Cupcake Cookies with Heart Centers

Heart Cupcake Cookies

Family birthdays are a special time. Not just because they mark the day someone we love entered into this world. But, mostly because they are an excuse to break out all of our glitter, sprinkles, and colorful icing. And these heart cupcake cookies made with multi-colored dough won’t disappoint!

To make birthday cupcake cookies with heart centers you will need:

After making your dough using your favorite sugar cookie recipe, separate it into two sections, one for the cupcake part and one for the heart part of your cupcake cookies. Since the hearts are smaller, reserve most of the dough for the cupcakes.

Add a small amount of red food coloring to the dough you separated out for the hearts. Knead the dough together until the red food coloring is blended throughout, creating pink cookie dough. Add more food coloring a little bit at a time if needed.

Using a small amount of red food coloring gives the dough a delicate salmon pink color. I used Americolor Super Red Soft Paste Food Coloring. If you would like a brighter pink color, I suggest using Wilton’s Rose Gel Food Coloring. You can see the bright pink color it turned the dough on my multi-colored cookie press flowers.

Once your dough is the pink color you are after, roll out the dough to your desired cupcake cookie thickness and cut out the hearts.

How To Make Heart Cupcake Cookies

Then, roll out your un-dyed dough and cut out your cupcake cookies, cutting a heart out of the center of each cupcake shape. Replace each un-dyed heart with a pink heart. Bake your heart cupcake cookies according to the directions of your sugar cookie recipe.

How To Make Cupcake Cookies

Let the decorating begin! If you would like the centers of your cupcake cookies to have a sparkly look, it’s easy to do. Simply brush a small amount of clear vanilla extract (or a mixture of half meringue power and half water) onto the pink heart. Then, dip the end of a clean, dry paint brush into rainbow disco dust. Hold it above the cookie, tapping it with your finger so the disco dust falls lightly onto the wet surface of the heart. Gently shake off any excess dust and continue this process for each heart cupcake cookie.

***UPDATE: Please note that since this blog post was written, I have discovered that there is some debate over the use of disco dust on food products. It is marketed for cake decorating, but it is not FDA approved and is labeled only as “non-toxic”. My understanding is that it is not digested by the body and will pass through harmlessly in small amounts.  For an edible alternative to disco dust, try Wilton Cake Sparkles or Sugarpaste Crystal Colors.***

How To Make Cupcake Cookies

Using white royal icing that is a 20-count consistency, pipe a border around the top of your cupcake cookies. (For more information about icing consistency, see Royal Icing Consistency by The Bearfoot Baker.) While the icing is wet, cover it with white sugar pearls. Work with a few cookies at a time, giving a few minutes for the icing to set on each one before gently shaking of any excess sugar pearls. Next, pipe the bottom border on the cupcake cookies using brown piping consistency (30-count) royal icing.

How To Make Cupcake Cookies

Let the cookies dry for 24 hours before packing or shipping. I used my heart cupcake cookies in a birthday gift basket with heart cupcake pops. Lucky for me there were extras of everything!

Heart Cupcake Cookies - sugarkissed.net

For more sweet inspiration for heart birthday treats check out these ideas:

Heart Birthday Sweets Roundup - sugarkissed.net

1. Heart Candle Lollipops by Le Jardin de Monia (Okay, maybe they’re not sweet but they would be a great addition to something sweet!)

2. Heart Cake Batter Bark by Sugar & Cloth

3. Pancake Heart Doily via More Design Please

4. Heart Super Brownie Cake by Dozen Flours

5. Heart Sugar Cookies by sugarkissed.net

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About Janine

Creative sweets made simple. Learn how to easily make decorated treats through recipes and tutorials at sugarkissed.net. Are you ready for sweet inspiration?
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83 Responses to Cupcake Cookies with Heart Centers

  1. Pingback: Sunday Show and Tell: Series Finale Featured | Two Kids Cooking and More

  2. Thanks for stopping by and sharing these at our Sunday Show and Tell…we featured you and this is our Final Show and Tell so we especially thank you!
    Kelly – Two Kids Cooking & More recently posted..Sunday Show and Tell: Series Finale FeaturedMy Profile

  3. What a CUTE idea. You are very talented.
    New follower.
    Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
    Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile recently posted..Cheesy Green Chili EnchiladasMy Profile

    • Janine says:

      Thanks, Wanda Ann! I hope you find a lot of sweet inspiration here at sugarkissed.net. Please let me know if you have any questions or requests!

  4. Hannah ♫ says:

    I love these!! ♥ Pinned them to my baking board :-)
    Hannah ♫ recently posted..It’s your Birthday and it’s the Super Bowl!!My Profile

  5. Rebecca says:

    These are soooo cute! I love them! What a great idea! I would never have thought about doing this to get the heart in the middle! Thanks for sharing!
    Rebecca recently posted..Hungry Caterpillar Shopper BagMy Profile

  6. Rachel says:

    What!! These are amazing – the presentation is gorgeous!! I really want to get better skilled at making cute cookies and cupcakes and other cute baking dishes. Love love love this.
    Rachel recently posted..Free Valentine’s Day Chalkboard PrintablesMy Profile

  7. ok once again I am in love with your cuteness!!! Thanks for Linking up at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
    Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen recently posted..Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s #9My Profile

  8. These are darling Janine! So glad so shared them.
    Hugs,
    Marcie
    I Gotta Try That recently posted..Valentine Stove Burner CoversMy Profile

  9. Marilyn says:

    My daughter LOVES cupcakes and so I know that she’ll LOVE this. More on my kitchen to make list! I’m so glad you shared this at Loving Valentines Day!

    TGIF!
    Marilyn

  10. I’ve already commented on these before and my comment still stands; they’re so pretty and I love the subtle touch of glitter.

    Your Cupcake Cookies have been featured on Sugar & Slice Sunday. :) Hope to see you at the new Valentine’s Day special link party.
    Lisa {Sweet 2 Eat Baking} recently posted..Sugar & Slice Sunday Link Party #14My Profile

  11. Carole says:

    Janine, this is lovely. It would be great if you linked it to Food on Friday: Muffins & Cupcakes. The showcases from this Food on Friday have not yet been selected. This link will take you to my home page where you will find a sidebar with links to all the different Food on Fridays. So that I know you have linked and can be sure to pin to the board I have for each one, please do leave a short comment. Cheers

  12. Sherri L says:

    It’s too bad that such cute cookies were made inedible by using Disco Dust on them, which is made in China of plastic and metallic sheen materials and is in no way edible or food-safe. “Non-toxic” does NOT mean edible. Tsk tsk.

  13. fateme says:

    hi my dear!you are so Creative.and i love you’r Decorations.Good luck to you

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