Name: Valentine Spritz Cookies : Buttery Heart Cookies with Sparkling Sugar & Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients: 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 4 tbsp milk; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp almond extract; 7 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; Sparkling sugar (red, pink, white); 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips; 2 tsp canola oil or shortening; Optional: crushed freeze-dried strawberries, edible gold flakes, or flaky sea salt

Description

Hey there! Nothing says love like the sweet, buttery aroma of cookies fresh from the oven. These Valentine Spritz Cookies are tender, melt-in-your-mouth bites pressed into adorable heart shapes, topped with sparkling sugar, and finished with a chocolate drizzle. Perfect for gifting, sharing, or treating yourself!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies:

3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

For Decoration:

Sparkling sugar (red, pink, white)
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
2 tsp canola oil or shortening
Optional: crushed freeze-dried strawberries, edible gold flakes, or flaky sea salt

Instructions

Preheat Oven & Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Use cool, ungreased baking sheets for best results.
Cream Butter & Sugar: Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Scrape down sides.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour and baking powder, then mix into wet ingredients on low speed until just combined.
Press the Cookies: Fit cookie press with heart-shaped disk. Press cookies onto baking sheets. If dough is too soft, chill 10–15 minutes; if crumbly, let it warm slightly.
Decorate & Bake: Sprinkle sparkling sugar on cookies and bake 7–9 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool 2 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
Chocolate Drizzle: Melt chocolate with oil in short microwave bursts. Drizzle over cooled cookies or dip halves. Add optional garnishes before chocolate sets.

Notes

Butter Matters: Softened, not melted butter keeps shapes intact.
Mix Gently: Overmixing after flour can make cookies tough.
Make Ahead: Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.
Prevent Spreading: Use cool, ungreased sheets; avoid over-soft butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 210 Cal Per Serving
Sugar: 11g
Fat: 12g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Protein: 2g