If you have a soft spot for beautiful, deliciously tender treats, the Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe is going to steal your heart and your bakery skills! These charming sugar cookies are not only irresistibly buttery and lightly crisp, but they come decorated with elegant buttercream roses that look like they belong on a fancy dessert tray. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion, gifting, or simply craving a fun project that combines baking and decorating, this recipe delivers unmatched flavor and a stunning presentation that will have everyone asking for your secret.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting started with heart-shaped sugar cookies topped with gorgeous buttercream roses is easier than you might think. Each ingredient plays a vital role in creating the perfect balance of taste and texture, ensuring your cookies are both soft and sturdy enough to hold those delicate floral designs.
- All-purpose flour (2 3/4 cups/340g): The backbone of your cookie dough, providing structure and a tender crumb.
- Baking powder (1 tsp): Helps the cookies rise just enough without losing shape.
- Salt (1/2 tsp): Enhances flavor and balances sweetness perfectly.
- Unsalted butter (2 cups/460g, softened): Divided between dough and frosting, this adds rich creaminess and moisture.
- Granulated sugar (1 cup/200g): Sweetens the dough while contributing to that slight crisp on the edges.
- Large egg (1): Binds everything together and adds tenderness.
- Vanilla extract (2 tsp total): Imparts warm, comforting flavor.
- Almond extract (1/2 tsp, optional): A little something special for extra depth in the dough’s flavor.
- Powdered sugar (4 cups/480g): The key to smooth, velvety buttercream frosting.
- Heavy cream or milk (2 tbsp): Gives your buttercream the perfect spreadable consistency.
- Food coloring: Bring your buttercream roses to life with vibrant reds, pinks, or whichever hues you prefer.
How to Make Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Dough
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl to ensure even distribution. In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is airy and pale, which takes about 2-3 minutes of mixing. Then, beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, to deepen the flavor profile.
Step 2: Combine and Chill
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, taking care not to overmix—just until everything comes together. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial: chilled dough is easier to roll out and holds the heart shape beautifully during baking.
Step 3: Shape and Bake
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out your cookies and place them on your prepared baking sheets spaced slightly apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges begin to turn a gentle golden hue—this keeps the centers softer. Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
Step 4: Make the Buttercream Roses
For the beautiful roses, start by beating the softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar in batches while mixing on low speed to prevent a messy cloud. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed to a smooth, airy frosting. Divide the buttercream into bowls and tint each with your chosen food coloring for vibrant roses. Fit a piping bag with a large rose tip, fill it with buttercream, and pipe elegant swirl roses starting at the center of each cookie and moving outward. Your cookies are ready to impress!
How to Serve Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe
Garnishes
While the buttercream roses already give your cookies an extra-special look, you can add fine touches like edible glitter or pearl dust to give them a soft, magical shimmer. A tiny sprinkle of finely chopped pistachios or freeze-dried rose petals around the edges can also complement the floral theme and add a hint of texture.
Side Dishes
These charming cookies pair wonderfully with a delicate cup of tea or a frothy cappuccino. For a more indulgent treat, serve alongside a small bowl of fresh berries or whipped cream to balance the sweetness and add freshness to the bite.
Creative Ways to Present
Impress your guests by arranging these heart-shaped delights on a tiered cake stand, or tie them up in cellophane bags with a satin ribbon for lovely party favors. You can even stack a few cookies with little fondant hearts in between for a festive dessert tower. Presentation is half the fun when you make the Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe your own!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them layered between sheets of parchment paper to prevent the buttercream roses from getting smushed. Properly stored, they’ll stay fresh for up to a week, ready to delight you again.
Freezing
If you want to make these cookies ahead of time, you can freeze the baked cookie bottoms without frosting. Once frozen, transfer them to a sealed container or bag. When ready, thaw completely before applying your buttercream roses to preserve the texture and flavor beautifully.
Reheating
Cookies are best enjoyed fresh or at room temperature, so avoid reheating decorated cookies to preserve the delicate buttercream artistry. If you’re craving a warm cookie experience, briefly warm only the cookie bottoms before frosting and serving.
FAQs
Can I use a different shape for this Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe?
Absolutely! While hearts are perfect for romantic occasions or Valentine’s Day, you can easily swap the cutter for stars, circles, or any other shape you love. The buttercream roses can adapt to any cookie base beautifully.
Is almond extract necessary in the cookie dough?
The almond extract adds a lovely, subtle depth of flavor but is completely optional. If you’re allergic or simply prefer to keep it classic, vanilla extract alone provides plenty of warmth and sweetness.
How do I prevent the buttercream roses from melting or losing shape?
Make sure your buttercream is whipped to the right consistency—not too soft—and store decorated cookies in a cool area, preferably away from direct sunlight or heat. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the cookies briefly but allow them to come back to room temperature before serving.
Can I make the buttercream roses ahead of time?
You can definitely prepare buttercream in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature and re-whip briefly before piping your roses to restore that perfect fluffiness.
What if I don’t have a piping bag or rose tip?
While having a piping bag and large rose tip makes the decoration process easier, you can also use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner snipped off to pipe out simple swirls. For roses, however, investing in the proper tip is worth it if you plan to make this recipe often!
Final Thoughts
Making the Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe is truly a delightful experience that combines baking and artistic decorating into one fun project. These cookies bring sunshine to any table with their tender sweetness and stunning floral accents. I can’t wait for you to try this recipe and share these sweet little works of edible art with your loved ones—once you taste them, you’ll know why they’ve become an instant favorite in my kitchen!
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Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Roses Recipe
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these charming heart-shaped sugar cookies topped with beautifully piped buttercream roses. Perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or any celebration, these soft and buttery cookies decorated with colorful, fluffy buttercream add a touch of elegance and sweetness to any dessert table.
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups (340g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, for flavor)
For the Buttercream Roses
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (or milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Food coloring (red, pink, or other desired colors)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling step firms up the dough, making it easier to roll out.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out each chilled dough portion to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Bake the Cookies: Arrange the cut-out cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden color.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before decorating to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Prepare Buttercream: In a clean large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy using a hand or stand mixer.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
- Finish Buttercream: Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then increase mixer speed to medium. Beat together until the frosting becomes smooth and fluffy.
- Color Buttercream: Divide the buttercream into separate bowls and tint each with your chosen food coloring to achieve desired rose colors.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Fit a piping bag with a large rose tip such as Wilton 1M and fill with the colored buttercream.
- Pipe Roses: Hold the piping bag at a 45-degree angle over the center of each cookie. Start piping in the middle, swirling outward to create a rose shape.
- Decorate All Cookies: Repeat the piping process on all cookies, using different colors as desired for decorative variety.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial for easy rolling and to maintain the cookie shape during baking.
- Ensure cookies are completely cooled before decorating to prevent buttercream from melting.
- Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week; re-whip before use if it becomes dense.
- Use food coloring sparingly for pastel shades or add more for vivid colors.
- For almond flavor, the extract is optional but adds a nice subtle note.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
