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Perfect Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

conversation heart sugar cookies - featured image
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These nostalgic conversation heart sugar cookies with silky royal icing are quick, easy, and perfect for Valentine’s Day treats. They combine a buttery sugar cookie base with smooth, glossy icing for a charming and delicious dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder + 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vanilla extract
  • Gel food coloring in pink, red, and white
  • Optional: edible markers for writing sweet messages
  • Optional: colored sanding sugar for extra sparkle

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar: beat softened butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add egg and vanilla: beat in egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: gradually add flour mixture alternating with milk; mix on low speed until just combined.
  5. Chill dough: form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll and cut: roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on lightly floured surface; cut shapes with conversation heart cookie cutter and transfer to baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 8–10 minutes until edges start to turn golden; centers will be slightly soft.
  9. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Prepare royal icing: beat powdered sugar with egg whites (or meringue powder mixture) and lemon juice or vanilla until glossy stiff peaks form, about 7–10 minutes; tint with gel food coloring.
  11. Decorate: outline cookies with thicker icing, flood centers with thinner icing; let base dry before adding messages; allow icing to dry fully (4-6 hours or overnight) before stacking or packaging.

Notes

[‘Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading and maintain shape.’, ‘Use room temperature ingredients for better creaming and lighter cookies.’, ‘Roll dough evenly to ¼ inch thickness for uniform baking.’, ‘Adjust royal icing consistency for outlining (thicker) and flooding (thinner).’, ‘Practice piping on parchment paper before decorating cookies.’, ‘Use meringue powder instead of raw egg whites for safer royal icing.’, ‘Cookies keep well for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.’, ‘Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months; decorated cookies freeze best after icing fully dries.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, conversation heart cookies, royal icing, Valentine's Day treats, easy sugar cookies, homemade cookies, festive cookies

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