Soft and buttery gluten-free Valentine's day sugar cookies decorated in pastel royal icing. Cute and funny sayings on each cookie resembling the heart-shaped conversation candies we know and love!
Conversation heart cookies
Conversation heart candies are festive & timeless and have coined themselves the quintessential Valentine's Day treat. These heart shaped sugar cookies bring all the fun of the classic candy to cookie form - yay!
The best part about these cookies has to be the fun saying and quotes. We put our own little spin on it and used humorous quotes from some of my favorite past times - Mean Girls and Friends.
Cookie Ingredients & Substitutions
- Almond flour & Tapioca flour - the combination of these flours makes for a perfectly soft sugar cookie that actually keeps its shape when baked. If you don't have tapioca flour on hand, arrowroot starch will work as well!
- Maple syrup - this is what gives the cookies a little sweetness. If desired, this can be substituted for honey.
- Coconut oil - used to provide some moisture to the cookie dough. Make sure your coconut oil is melted and cooled down before adding it to the mix.
Step by Step Directions
This is my tried and true cut-out sugar cookie recipe. It's simple to make, easy to roll out, and maintains its shape when baked! They also make a BOMB ice cream sandwich. I'm certain you'll love it too!
Step 1 : Mix the wet ingredients
First, whisk together the egg, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla until well mixed. This is best done with a stiff whisk or a hand or stand mixer.
Step 2 : Add the dry ingredients
Next, add the almond flour, tapioca flour, and baking soda to the bowl and mix until a large ball of dough forms. The dough will be a tad sticky which is okay.
Step 3 : Roll out the dough and bake
Finally, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper floured with a little extra tapioca flour. Cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to a baking sheet to bake.
The Royal Icing
Would it really be a Valentine's day sugar cookie without royal icing? This icing is foolproof and super easy to make.
Icing Ingredients & Substitutions
- Powdered sugar - This is the base of the icing. I like to use high-quality powdered sugar but you can also use monk fruit sugar to make paleo.
- Almond milk - The liquid added to the powdered sugar. A little goes a long way! Any dairy-free milk will work in this recipe.
- Food coloring - Needed to add some color to the icing. This gel food coloring is a favorite of mine and this one is a great vegan and natural option.
Icing Steps
Pipping sugar cookies can seem like a daunting task. Especially when cookies look like this these days! Don't fret though, it's actually a lot easier than you think! Here's how to ice these heart shaped Valentine's day sugar cookies:
Step 1 : Make the icing
To make the icing, mix together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon almond milk in a big bowl. Use a spoon to mix well. Another teaspoon of almond milk and continue to stir. Keep adding almond milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
The key to this particular icing is a semi-thick consistency. you should be able to pick the spoon up out of the bowl and watch the icing run off slowly.
Once you've reached a consistency you're happy with, separate the icing into smaller bowls depending on how many colors you are using. I used 6 different colors:
- Pink
- Green
- Yellow
- Purple
- White
- Red (*Don't forget this one! We will use red to write the sayings on top*)
To get a pastel color, only add a small drop of food coloring into each bowl. A little goes a long way. If using gel food coloring, use a toothpick to transfer a little gel to the bowl.
Transfer the icing to a pipping bag or a ziplock bag with a small corner cut. If using a piping bag, any small circular tip will work. I recommend this one.
Step 2 : Create an outline
Draw an outline of the heart around the cookie. Be sure to leave about a ½ inch barrier from the edge of the cookie.
Step 3 : "Flood" the center of the cookie
After you have created the outline. Fill in the center with icing (this is called "flooding"). Don't go overboard here as it will spread. I like to leave a little bit of excess room and push the icing around with a toothpick or the tip of the icing bag until the center is full.
Repeat these steps with the different colors of icing until each cookie is iced. Let the icing set for about 15-20 minutes before adding the quotes and sayings.
Step 4 : Write sayings on each cookie
If your red icing is already prepared, give the icing bowl a couple big swirls with a spoon. If not, go ahead and prepare the red icing.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a very small tip. I can't recommend this one enough. It's the perfect tip for writing!
Get creative and write some of your favorite quotes and sayings on your Valentine's day sugar cookies! Here are a few I did paying tribute to two of my favorite movies and shows - Friends and Mean Girls!
Let the red icing set for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
Friends Quotes
- We were on a break
- How U Doin
- You're my lobster
Mean Girls Quotes
- So Fetch
- None for Gretchen Weiners
- Grool
Other Funny Sayings
- Hi Mom
- Meh
- You're Okay
- I like you almost as much as my dog
- Nice butt
- I'd quarantine with you
- Love you mean it
- Hot and probably bothered
- You're kinda cute
- Stud muffin
Storing
If storing these cookies, make sure the icing is completely dry. After the icing is set, store these cookies in an airtight container. They will keep for 5 days out on the counter and a week in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
To get a soft texture to your sugar cookie, be sure not to roll it out too thin. About ½ inch in thickness is perfect for a soft baked sugar cookie. This gives the cookie enough height so it's nice and tender when baked.
Steps 2 and 3 above in the icing section outline how to outline the cookie with icing and then "flood" the center to fill it in.
Yes! When made properly, royal icing will harden after a few minutes. The key to this is to get the right consistency when mixing together the powdered sugar and liquid (almond milk). You want a semi-thick consistency and not too runny. If it's too runny, the liquid ratio is off and it won't harden like it's supposed to.
Looking for more Valentine's Day Treats? Check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Gluten-free Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil - melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¾ cup tapioca flour - plus more when rolling out the dough
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar - sub. monk fruit for a paleo option
- 2 - 3 tablespoon almond milk
- Food coloring - see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, mix together the egg, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla until well combined. This is best done with a stiff whisk or a hand or stand mixer.1 egg, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, and baking soda to the bowl and fold until a large ball of dough forms. The dough will be a little sticky which is okay.2 cups almond flour, ¾ cup tapioca flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- On a working surface, sprinkle a little extra tapioca flour on a piece of parchment paper. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until ½ inch in thickness. Cut out hearts from the dough with a cookie cutter and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before icing.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon of almond milk with a spoon. Continue to add almond milk in 1 teaspoon increments until you reach your desired consistency. If it ever gets too thin, you can add a sprinkle of powdered sugar. You are looking for a semi-thick consistency. The icing should slowly roll off the spoon when you raise it in the air above the bowl.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 - 3 tablespoon almond milk
- Divide the icing into separate bowls and dye each with appropriate food coloring (be sure to make one a deep red for the writing). To get a pastel color, only use a small drop of food coloring.Food coloring
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small tip or a ziplock bag with a small cut in the corner. Draw an outline of the heart around the cookie, leaving a little space around the edges. Then, "flood" the center of the outline with icing. Be sure not to add too much as the icing will spread a little. I like to leave a few bare spots and move the icing around with a toothpick or the tip of the pipping bag. Repeat this for all icing colors until all the cookies are iced. Let the icing set for 15 - 20 minutes.
- Transfer the red icing to a pipping bag fitted with a very small tip. Write cute and funny quotes or sayings on each heart. Let the red icing dry before enjoying!
Can i use butter?
Valentine's Day is in two days. I plan to bake these tomorrow but where can I purchase the almond and tapioca flour? My grocer does not carry them.
Yay, these are so fun! You can get tapioca flour at most grocery stores and even Walmart and Target. If you can't find tapioca flour, arrowroot starch works as well.