This delightful Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is a fun way to show your family you care! Perfect for kids and adults alike, these cookies are a quick and easy treat you’ll be making again and again. The best part is, you can switch up the colors and designs to suit any occasion or to just use whatever you have left in your pantry. So, whether you’re gearing up for a holiday, celebrating a loved one, or just want a sweet weekend baking project, these cookies are perfect!
Gather Your Ingredients
To whip up these adorable cookies, you’ll need a few key ingredients. Let’s break it down!
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
- Milk (for thinning icing)
- Food coloring (various colors)
- Sprinkles (optional)
Let’s Get Cooking!
Instructions
Now that you have all your ingredients laid out, let’s dive into the steps for making these beautiful Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts!
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). The countdown has begun, and your kitchen will soon smell amazing!
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. This step ensures that your dry ingredients are well blended before adding to your wet ingredients, making sure the cookies bake evenly.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. You want to aerate the mixture to get that light, airy texture!
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Just keep mixing until everything is thoroughly combined.
Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. You can do this in batches to keep your kitchen clean and avoid flour clouds!
Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough and roll them into balls. Place them onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving some space in between (they’ll spread!). Flatten each ball slightly for that classic cookie shape.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until they look a pretty golden brown on the edges. Trust me; they’ll smell irresistible while baking!
Let cool on wire racks. You’ll want them to cool completely before icing; otherwise, the icing will melt!
To make the icing, mix powdered sugar with enough milk until you achieve a smooth and spreadable consistency. You want it to be thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to spread easily over the cookies!
Divide the icing into separate bowls and color with food coloring. This is your moment to be creative!
Now for the fun part: Decorate the cooled cookies with colorful icing and sprinkle your favorite sprinkles on top.
And voilà, your Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts are ready to be devoured!
Why I Love This Recipe
This Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts recipe is my go-to recipe whenever I’m looking to whip something up that’s both fun and rewarding. They’ve become a sort of tradition in my house, especially around holidays and family gatherings. I’m a real sucker for treating my family to sweet little surprises, and these cookies fit that mold perfectly!
They’re not only adorable but also incredibly versatile, you can use whatever you have on hand! The best part is watching the kids get involved, from decorating to choosing colors, turning you into a messy (but happy!) baker!
If you loved this Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts recipe, be sure to check out my Linzer Strawberry Heart Cookies, my Strawberry Kiss Cookies, or my Valentine Ganache Cookies!
Why This Recipe Works
Customizable
The beauty of this cookie recipe lies in its customization! You can easily swap out food colors, create different shapes, or even mix in fun add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. This opens the door for every season or occasion, think pastel colors in spring and warm, vibrant hues in fall!
Family Favorite
These cookies are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Your family will love them, from the first bite to the last crumb. The combination of soft and chewy texture with that sweet icing creates an irresistible treat that everyone will ask for again.
Perfect for Any Occasion
Seriously, these Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts are perfect for everything from birthday parties to valentine’s treats. You can even use fun shapes and shades to match themes or holidays hearts for Valentine’s, leaves for fall, and bunny shapes for Easter!
Comfort Food
Baking cookies brings warmth to the heart! The wonderful smell of cookies wafting through your home is like a hug from the inside out. It’s amazing how something so simple can take you back to childhood memories, or even create new ones with your family.
Minimal Cleanup
Let’s face it, the last thing you want after baking is a huge mess. With this recipe, I love that it only involves a couple of bowls and one baking sheet for cookies! When the kids help clean up, you can rest easy knowing it was simple!
Serving and Storage Tips
How to Serve This Recipe
These Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts are best served fresh out of the oven or decorated and ready to enjoy. Pair them with a glass of cold milk, a hot cup of coffee, or serve them at your next gathering, they’ll be a hit!
Storage
You can keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to preserve their freshness for longer, consider refrigerating them for up to 2 weeks!
Reheating Instructions
To reheat your Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts, pop them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. They’ll become soft and chewy again, feeling just like fresh baked!
Freezer Friendly? Yes!
Absolutely! You can freeze your unbaked cookie dough for up to 3 months. Just scoop the dough into balls, flash freeze them on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to bake, just add a couple extra minutes to the baking time from frozen.
So, what are you waiting for? Gather your ingredients, get the family involved, and start making your Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts! Trust me, you’ll love this quick and easy recipe that creates not just cookies, but lovely memories as well! Happy baking! Follow us on Pinterest for daily baking inspiration that brings warmth to your table!
Painted Sugar Cookie Hearts
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy—about 3-5 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually blend in the dry ingredients in batches.
- Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough, roll into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets, flattening them slightly.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let cool on wire racks completely before icing.
- Mix powdered sugar with enough milk until you achieve a smooth and spreadable consistency.
- Divide the icing into bowls and color with food coloring.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with colorful icing and sprinkles.