Heart Shaped Valentine Cookies

After seeing these beautiful heart shaped Valentine cookies on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens this month, I decided to try making some and they turned out so cute!

Sugar cookie dough recipe is at the bottom of this post or use your own favorite recipe. To make it even easier buy pre made sugar cookie dough.

The fun thing about making these heart shaped Valentine cookies is the technique that I used.

The technique of swapping one dough into the holes of another is actually pretty simple.

First, dye your dough at least two different colors.

I actually used 3 which included the plain dough color.

Using red gel food coloring I was able to get a deep red, and a pink color.

Second, roll out each color of dough separately. Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

I used a circle cutter and a mini arrow cutter.

Cut circles and arrows out of each color.

Replace the empty spots with the opposite color circles and arrows to create a patchwork slab of dough.

Using a large heart shaped cutter cut out lots of hearts.

With the leftover pieces of dough smoosh them all together and create a marbled effect.

Use a bigger heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the marbled heart.

To get the striped looking heart shaped cookies you simply cut each of the colored rolled dough into strips. Vary the sizes of the widths of the strips for a fun look.

Press the strips together to create one slab of dough.

Use a rolling pin to gently roll the seams together before cutting out large heart shaped cookies.

To get the beautiful gold sparkly finish on some of your cookies, use gold luster dust.

I have a link at the bottom of this post.

You simply add 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp of a clear extract like almond or clear vanilla and mix it together.

Use a small clean paint brush and brush it over baked cookies for a really pretty sparkly look.

To create beautiful water colored heart shaped cookies is really fun and easy to do!

After you roll out your plain colored dough, combine 1 egg white, 1 Tbsp water and a few drops of red or pink food coloring mix well. Using a small brush, brush dough with swipes of color.

I used pink, green and yellow to create a pastel rainbow effect.

Brush each color right next to the other.

I added colored pink sugar to the pink swipes of color and gold sprinkles to create a stripe of sparkle down one side of a few of the cookies.

For a speckled look I dipped brush into each of the colored egg washes and flicked it onto the dough.

I think this could look great for Easter egg shaped cookies!

You could use the same colors as I did for this Easter Tablescape in bright pink and lime green.

You will love this puzzle piece heart wreath you can make here

DIY heart shaped burlap wreath is super easy to whip up

H ow to set a red and white polka dot and striped Valentine Table

• Sugar Cookie Recipe
• 1 ½ cups butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer on medium to high 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and baking powder, Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Mix the egg, vanilla, and almond extract if using until all combined. Beat in salt and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes. (Dip cutters in flour to prevent sticking.) Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Remove; cool on wire rack.