Marbled Pink Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies (No-Spread Cut-Outs)
These stunning Marbled Pink Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies use a no-spread cut-out dough swirled with vibrant pink and white for a unique watercolor effect. They bake perfectly clean and require no icing!
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- heart cookie cutters
- Parchment paper
- Rolling Pin
- sheet pans
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- pink or red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Divide dough evenly in half. Leave one half plain; tint the other half with pink gel food coloring until evenly vibrant.
- Pinch small balls from each dough color and arrange them alternately. Gently knead just a few times to create visible swirls—do not overmix.
- Shape the marbled dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill for 30–60 minutes.
- Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes using heart cookie cutters. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze the cut-out shapes for 15 minutes to ensure no spread.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes, until edges look set. Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
Do NOT overknead the marbled dough — a few gentle folds are all you need to keep the beautiful, distinct color swirls.