Fun and festive, Valentine Sugar Cookies are a great way to celebrate the one you love. Personalize them for a kids class party or decorate just like candy conversation hearts. Either way, they’re the BEST Sugar Cookies ever.

Overhead shot of valentine sugar cookies on a white plate.


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Valentine Sugar Cookies

I have been wanting to share this sugar cookie recipe with you for years. It’s super fun to make for Valentine’s day and it’s also pretty simple, too. Kids love how special they are when you personalize them with their names….it’s seriously better than those little paper Valentine cards that manage to scatter about the house popping up until well into summer.

I love a good cut out cookie recipe that doesn’t spread out in the pan because it’s incredibly versatile to adapt for just about any holiday. I make them for Christmas most of the time because this cookie recipe holds it’s shape well during baking. So, even the most intricate cookie cutter will work well with this Valentine sugar cookie dough.

For these Valentine Cookies, I used my favorite Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Dough because it stays soft and tender for days. It also holds it’s shape and doesn’t spread out when baking. My main criteria for a great homemade sugar cookie recipe

Overhead shot of heart cookies being cut out of dough.

How To Make Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

These easy Valentine Sugar cookies are so easy to make and the dough is totally fool-proof to make.

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until combined. Gradually add the flour and beat until a dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut out cookie shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cut out cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
  5. Bake for 7-8 minutes until the edges just begin to brown. Cookies will be pale in color.
  6. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Overhead shot of heart cookies being decorated with royal frosting.

Pro Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookies

This sugar cookie dough is fool proof….it rolls out beautifully but you do have to follow a few easy tips to ensure that your cookies bake up perfectly.

  • Be sure your ingredients are at room temperature so they blend together without a lot of clumps in the cookie dough. This will ensure your cookie dough is silky smooth to begin with.
  • Chill your cream cheese sugar cookie dough for about 2 hours before rolling it out or it will stick to everything. And I mean everything.
  • Use lots of flour…on your counter, board, rolling pin, cookie cutters….anything that the dough will touch…flour, flour, flour. And then keep a little pile on the counter to dip your cutters in each time you cut a cookie. This step alone will help you create the best bakery cut out cookie recipe.
  • Make sure your baking sheets are cooled before starting a new batch. Cool cookie sheets will ensure your cut out cookies don’t start to spread before you put them in the oven. A little lessons that I learned the hard way to ensure the BEST cut out cookies.
Overhead shot of Valentine cookies on a pink tray.

How To Make Sugar Cookies That Keep Their Shape

A few simple steps will ensure that your cut out cookies keep their shape when they bake in the oven.

  1. As mentioned before, be sure your baking sheets are cool before placing the cut out cookie dough on them. Warm baking sheets will make the dough start to spread out before they even go into the oven. I like to keep three or four cookie sheets going at a time so I’m constantly rotating the pans giving them time to cool in between batches.
  2. Chill your dough before rolling out. I know some people roll then chill the cut out cookies before baking but I don’t think they cook evenly then. I like to chill my dough for a few hours, then roll, then cut, then bake.
  3. Move quickly and try not the handle the dough too much because the warmth from your hands will warm the dough.
  4. Because these sugar cookies are made with cream cheese and not butter, they tend to hold their shape much better than traditional sugar cookie recipes.
Overhead shot of valentine cookies on a plate.

How Long Do They Last

Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, your cut out cookies will last up to three weeks.

If you need the cookies to last a bit longer, you can wrap them up and store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 12 months.

Let’s talk about the icing….I like to use this Royal Icing recipe because it’s seriously the best thing ever to decorate your Valentine Sugar Cookies. Royal Icing is so easy to make from scratch and it pipes so beautifully. It’s even easy for the kids to use.

For my royal icing recipe, I use raw egg whites from a real egg but you can substitute with meringue powder if you feel uneasy about the eggs. You can read all about the Royal Icing dos and dont’s in the Royal Icing recipe post.

The egg whites allow the icing to harden so it doesn’t smear all over your other cookies. This is the same icing you’d find at your favorite bakery.

If you don’t want to make the icing, you could just add sprinkles before you bake the Valentine Sugar cookies or frost them with commercially made frosting. 

Ready in minutes and super easy, this is the BEST way to make Royal Icing from scratch. | TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

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More Easy Cookie Recipes

We’re loving these Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies and THESE easy Funfetti Cookies.  Or you can try out my award winning Chocolate Chip Cookies, these super crispy Pizzelles or these amazing Gooey Butter Cake Cookies!

Funfetti Cookies on a blue background.

Overhead shot of valentine sugar cookies on a white plate.

Get the Recipe: Valentine Sugar Cookies Recipe

Super easy heart shaped cookies that are made just like conversation heart candies. The BEST Sugar Cookie that's tender and soft.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter at room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulate sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour I use King Arthur
  • For the icing:
  • 4 ounces pasteurized egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Equipment

  • baking sheet

Instructions 

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until combined. Gradually add the flour and beat until a dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • On a floured surface, roll out the dough using a rolling pin to a 1/8 inch thickness. Cut the dough with cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place the cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for approximately 7-8 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Cool on the pan for 1 minute and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the egg whites and vanilla until frothy. Gradually, add the sugar and mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated and the icing is shiny. Turn the mixer to med-high and beat until the mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks, approximately 5-7 minutes.
  • Stir in food coloring if desired.
  • For immediate use, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a tip and pipe onto the cookies. (Or if you’re using a zip top bag, clip corner and pipe onto cookies.)
  • Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Sugar cookie dough can be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze the sugar cookie dough for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and transferred to a freezer bag.
Calories: 166kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 95mg, Potassium: 22mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 206IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg