Ingredients:

  • 225 g (8 oz / 1 cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 200 g (7 oz / 1 cup) Granulated Sugar (Caster Sugar)
  • 1 large Egg (approx. 50g), at room temperature
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 360 g (12.7 oz / 3 cups) All-Purpose Flour (Plain Flour), accurately weighed
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp (3 g) Fine Sea Salt
  • 450 g (16 oz / 4 cups) Confectioners' Sugar (Icing Sugar), sifted
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) Meringue Powder
  • 6–8 tbsp (90–120 ml) Warm Water, plus more for thinning
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) Lemon Juice or Clear Vanilla Extract (Optional)
  • Gel or Paste Food Colouring

Instructions:

  1. Cream the Fats: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes). Scrape down the bowl frequently.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  4. Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture on low speed until the dough just comes together. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
  5. Flatten and Chill: Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap each disc tightly in cling film (plastic wrap) and flatten slightly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.
  6. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Roll Dough: Place one chilled dough disc between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough to a uniform thickness (ideally 6 mm or 1/4 inch).
  8. Cut Shapes: Use heart cutters to cut out shapes. Place the cut-outs carefully onto the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Secondary Chill (Crucial!): Place the baking sheets with the cut-out cookies back into the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes. This final chill locks in the shape before baking.
  10. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres look set (they should still be pale).
  11. Cool: Transfer cookies immediately to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  12. Mix Icing Base: Sift the confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder into a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and 6 tablespoons of warm water. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 5–7 minutes until thick and glossy peaks form (Stiff/Piping Consistency).
  13. Separate and Colour: Separate the icing into bowls for desired colours. Cover the bowls with damp tea towels. Thin a portion of the coloured icing by adding water (1/2 teaspoon at a time) until it reaches Flooding Consistency (it should level itself within 10–12 seconds).
  14. Decorate (Outline & Flood): Use the thicker piping consistency icing to outline the cookie edge. Allow this outline to crust for 5–10 minutes. Use the thinner flooding consistency to fill the outlined area.
  15. Dry: Allow the flooded cookies to dry completely at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until the surface is hard and matte.