Easy Mini Conversation Heart Cookies (Valentine's Sugar Cookie Recipe)

These buttery, bite-sized treats are perfect for classroom exchanges, gifting, and themed parties. My daughter loves writing the messages on them, sometimes even personalizing them for each of her friends. They've been a hit every year we've made them!

For more Valentine’s Day treats, try my White Chocolate Covered Strawberries or Valentine's Day Heart Cookies. They’ll definitely make some hearts flutter, but they're great for friends too. Now, let’s bake and write up some cute messages!

These tiny sugar cookie dough hearts with colorful icing are a fun Valentine’s Day bake! They’re one of our favorite ways to express love and friendship to those closest to us.

Quick-chill dough: The dough only needs 30 minutes in the fridge for perfectly shaped heart cutouts.

Kid-friendly: You can supervise the mixer and oven, but kids can take the lead on rolling and decorating the cookies.

Customizable: Swap the food coloring shades and write personal messages to make them unique.

Great for gifting: Package in cute bags or boxes for friends, teachers, or sweethearts.

These iced conversation heart sugar cookies use simple ingredients for a classic flavor! Scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe with ingredient amounts.

For the dough:

• Unsalted butter: It must be softened, otherwise, it won't cream well. Feel free to use salted butter instead, not margarine.
• Granulated sugar: Avoid any type of brown sugar because it will darken the dough, and the cookies won't have the same crisp and crumbly texture.
• Egg: Use a room-temperature egg for smooth incorporation into the butter mixture.
• Vanilla extract: Adds that classic sugar cookie flavor. Almond extract is a yummy swap, but reduce the amount to ¼ teaspoon.
• All-purpose flour: It adds structure. No other type of flour works.
• Baking powder: Prevents the cookies from being rock-hard. Sift it if it has any clumps, since they won't dissolve into the dough.
• Salt: Kosher salt is best. Avoid coarse sea salt. Skip it completely if you use salted butter for the recipe.

For the icing:

• Powdered sugar: It's the base. It doesn't have a substitute.
• Milk: It thins the icing. Plant-based milk or water is a good swap.
• Pastel food colorings: Gel food coloring is better because it doesn't thin out the icing. I used pink, green, blue, and yellow for my cookies.
• Edible food markers: For writing the messages.

See recipe card for quantities.

These adorable conversation heart cookies are a treat to make! You'll love coming up with all the messages for them even before you start decorating.

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.

2. Step 2: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Gently fold everything together until a smooth, soft dough forms.

3. Step 3: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to make it easier to roll. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness.

4. Step 4: Use a mini heart cookie cutter (about 1 inch) to cut out heart shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the cut cookies for another 30 minutes to help them hold their shape while baking.

5. Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the chilled hearts to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, just until the edges are set and lightly firm but not browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Step 6: To make the icing, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and thick. Divide the icing evenly into six bowls and tint each with a drop of gel food coloring.

7. Step 7: Mix each color well, then transfer the icing to piping bags and secure the ends with clips or clamps to prevent leaking.

8. Step 8: Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies and allow it to dry for about 4 hours, preferably overnight. Once set, use edible food markers to write short conversation-style messages, letting the ink dry before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

These easy valentine’s day treats are perfect for customizing! Try these cute twists, depending on who you're gifting the cookies to:

Write longer messages: Use larger heart cookie cutters for a bigger surface area to write your messages on. Increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes.

Zest the dough: Mix 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest or orange zest into the creamed butter for a citrusy flavor boost.

Make them chocolatey: Add 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough's dry ingredients for an easy variation.

Color the dough: Add 3-5 drops pink or red gel food coloring to the creamed butter mixture or dough for extra Valentine's Day vibes. Mix until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Personalize them: Write a unique message for every person you'll give a conversation heart cookie to. They'll love it!

These valentine’s day treats with sweet messages are a hit every year! Here are our favorite ways to enjoy them:

• With hot chocolate or a cup of tea for a cozy afternoon in.
• Package in cute bags or boxes for classroom valentines or gifts. One year, we wrapped the cookies in parchment paper and placed them inside envelopes!
• Set on a dessert table with Chocolate Mousse Cups.
• Pair with Sparkling Strawberry Moscow Mule or Raspberry Moscow Mule for adult gatherings.
• Enjoy as an afterschool snack with cold milk.
• Place on a cookie board with my Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, Raspberry Thumbprints,and Healthy Brownie Batter Dip for dipping.
• Organize a cookie-decorating party for kids, where everyone can decorate their own cookies.

These vanilla conversation heart sugar cookies stay fresh and cute for days! Here’s how to store them properly:

Counter

In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them away from direct heat and sunlight.

Freezer

Freeze the undecorated cookies in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Decorate with icing as usual after thawing.

These simple tips and tricks ensure perfect little hearts every time, even as a beginner-level home baker:

Help your icing set: Whisk ¼-1/2 teaspoon meringue powder into the icing ingredients to help the mixture firm up.

Instant butter softening: If you forgot to set your butter out, soften it quickly by popping it into the microwave in 5-second increments until soft when you gently press your finger into it.

Don't skip the chilling: While it's not anyone's favorite part of a cookie recipe, it prevents the cookies from spreading in the oven. This makes sure you have perfectly shaped cookies fresh out of the oven.

Wait overnight: It's best to let the icing dry overnight to make sure it won't run, smudge, or crack when you're writing the message on your cookies. There's also nothing worse than seeing your cookies get ruined when storing or packaging, because the icing wasn't fully dry yet.

Get the right consistency: For clean edges on your icing when decorating, the icing must have the consistency of toothpaste. Thin icing may drip over the edges and distort your designs.

Uniform thickness: Roll the dough evenly to about ¼-inch thickness to ensure uniform baking and consistent cookie size.

Cool completely: Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack before icing to prevent the icing from melting or running.

Here’s what other home bakers are asking about these gorgeous valentine’s day heart cookies!

It's not recommended because the cookies would spread without it.

Yes! It's great for quicker prep. Follow the rolling and baking instructions on the package instructions.

Let the icing dry completely before using the edible marker for clarity.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Easy Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies (Eggless Sugar Cookies Recipe)

How To Make Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops (Easy Dessert)

Easy White Chocolate Covered Strawberries (Valentine's Dessert)

RumChata Pudding Shots Recipe (Easy And Festive With 5 Ingredients!)

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Mini Conversation Cookies recipe:

Easy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Cranberries and Rosemary

Easy Raspberry Moscow Mule (Party-Ready Mint Cocktail)

Sparkling Strawberry Moscow Mule | Easy & Vibrant Party Drink

Easy 5-Minute Apple Banana Smoothie Recipe

These mini conversation heart cookies are a great way to share sweet messages with everyone you know! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @HungryWhisk, and don’t forget to subscribe for more cookie recipes and recipe cards!