Description
Heartwarming slice and bake heart cookies bring sweet romance to kitchen celebrations. Delicate shortbread dough rolls into perfect heart shapes, creating charming treats you’ll adore sharing with loved ones.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 12 tsps red or pink food coloring
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ of the vanilla dough
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then incorporate egg and vanilla extract, mixing until completely blended.
- Color Formation: Segment a portion of vanilla dough and thoroughly knead in food coloring, ensuring even color distribution throughout the dough.
- Heart Log Crafting: Shape the colored dough into a precise heart-shaped log, using a ruler or spatula to define clean edges. Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze to set structural integrity.
- Dough Encasement: Roll remaining vanilla dough into a thin rectangle and carefully envelop the colored heart log, pressing gently to create a seamless exterior.
- Log Refinement: Smooth the combined dough log on a flat surface to achieve a uniform cylindrical shape. Wrap securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate to stabilize.
- Baking Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove chilled dough log and slice into uniform rounds using a sharp knife.
- Cookie Placement and Baking: Arrange cookie slices on prepared sheets with adequate spacing. Bake until edges turn golden brown, approximately 10-12 minutes. Cool briefly on baking sheet to set structure.
- Final Cooling and Decoration: Transfer cookies to a wire rack for complete cooling. Optionally embellish with chocolate drizzle or decorative sanding sugar for added visual and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Ensure butter is softened but not melted for perfect dough consistency, preventing tough cookies.
- Chill for Precision: Refrigerate dough log for at least 2 hours to maintain sharp heart shape and prevent spreading during baking.
- Slice with Sharp Technique: Use an ultra-thin, razor-sharp knife and clean blade between cuts to create clean, uniform cookie edges.
- Color Intensity Control: Add food coloring gradually, kneading thoroughly to achieve vibrant, even color without compromising dough texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour chilling)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 0.1g
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg