Little Heart Cookies are a pleasant treat to the eyes. These heart-shaped cookies are the perfect gift for the people you love. It perfectly captures the essence of Valentine’s Day with its signature heart shape, buttered layers, and the crisp that melts in your mouth. Little Heart Cookies is a classic, homemade dish that celebrates love and friendship, winning hearts with its crunchy bite.
This cookie is made with basic ingredients like flour, butter and sugar. It can be customized with chocolate ganache and sprinklers for a visual treat. You can serve them for tea parties or pack them in a gift box for your loved ones. It is not only treat for the eyes but also tastes delicious.
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About Little Heart Cookies
Little heart cookies are rich in flavor, a visual treat to the eyes, soft, and melt in the mouth. It is popular across generations for its simple charm, making it a favorite gifting option for festive occasions like Valentine’s Day.
This recipe happened in my kitchen by chance. The little heart cookies recipe had lingered in my mind for a long time but never got the chance to experiment with it until I found a heart-shaped mold in her clay box. It felt like the universe sending me signals to try out something new and different.
I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed the ingredients. I had to wait for the butter and eggs to come to room temperature. Meantime, I cleaned the mold in warm water. Then, I whisked everything together, step by step, just as the recipe card mentioned. A smooth dough was formed and I let it rest in the fridge for almost 30 minutes.
I carefully rolled and cut the dough using the mold and placed the little heart cookies on the butter paper. I baked them until I saw the edges were turning lightly golden. Watching them bake and holding their shape was a feeling of victory.
Little Heart Cookies Ingredients
- Maida – It is the key ingredient of this recipe. I have used homemade maida for this recipe. You can use store-bought ones. It is also called all-purpose flour.
- Icing sugar – I powdered sugar at home. You can buy icing sugar from the store.
- Baking Powder – this will give the cookies a gentle rise and serve texture goals.
- Egg – Protein element of the recipe. It binds everything together and adds moisture to the cookies.
- Unsalted butter – This keeps the cookies soft and crunchy at the same time. It adds richness and flavour.
- Vanilla essence – its aroma to the cookies and covers up the raw smell of egg.
- Pink food colour – For the pink colour cookies.
Why this recipe works?
- Easy to follow recipe.
- Minimal prep time.
- No fancy equipment is required.
- Kids-friendly and family-approved.
- Perfect for any occasion.
- Used basic pantry ingredients.
- Can be customized with food colors and essence.
Similar Recipes
- Shortbread Cookies
- Almond Shortbread
- Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Linzer Cookies
How to make Little Heart Cookies Step by Step
1.Take icing sugar and butter in a bowl, whisk it well until creamy, Set aside. Use butter at room temperature, I had to wait for sometime as my butter was straight out from the fridge then whisk it. To another bowl, take an egg.
2.Using a electric beater or hand whisk beat till frothy. Cool down completely then add the egg mixture to cream butter and whisk it well.
3.In another bowl take flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and whisk it well, You can sieve it once for even mixing. Now separate egg butter mixture into 2 bowls. In one bowl add pink food color and essence.
4.Whisk it well. Then add half of maida and gather to form a smooth dough.
5.In another bowl containing egg butter sugar mixture, add vanilla essence and remaining flour, mix well and gather to form a smooth dough.
6.Cling wrap them separately and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Now take out, unwrap the cling film and start rolling. Lay a butter paper underneath then roll over it. Cut with desired cookie cutter, now see who is helping me. While are almost done with cutting the cookies, Preheat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes.
7.Lay butter paper in the baking tray. Carefully place the cookies on it. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg C for 12-15 minutes but not more than that. Turn over to check it , if its golden brown then the cookies are baked. Cool on wire rack and then store it.
8.While the first batch is baking you can cut for the vanilla cookies for the second batch. I made some vanilla cookies and use both the leftovers, mixed them together to form marbled effect and cut out few marble cookies too.
9.Bake the cookies at 180 deg C for 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Cool on wire rack then store in airtight container.
Enjoy the cookies!
Expert Tips
- Butter and eggs to room temperature – this is important, and helps to blend ingredients smoothly. It gives a softer and even dough.
- Refrigerate the dough – It is easier to handle the dough when refrigerated. Cookies hold better shape while baking.
- Dust flour lightly – If your cutter or mold sticks to the dough, dust a little dry flour to the mold. It will give you clean edges.
- No overworking – Mix the ingredients till they are combined. Over-mixing can make the cookies hard.
- Use butter paper/parchment paper – This keeps the cookies from sticking to the tray. And cleaning up is also made easy.
- Watch out – These cookies bake quickly. Keep an eye on them and remove them as the edges turn golden.
- Hot cookies are soft – You might notice the cookies are soft when you remove the tray. Let it cool down completely. They will harden by themselves.
