Conversation Heart Cookies
conversation heart cookies
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: 16-24 cookies, depending on size
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
Flour: 2-1/3 cups (303g)
Kosher salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150g)
Lemon zest: 2 teaspoons
Unsalted butter (Room temp): 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks, 170g)
Eggs (Large): 1
Egg yolks (Large): 1
Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Freeze dried raspberries (or strawberries): 1/2 cup (15g)
Unsalted butter (Room temp): 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g)
Powdered sugar: 2 cups (240g)
Kosher salt Pinch
Milk: 2 tablespoons (+1 tablespoon more if needed)
Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon
Royal Icing
Egg whites (Large): 2
Lemon juice: 3/4 teaspoon
Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon
Powdered sugar: 2-1/2 cups (300g)
A Few Notes:
These are thick and soft cut out sugar cookies flavored with lemon zest, topped with a raspberry buttercream frosting. Plus, royal icing for writing!
If you don’t want to write messages on your cookies, stop after the buttercream frosting! It’s OK!
If at any point the dough starts getting too soft/sticky, just transfer it back to the fridge for a few minutes.
If you’re having trouble finding freeze dried fruit at the grocery store, check Trader Joe’s.
If your royal icing feels way too thick, you can thin it out with a tiny bit of water (but thick/stiff is good here since we’re writing with it!). If you’d like your icing to be a different color, add a few drops of food coloring.
Yes, this recipe is relatively fussy (I’m sorry). But it’s worth it, because I mean how cute are they?
Pairs Well With:
*Special equipment: Baking sheet, parchment paper, rolling pin, cookie cutters, food processor, piping bag fitted with a round tip (or in a pinch, a ziploc bag)
The How To (Cookies):
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder.
In the small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and lemony sugar on medium high speed for two minutes, until fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on medium high speed until incorporated, about one minute. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
Lay a medium piece of parchment paper out on the counter and sprinkle it with flour. Add half of the cookie dough to the parchment paper, sprinkle the top with flour, and roll it out to 1/4” thick (the shape isn’t important!). Sprinkle the top with a bit more flour and lay another piece of parchment paper on top. Transfer to the fridge (i put mine on a baking sheet for easy transfer!). Repeat with the second half of the dough. Chill the rolled out dough for at least one hour.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut shapes out of the dough using cookie cutters - for conversation hearts I like to use 3” heart cutters, but really any shape you’ve got will work. Re-roll the scraps to cut out more shapes. Arrange the shapes on your baking sheets, at least two inches apart.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, until set but still pale (no crunchy cookies here!). Let sit on the baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
The How To (Buttercream Frosting):
Grind the freeze dried raspberries (or strawberries) in a food processor until powdered (there will be a few bigger chunks - that’s okay).
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the freeze dried raspberry (or strawberry!) powder, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla. Beat on medium high until fluffy (about 30 seconds). Add the milk and mix until combined.
Frost the cookies! I like to use a small offset spatula. Set aside while you make your royal icing.
The How To (Royal Icing + Assembly):
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the egg whites, lemon juice, and vanilla extract on medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Add the powdered sugar and beat on high speed until the mixture looks shiny and soft peaks form (about five minutes).
Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or in a pinch: a Ziploc bag with the end cut off). Write on your frosted cookies with your royal icing! Whatever you want to say! If you get stuck, just go with the classics: “I love you so much”, “You’re the best”, “XOXO”.
*These keep for a couple of days sealed in an airtight container (or longer in the fridge!)
