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Slice and Bake Heart Cookies Recipe

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3.8 from 58 reviews

Slice and Bake Heart Cookies are charming sugar cookies featuring delicate heart shapes in pink and plain dough. This fun recipe uses a two-tone dough technique where colored heart shapes are embedded within a contrasting dough, then sliced and baked for a visually delightful and tasty treat perfect for celebrations like Valentine’s Day or anytime you want a sweet, decorative cookie.

Ingredients

Basic Dough

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Coloring

  • Red or pink food coloring (natural food coloring recommended)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This creates a creamy base to ensure tender cookies.
  2. Add Eggs: Mix in the eggs one at a time, combining just until fully incorporated after each addition to maintain a smooth, emulsified dough.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.
  4. Incorporate Dry into Wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches, mixing until dough forms. If the dough feels too wet, add an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour to reach the right consistency. Dough should be soft but not sticky.
  5. Divide and Color Dough: Remove approximately half to two-thirds of the dough and set aside. To the remaining dough, add several drops of red or pink food coloring, mixing until the color is uniform. Adjust color intensity as desired.
  6. Chill and Roll Colored Dough: Place the pink dough in the freezer for 5 minutes, then roll it into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Return it to the freezer for another 20 minutes to firm up, which ensures clean heart shapes when cutting.
  7. Cut Heart Shapes: Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter (about 1.5 inches across) to cut hearts from the chilled pink dough. Lightly moisten the back of each heart with a damp finger to help them stick together, then stack hearts into a log approximately 10 inches long. Freeze the log until solid, at least 30 minutes.
  8. Wrap Hearts with Plain Dough: Remove the heart log from the freezer. Press the plain, uncolored dough firmly around the log, filling gaps and smoothing into a solid, uniform log shape. Wrap the complete log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to firm up before baking.
  9. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
  10. Slice and Bake: Remove the chilled dough log from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until the bottoms are light golden brown.
  11. Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets before serving to ensure they set properly and maintain their shape.

Notes

  • Heart Cookie Cutter: A 1.5-inch cutter was used for small heart shapes; larger cutters can be employed for regular-sized cookies.
  • Vegan Adaptation: Substitute with vegan sugar cookie dough and follow the same shaping and baking process.
  • Chilling is Key: Chill the colored dough thoroughly to achieve well-defined heart shapes and freeze the assembled log to maintain structure when adding plain dough.
  • Handling Dough: Do not refrigerate the plain dough before wrapping hearts; it should remain soft and malleable for easy application and adhesion.
  • Storage: The dough can be frozen tightly wrapped for up to a few months. Thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing and baking.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/slice-and-bake-heart-cookies-recipe/