Valentine tic tac toe cookies
Valentine Tic Tac Toe Cookies
Valentine’s Day is all about spreading love and having fun, and what better way to do that than with a sweet, interactive treat? These Valentine Tic Tac Toe Cookies are not just cookies—they’re a game and a dessert rolled into one!
Perfect for kids, couples, and anyone who loves a creative twist on holiday baking, these cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.
Each cookie starts with a large heart-shaped base, iced in a soft pink hue with delicate white polka dots around the edges for an extra touch of charm. The “tic tac toe board” is created with thin black icing lines across the top. The game pieces? Adorable, smaller heart-shaped cookies iced in bright red with bold black outlines. These mini cookies are designed to move around the board, so you can actually play a game of tic-tac-toe before diving in to enjoy the delicious reward!
These cookies make a perfect Valentine’s Day activity, gift, or centerpiece for a festive dessert table. Whether you’re baking with your kids or surprising a loved one with a playful treat, these cookies are guaranteed to bring smiles and sweetness to the day.
Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Royal Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp meringue powder
- 5-6 tbsp water (adjust as needed)
- Pink, white, red, and black gel food coloring
Instructions:
- Make the Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
- Roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface. Use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter for the base cookies and a small heart-shaped cutter for the game pieces.
- Place the cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare the Icing:
- In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Divide the icing into bowls and color with gel food coloring: light pink, white, red, and black.
- Decorate the Cookies:
- Ice the large heart cookies with the pink icing, creating a smooth base. Add white polka dots around the edges using a piping bag or squeeze bottle.
- Use black icing to pipe a tic-tac-toe grid onto the pink base.
- Ice the small heart cookies red and outline them in black for the game pieces.
- Assemble:
- Once the icing is set, pair each large heart cookie with several small red heart cookies as the game pieces. Arrange the cookies on a platter for a fun and interactive display.
The centerpiece of this treat is a large heart-shaped cookie. The base is iced in a delicate light pink, creating a soft, romantic canvas.
Around the edges, small white polka dots add a playful yet elegant border, while thin black lines form the classic tic-tac-toe grid on top. The smaller heart-shaped cookies, which act as the game pieces, are just as charming. These are iced in vibrant red, outlined in black, giving them a striking appearance that perfectly complements the larger cookies.
The magic of these cookies is not just in their appearance but also in their interactive nature. They turn dessert into an activity, sparking laughter and joy as friends and family take turns placing their red heart pieces on the board.
It’s the kind of Valentine’s Day treat that creates memories and brings people together.
These cookies are versatile enough to suit any Valentine’s Day event. Host a game night with these as the star snack, gift a set to someone special, or make them with your kids for a fun baking activity. The design is simple enough for beginners to recreate, yet charming enough to impress even the most seasoned bakers.
The best part? These cookies are as tasty as they are cute. The sugar cookie base is buttery and tender, while the royal icing adds a sweet and crisp finish. Together, they make a treat that’s almost too beautiful to eat—but once you do, you’ll be glad you did.
