Conversation Heart Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Conversation Heart Cookies are adorable, bite-sized treats perfect for sharing sweet messages. They combine soft, buttery cream cheese sugar cookies with pastel royal icing and charming little phrases. Ideal for holidays, parties, or just a fun baking project!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
• 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
• 2 tsp almond extract (optional) (8g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
• 3 Tbsp meringue powder (28g)
• 1/4 cup water, room temperature (60g), plus more as needed
• 2 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract (24g)
• Yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and green gel food coloring
• Additional supplies: hand mixer or stand mixer, parchment paper or silicone baking mats, 2 large baking sheets, small 3/4 inch heart cookie cutter, 7 small piping bags, edible red marker

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.
2. Step 2: Add sugar and mix on medium-high speed until lighter in color, about 2 minutes.
3. Step 3: Mix in egg, almond extract (if using), and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.
5. Step 5: Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape bowl sides as needed.
6. Step 6: Divide dough in half, flatten each into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours (or freeze 30 minutes).
7. Step 7: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
8. Step 8: Roll one dough portion between floured plastic wrap to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut out heart shapes with cookie cutter and place 1/2 inch apart on prepared sheets.
9. Step 9: Chill cut cookies for 15 minutes (or 5 minutes in freezer) to help maintain shape.
10. Step 10: Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes. Remove when edges are set but not browned.
11. Step 11: Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Re-roll scraps to cut more cookies and repeat baking.
12. Step 12: For royal icing, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder together.
13. Step 13: Add water and extract, then beat on medium until stiff peaks form.
14. Step 14: Adjust icing with small amounts of water to reach thick flooding consistency, testing by piping and letting icing settle.
15. Step 15: Divide icing into seven portions, tint each with a tiny amount of gel food coloring to create pastel shades, and place into piping bags with small tips (1-2 mm).
16. Step 16: Pipe a heart on each cookie using the colored icing. Use a toothpick to smooth icing as needed.
17. Step 17: Let icing dry until firm, then write sweet phrases on the cookies with an edible red marker.

Tips & Variations

• Use a scale to measure flour for consistent dough texture and avoid dense cookies.
• Rolling dough between plastic wrap minimizes mess and helps with smooth rolling.
• Testing royal icing consistency on a spare cookie ensures perfect piping results.
• Try almond extract instead of vanilla for a slightly nutty flavor.
• Store leftover dough scraps chilled to avoid waste and bake multiple batches in one session.

Storage

Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. They also freeze well for up to three months; thaw completely before serving. If stored in the fridge, let cookies come to room temperature to soften slightly. Icing is best enjoyed once fully dry and firm.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I skip the cream cheese in the cookie dough?

The cream cheese adds tenderness and flavor to these cookies, giving them a soft texture. Omitting it will change the texture, making cookies more like traditional sugar cookies, which you can do but expect a different result.

How do I make sure my royal icing doesn’t crack when it dries?

Keep the icing covered when not in use to prevent drying out, and avoid applying too thick a layer. Let cookies dry at room temperature in a single layer without stacking. Adding a bit of meringue powder helps create a flexible, smooth finish that resists cracking.

Conversation Heart Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 77 reviews

These Conversation Heart Cookies are delightful cream cheese sugar cookies decorated with pastel royal icing and sweet messages, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. The cookie dough is made smooth and tender with butter and cream cheese, rolled out and cut into small heart shapes, then iced with colorful royal icing and finished with cute handwritten messages. They are charming, festive, and melt in your mouth delicious.

• Author: Marco
• Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 2 hours chilling)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch (approximately 20-30 minutes total depending on batches)
• Total Time: Approximately 3 hours including chilling and decorating
• Yield: Approximately 50 small heart cookies (3/4 inch size) 1x
• Category: Dessert, Cookies
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
• 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
• 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
• 2 tsp almond extract, optional (8g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)

Royal Icing (adapted from Wilton)

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
• 3 Tbsp meringue powder (28g)
• 1/4 cup water, room temperature (60g), plus additional for adjusting consistency
• 2 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract (24g)
• Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, Blue, and Green gel food coloring

Additional Supplies

• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Parchment paper or 2 silicone baking mats
• 2 large baking sheets
• Small heart cookie cutter – about 3/4 inch
• 7 small piping bags
• Edible Red Marker

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy using a hand mixer or whisk attachment.
2. Add Sugar: Mix in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
3. Add Egg and Extracts: Incorporate 1 large room temperature egg, 2 tsp almond extract (optional), and 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste on medium speed until well combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder to evenly distribute.
5. Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl sides with a spatula as needed to ensure thorough mixing. The dough should be thick and sticky.
6. Divide and Chill Dough: Divide dough into two equal parts, flatten each into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for about 2 hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer until firm.
7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before rolling the dough. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
8. Roll Out Dough and Cut Cookies: Remove one dough portion from fridge. If frozen, let warm 5-10 minutes. Roll dough between sheets of plastic wrap dusted with flour to about 1/3 inch thickness. Use a 3/4 inch heart cookie cutter to cut out cookies, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
9. Chill Cut-Out Cookies: Place cut cookies on baking sheets and chill in fridge for 15 minutes or freezer for 5 minutes to help maintain shape during baking.
10. Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for about 10 minutes. Watch closely and remove before edges turn brown.
11. Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Repeat Rolling and Baking: Combine scraps, knead lightly, chill wrapped again, and repeat rolling and baking steps with remaining dough.
13. Make Royal Icing: In a large bowl or mixer bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp meringue powder. Add 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract. Mix on low, then medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape bowl sides as needed.
14. Adjust Icing Consistency: Add water 1 tbsp at a time to achieve thick flooding consistency. Test by piping figure 8 shapes and adjust with powdered sugar or water until icing holds shape but melts slightly into itself.
15. Color the Icing: Divide icing into portions (~3 oz each). Add tiny drops of gel food coloring to create pastel yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and green. Place each color in small piping bags, sealing tops.
16. Test Icing Consistency: Pipe some icing on a cookie to check if it settles smoothly and holds shape. Adjust if needed before filling the bags fully.
17. Decorate Cookies: Cut tips of piping bags to make 1-2 mm openings. Pipe colorful hearts on each cookie. Use a toothpick or scribe to smooth icing if needed.
18. Dry Icing: Allow decorated cookies to dry for several hours or until icing is firm to the touch.
19. Add Messages: Use a fine-tipped edible red marker to write cute phrases on top of each iced heart cookie.
20. Store Cookies: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• For best results, chill dough and cut-out cookies thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain shape.
• The almond extract is optional but adds a lovely flavor when combined with vanilla.
• Use plastic wrap as a rolling surface to reduce mess and make transferring dough easier.
• Adjust royal icing consistency carefully for piping and flooding; too thin will run off the cookies, too thick will be difficult to pipe.
• Make pastel icing colors by using very small amounts of gel food coloring.
• Allow the decorated cookies to dry completely before writing messages with the edible marker to avoid smudging.
• Cookies keep well when stored properly and can be frozen for long-term storage.

Keywords: Conversation Heart Cookies, Valentine Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Royal Icing Cookies, Cream Cheese Cookie Dough, Cute Heart Cookies, Homemade Valentine Treats