- Cool the cookies – You can store them in an airtight container. Allow them to cool down by themselves.
Serving and Storage
You can serve these cookies with a hot cup of tea, coffee, or masala milk. These are the best homemade goodies for kids and kitty parties. You can drizzle some icing sugar and chocolate ganache and finish it with sprinklers.
Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 6-7 days. Keep a piece of parchment paper for freshness. Avoid storing them in the fridge. They will turn soggy. You can store the leftover dough in the fridge for 2 days and in the freezer for a month. Let the dough come to room temperature before rolling and cutting cookies.
FAQS
1.Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can. You can store the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you wish, you can even freeze it for a month. Let it come to room temperature before rolling and cutting.
2.What if I don’t have a heart-shaped cutter or mold?
No worries! You can use any shaped cookie cutter or even roll out shapes with your hands.
3.Why did my cookies spread too much?
This happens when the dough isn’t chilled properly or the butter is too soft. Ensure you chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before cutting and baking.
4.Can I make these cookies without vanilla essence?
Yes, you can. Vanilla adds an aroma to the cookies. If you don’t like the flavour, you can replace it with any other essence for a change or a pinch of cardamom powder.
5.How do I know the cookies are done?
You need to keep a watch while they are baking. As the edges start turning light golden and the top looks perfect, they are done. Don’t wait to brown them up or you may end up with chewy and hard cookies.
If you have any more questions about this Little Heart Cookies Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Little Heart Cookies Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Little Heart Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup maida
- 1/2 heaped cup icing sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 50 grams unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 drops pink food color
Instructions
- Take icing sugar and butter in a bowl, whisk it well until creamy, set aside.
- Use butter at room temperature, I had to wait for sometime as my butter was straight out from the fridge then whisk it.
- In another bowl, take an egg. Using a electric beater or hand whisk beat till frothy. Cool down completely then add the egg mixture to cream butter and whisk it well.
- In another bowl take flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and whisk it well, You can sieve it once for even mixing.
- Now separate egg butter mixture into 2 bowls. In one bowl add pink food color and essence. Whisk it well.
- Then add half of maida and gather to form a smooth dough.
- In another bowl containing egg butter sugar mixture, add vanilla essence and remaining flour, mix well and gather to form a smooth dough.
- Cling wrap them separately and put it in the fridge for at least 30mins.
- Now take out, unwrap the cling film and start rolling.
- Lay a butter paper underneath then roll over it. Cut with desired cookie cutter.
- While almost done with cutting the cookies, Preheat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes.
- Lay butter paper in the baking tray. Carefully place the cookies on it.
- Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg C for 12-15 minutes but not more than that.
- Turn over to check it , if its golden brown then the cookies are baked.
- Cool on wire rack and then store it.
- While the first batch is baking you can cut for the vanilla cookies for the second batch. I made some vanilla cookies and use both the leftovers, mixed them together to form marbled effect and cut out few marble cookies too.
- Bake the cookies at 180 deg C for 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
- Cool on wire rack then store in airtight container.
- Serve Little Heart Cookies warm with a glass of milk or as a tea time snack.
Notes
- Butter and eggs to room temperature – this is important, and helps to blend ingredients smoothly. It gives a softer and even dough.
- Refrigerate the dough – It is easier to handle the dough when refrigerated. Cookies hold better shape while baking.
- Dust flour lightly – If your cutter or mold sticks to the dough, dust a little dry flour to the mold. It will give you clean edges.
- No overworking – Mix the ingredients till they are combined. Over-mixing can make the cookies hard.
- Use butter paper/parchment paper – This keeps the cookies from sticking to the tray. And cleaning up is also made easy.
- Watch out – These cookies bake quickly. Keep an eye on them and remove them as the edges turn golden.
- Hot cookies are soft – You might notice the cookies are soft when you remove the tray. Let it cool down completely. They will harden by themselves.
- Cool the cookies – You can store them in an airtight container. Allow them to cool down by themselves.
Nivedhanams Sowmya
perfect in time for valentine's day!!!
Aarthi
wow..beautiful sharmi..loving all the pictures and the cookies..
Priyanka Mallu
Simple and beautiful 🙂
Durga Karthik.
i love the i love u part.Creative excellence.
Supriya S
looks to cute and a perfect bake for the occasion.
Prabha Rajagopalan
Very tempting & looks awesome;-)
Uma Shankar
Superb Happy valentines day!!!!
nidhi digwa
Will the result be the same without eggs? It's my first wedding anniversary and I really want to make these cookies for my husband, but can't use eggs.
SHARMILEE J
Try with some egg substitutes, am not sure of it.You can try eggless shortbread cookies or try this little hearts with some egg substitutes like curd / flax seed powder etc.
Simon
that’s look so delicious, curious about it’s taste.