Valentine’s Day Cookies Recipe

I’m always looking for delicious, easy-to-make Valentine’s Day desserts. Friends, I have the perfect recipe for you. I saw the Pinterest cakes trending on TikTok and Facebook, and I had to join in the fun, happiness, and love.

These cookies are so easy to make and so fun, they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day parties! Made with almond flour, these “sugar” cookies feature a soft center and chewier edges, and a center filled with either melted chocolate or jam! They’re also customizable; if you want to make heart-shaped sweet cookies, you can leave them flat and then frost them with royal icing! For an extra touch, serve them with a bowl of fresh chocolate-dipped strawberries—it’s not just a gift, it’s the ultimate expression of love on Valentine’s Day. They touch hearts, capture heartfelt moments, reflect how much you care, and create a lasting memory.

So Much to Love About These Valentine’s Day Cookies

These Valentine’s Day Cookies Will Make Her Lovely
Beautifully designed heart-shaped Valentine’s Day cookies paired with red roses will make her day perfect. Celebrations are sweeter and better with cookies, so make this Valentine’s Day even more wonderful and fun by surprising her with these delicious Valentine’s Day cookies. These cookies have a soft, buttery texture and crispy edges. The dough holds its shape perfectly in the oven. Sharp and precise; no heart-shaped distortions!

• Irresistibly buttery vanilla flavor
• Soft, thick center and slightly crispy edges
• Made with simple ingredients
• Holds its shape during baking
• Leave them plain or add extracts
• Freezes beautifully
• A simple dessert recipe, enjoyed by both beginners and experts alike.

We’re using royal icing for today’s Valentine’s Day sugar cookie decoration, but you can absolutely skip the writing and top them with buttercream like we do for these St. Patrick’s Day cookies, or use this easy glaze cookie icing instead.

What Do I Need to Make Valentine’s Sugar Cookies?

• White granulated sugar
• Unsalted COLD butter, sliced into tablespoon portions before mixing
• COLD large eggs
• Almond extract, vanilla extract or peppermint extract
• COLD half and half
• Powdered sugar
• Baking powder
• All-purpose flour
• Half and half
• Baking sheets
• Valentine’s themed sprinkles
• Kosher salt
• Heart Shaped Cookie Cutters
• Electric mixer with paddle attachment
• Parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray

About Cold Ingredients
This recipe is for “no-chill” cookie dough. However, if the flour, egg, or butter-and-milk mixture is warm—even slightly warm—you must chill the dough before rolling it out. For this recipe to work, the ingredients must be very cold to work as expected.

How to Make Valentine’s Day Cookies

• Prep for Baking: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat the cold butter and sugar together until just creamy. Don’t overmix; keep that butter cold! Add the half-and-half, almond extract, and then beat in the eggs one at a time until everything is well combined.
• Combine Dry & Wet: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to your wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until a thick dough forms. If it feels too sticky, add an extra ¼ cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth.
• Roll & Cut: Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out half of the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out cookies. Repeat with the remaining dough until it’s all used.
• Bake: Place the cut-out cookies about an inch apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through (around 5 minutes), until the cookies are just set and the edges are slightly golden.
• Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Icing

• Whisk Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and ¼ cup half-and-half until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
• Adjust Consistency: If the icing is too thick, whisk in extra milk, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it thickens up.
• Decorate: Spread a thin layer of icing onto one cookie at a time. Immediately sprinkle with your Valentine’s themed sprinkles before the icing hardens. Continue with the rest of your cookies.

How to Store Valentine’s Sugar Cookies

Cookies taste so much better fresh out of the oven, but sometimes you need to save them for later. Are you strong enough to put off the cookie jellies? Store them in an airtight container to keep them together. Sprinkle a slice of toast on the fresh flavor while they’re in storage. To keep the cookies together, pack them in a resealable bag and place them in the freezer.

Baked cookies (decorated or not iced ) can be frozen for up to 4 months. Let cookies cool completely, stack with parchment paper in between each layer of cookies and store in a freezer safe container or resealable plastic bag. Let thaw completely at room temperature before icing.

Cookie dough can also be frozen up to 4 months. Wrap the cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe resealable plastic bag to freeze. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight before rolling out and cutting into shapes to bake.

Recipe FAQs

• Q1: Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the cookie dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.

• Q2: How do I prevent my sugar cookies from spreading too much?

Ensure your butter is cold when you start mixing. Also, chilling the cut-out cookies on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before baking can help prevent spreading. Don’t overmix the dough, as this can develop the gluten too much.

• Q3: Can I use different extracts instead of almond extract?

Absolutely! Vanilla extract is a common and delicious substitute. You could also try lemon extract for a brighter flavor, or even a hint of peppermint for a unique twist.