Heart Cookies Decorated Royal Icing
Learn how to make Heart Cookies Decorated Royal Icing with this easy recipe. Perfect for holidays, these beautiful cookies are decorated with smooth, glossy royal icing.
Equipment
- oven
- mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- whisk
- baking sheets
- wire rack
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- knife
- cutting board
- small offset spatula
- piping bag
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
Royal Icing
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 6 tbsp whole milk at room temperature
- 2 tbsp pure light corn syrup
- 0.5 tsp pure almond extract
- assorted gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Mix in the pure vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it in half, then roll each portion to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, transferring them to ungreased baking sheets spaced about 1 inch apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn a very light golden brown. The centers should look dry. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- For the royal icing, combine the sifted confectioners' sugar, milk, corn syrup, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed, then increase to high, beating for 2-3 minutes until the icing is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to hold a ribbon when you lift the beaters.
- Divide the icing into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring as desired. Keep any unused icing covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. To decorate, use a small offset spatula or a piping bag with a fine tip to outline and fill the cooled heart cookies. Let the icing set completely, about 1 hour, before serving or storing.
Notes
Keep unused icing covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.