If you’ve never made cookies using colored dough before, you’re missing out. It’s super easy to do and if you’re not in the mood to decorate with icing, you still have pretty cookies! Today I’m going to share with your how I made these cute little heart cookies. They’re pretty enough to be the main event but they also make a great accent piece for a platter of cookies or other sweets.
Supplies for Colored Dough Heart Cookies
To make colored dough heart cookies you will need:
- Cookie dough made from your favorite sugar cookie recipe
- Heart cookie cutters
- Red gel food coloring
- Royal icing made from your favorite royal icing recipe
- Wilton teal and Americolor electric blue gel food coloring
- White sanding sugar
- #2 piping tip
How To Create Colored Dough for Heart Cookies
Seperate out the dough that you want to color pink. For a pink salmon color, add a little red gel food coloring and knead the dough until you have an even color. (Learn from my mistakes… wear gloves for this part!) For a brighter pink color, like my Multi-Colored Cookie Press Flowers, I suggest Wilton gel food coloring in rose.Once you have colored your dough, roll it out, cut it using your heart cookie cutters, and bake according to the directions for your favorite sugar cookie recipe.
How To Decorate Colored Dough Heart Cookies
If you want to keep your colored dough heart cookies simple, I suggest dusting them with rainbow disco dust. I did this on my Cupcake Cookies with Heart Centers and it gave the cookies a pretty sparkly effect.
If you really want to make your cookies pop, I suggest decorating them with royal icing in a bright contrasting color. I used a combination of Wilton teal and Americolor electric blue. I used 12-count consistency icing and a #2 piping tip to decorate my heart cookies.
To test the consistency of your icing, slice a knife into the surface of the icing and count how long it takes the icing to fill back in and create a smooth surface. For 12-count consistency icing, you should be able to count “one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand…” to 12. Add water to the icing a tiny bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency. For more information about coloring icing and how to use the different consistencies of royal icing, see the How To Make Royal Icing section of 101 Essential Cookie Decorating Resources.
Pipe different designs onto your heart cookies using royal icing. Then, while the icing is still wet, sprinkle white sanding sugar onto the surface. Shake off any excess sugar and set the cookies aside to dry completely (preferably overnight) before stacking or packaging your colored dough heart cookies.
If you don’t want your colored dough heart cookies to get lonely, make them a part of a platter like I did with my Alton Brown’s Cocoa Brownies for Ovarian Cancer Awareness.
More Colored Dough Heart Cookies
For more heart cookies you can make with colored dough, check out these fun ideas:
Simply Valentines Cookies by Cookie Crazie
Sweetheart Shortbread by Diamonds for Dessert
Colored Heart Cookie Pops by Fancy Flours
I LOVE coloring dough – so much easier than icing!
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma’s Cookie recently posted..Surprise Valentine’s Day Cupcakes
I totally agree, Jennifer. It’s a great decorating shortcut for those lazy days!
I love this idea, especially since I’m not a huge frosting fan! Heading over to check your post!
Printabelle recently posted..ORDER EYE OF THE TIGER VOL 1 DIRECT NOW!
I hear ya! Sometimes you just gotta skip the icing!
Hi there! I have ventured over from the Texas Bloggers blog. I’m enjoying this little peak into your world! XOXO Mandi Roach
@Mandi411 recently posted..making room for amazing
Thanks for stopping by, Mandi!
Super cute! Thanks for sharing with us at my Pin Me party!!
Diana Rambles recently posted..Pin Me Linky Party #20
Thanks, Diana!
I colored dough for the first time recently and loved it so much that I will definitely be doing it again because it just makes life easier. Sometimes you just don’t want to mix icing. Thanks for linking up
Melissa {Simply Sweets by Honeybee} recently posted..Mini Decorated Cookies {Simply Sweet Saturdays}
Absolutely, Melissa! It’s a great short cut for those lazy days!
Very Cute!
Bethany recently posted..Women’s Loafer Slippers Crochet Pattern
Thanks, Bethany!
Oh That sounds like a great group to be involved in! I will have to check it out! Thanks for sharing at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen recently posted..Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s #10
It’s a great way to connect with fellow bakers, Chandra!
This has been on my to do list for a while now, and you have inspired me to move it up the list! Yours are so pretty!
xo,
Lisa
Thanks, Lisa! I hope you get the chance to try it out soon… I know how those to-do lists grow!
They look gorgeous! Your presentation is so so lovely!
Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – see you there again tonight with more of your deliciousness
HungryLittleGirl recently posted..Italian Sausage Fried Rice
Thank you for your sweet compliment about my Colored Dough Heart Cookies! And thanks for hosting the link party every week!
Love colored dough! I made some for Christmas that worked out great! Heading over to check out your other site now. Thanks for sharing at Pin It Thursday!
Emily @ Sweet Bella Roos recently posted..What to pack for a blog conference #Giveaway
I especially loved colored dough cookies on days when I’m feeling lazy, Emily. Sometime you just don’t want to mix that icing!
Another beautiful creation, Janine. So fun and yummy!! Thanks for linking up to Tasty Thursdays!! Nichi
Nichi – The Mandatory Mooch recently posted..Tasty Thursdays #29