughly 8–12 cookies.
Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: Yes. Work in batches for rolling and cutting. Keep extra dough chilled and wrapped to maintain firmness.
Conclusion
If you want more inspiration for different heart-cookie techniques and decorating ideas, check out this detailed tutorial from Heart Shaped Cookies – Sugar Geek Show. For a variation that uses chocolate chips in a heart shape, see this easy approach at Easy Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bake & Bacon.
Love Heart Shaped Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies Base
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature Use unsalted for consistent control of salt.
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature For an egg-free version, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water.
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt Omit if using salted butter.
Coloring
- Red gel food coloring Use gel coloring for vivid results without altering dough consistency.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) about 15 minutes before baking. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy.
- Beat in the egg until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir until a smooth dough forms without overmixing.
- Divide the dough into three portions: leave one uncolored and color the other two with red gel.
- Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or freeze for about 3 hours until firm.
Assembly and Baking
- Roll out the uncolored dough to about 1/4 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment dusted with flour.
- Roll the colored dough portions to the same thickness.
- Cut small hearts from the pink and red dough.
- Arrange the small hearts on the uncolored dough in a compact mosaic pattern, pressing gently.
- Use a large heart cutter to cut out cookies from the assembled dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
- Chill the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the shapes before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 7–8 minutes until the edges are set but not browned.
- Let cookies cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
