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Heart Cutout Cookies with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Delightful heart-shaped cookies featuring a buttery dough and a vibrant raspberry-lemon cream cheese frosting, perfect for gifting or celebrations.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookie dough
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature (2 sticks, 16 tbsp, or 226 grams)
  • 2 large lemons, zest
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (210 grams)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (220 grams)
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4.75 cups all-purpose flour (617.5 grams)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For the raspberry lemon cream cheese frosting
  • 6 tbsp salted butter, softened at room temperature (85 grams)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (251 grams)
  • 1-2 tbsp milk, as needed (15 to 30 grams)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, cold from the fridge (113 grams)
  • 2-3 tbsp raspberry preserves, strained
  • 1.25 oz. freeze-dried raspberries, divided
  • as desired red food coloring

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Zest your lemons and rub the zest into the granulated sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.
  2. Add freeze-dried raspberries to a food processor and pulse until you have a fine powder. Set aside.
Make the Cookie Dough
  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add the lemon zested granulated sugar and the brown sugar, and beat on high until well creamed, about 1 minute.
  3. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, and mix on medium high speed until just combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, stopping when no bits of flour remain.
Roll Out Dough & Chill
  1. Divide the dough in half and roll out each section between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 1/2 inch to 3/8 inch.
  2. Chill the rolled dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
Cut Shapes
  1. Cut heart shapes from the chilled dough using desired cookie cutters.
Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Bake one pan of cookies at a time for 8-11 minutes until the edges are set.
  3. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
  1. Beat together the butter and powdered sugar, adding milk as needed to reach the desired consistency.
  2. Mix in salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
  3. Add the cold cream cheese and mix until just combined and smooth.
  4. Add strained raspberry preserves and 1/3 of the powdered freeze-dried raspberries and mix until pink.
  5. Divide the frosting to mix with additional raspberry powder and red food coloring as desired.
Frost Cookies
  1. Spread frosting onto completely cooled cookies with an offset spatula.
  2. Sprinkle leftover freeze-dried raspberry powder or use sprinkles as desired.
Serve + Store
  1. Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
  2. Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days but allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Keep the dough cold for better shape retention and avoid over-flouring when rolling out. Use cold cream cheese to prevent a runny frosting.