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Show your love with some of these buttery shortbread heart cookies. They are little bites of sweet buttery 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 sugar cookies. 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. They are simple to make and only require butter, flour, powdered sugar and almond extract.
Ingredients Needed
- All Purpose Flour
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Almond Extract
- Salt
- Nonpareils
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.
- Add in your favorite sprinkles. I prefer nonpareils for these cookies.
- Mix in the sprinkles and knead the dough until it comes together.
- Place the dough between two sheets of wax paper.
- Roll the dough out to a 1/2″ thickness.
- 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.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges.
Check out more of my favorite Valentine Treats
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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.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Laurie says
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!
Leigh Anne says
Laurie, I won’t tell if you won’t tell!! So glad you loved them.
Julie says
I couldn’t get this dough to mix up. One stick of butter is not enough apparently. It’s like flour crumbles. Does it not need some liquid of some kind? I need help.
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
The dough will be crumbly and the directions tell you to use your hands to knead the dough a bit to bring it together
Marisa says
Hi! If I don’t have a mixer could I use a hand mixer? Thanks!
Leigh Anne says
I hand mixer will work fine.
Shana says
I really enjoy your website. A lot of great topics and ideas. Keep up the great ideas
Christine says
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! 🙂
Leigh Anne says
Christine, They would be so cute and yummy dipped in chocolate!! So many possibilites
Trish says
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 🙂
Leigh Anne says
Trish, Absolutely, vanilla would work fine
Darlene Vonschneider says
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.
Leigh Anne says
Sounds like lots of fun combos