Show your love with some of these buttery shortbread Heart Cookies. They are little bites of sweet buttery Valentine goodness.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and next to Christmas, it’s my favorite holiday to bake for. I usually make up a batch of my favorite heart shaped sugar cookies. Other than Christmas, this is the only time of year I do a rolled, frosted sugar cookie. I’m just too lazy the rest of the year and instead, make the perfect sugar cookie when that sugar cookie hankering hits!
If you love a sugar cookie but don’t have the time for a frosted cookie, you are going to want to try these yummy shortbread cookies. They are sweet and buttery and the perfect thing to go with your afternoon tea or a fun Valentine’s Day Hot Chocolate Bar. Make up a batch and wrap up some of these one bite wonders in a little cellophane bag and share the love with someone.
They are simple to make and only require butter, flour, powdered sugar and almond extract.
How to Make Shortbread Heart Cookies
Combine the flour, butter, powdered sugar, and extract in the mixer. Mix until it forms a crumb like consistency. Then, add in your favorite sprinkles. I prefer nonpareils for these cookies and used some fun red and pink sprinkles.
Use your hands to mix in the sprinkles and knead the dough until it comes together.
Next, place the dough between two sheets of wax paper. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 1/2″ thickness.
Then, cut the dough into little hearts. I used this cute 1 ” heart shaped cookie cutter.
Place the heart cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges.
Allow them to cool for a few minutes, pour yourself a cup of tea and enjoy a few of these buttery shortbread cookie bites.
They are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day and show someone how much you love them! Give someone your heart, your shortbread cookie heart!
Shortbread Heart Cookie Recipe
Shortbread Valentine Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chilled butter salted
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp nonpareils or sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a mixer, combine all ingredients except for sprinkles.
- Mix until small crumbs form.
- Add in sprinkles and with hands, knead the dough to combine and bring it together into a ball.
- Place dough between two layers of wax paper and with a rolling pin, roll out to 1/2 " thick.
- Cut into 1/2" squares or use a small cookie cutter.
- Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
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Any suggestions for substitutions for the almond extract? Do you think I could just use vanilla extract instead? You know, allergies…. These cookies are so cute though 🙂
Trish, Absolutely, vanilla would work fine
I am going to do peppermint for xmas, mind and sprinkles for St.Pattys day, strawberry for 2/14, and i think orange for Halloween, and maybe vanilla for easter
Just have fun w/it.
Sounds like lots of fun combos
Ooohh, so cute, perfect mini-bites for a potluck coming up. And I suppose you could even dip the tip in either dark or white chocolate too…?? Or white colored pink/red? THey look amazing just as they are, though! 🙂
Christine, They would be so cute and yummy dipped in chocolate!! So many possibilites
I really enjoy your website. A lot of great topics and ideas. Keep up the great ideas
Hi! If I don’t have a mixer could I use a hand mixer? Thanks!
I hand mixer will work fine.
Thank you for another fantastic recipe! I mailed a batch to my college daughter and she loved them. She actually said, “These are better than Grandma’s.” Ouch! That’s in reference to MY “born-and-raised-in-Scotland” grandmother’s treasured shortbread recipe which my mom made for every special occasion for 50+ yrs. My mom passed away a decade ago so she’ll never know her recipe has been nudged aside for yours. Ha. BTW, I used 1/4 t almond and 1/4 t vanilla extract so there was just a hint of almond. So yummy!
Laurie, I won’t tell if you won’t tell!! So glad you loved them.
These were perfect! Thank you for this great recipe 🙂 Big hit with my Husband too, he said they worked very well with the tea.
Only thing I had problem with is figured out whether or not the butter need to be softened or cold. Would love to have that clarified 🙂
Natalie, So glad they were a big hit at your house. I did update the recipe to reflect chilled butter but it sounds like however you did it worked just fine!
Thanks!