Dye-Free Decorated Heart Cookies--The Sweetest Way to Say "I Love You!"
Author: Nancy Baggett
This basic, versatile recipe is adapted from one in my new Simply Sensational Cookies book. The icing calls for a little meringue powder or egg white powder. It’s best not to leave it out because it helps set the natural berry color and also keeps shades from bleeding together. Many discount department stores stock the Wilton brand of meringue powder along with cake decorating supplies. Supermarkets and nutrition stores sometimes carry the Deb El “Just Whites,” product or another brand of pure dried egg whites in their baking aisle.

This recipe is designed so you can make smallish batches of 3 or 4 different colors–bright pink, light pink, chocolate and white. (In case you’re wondering about the natural green icing as shown in the bowl in the upper left of the pic just above, check out the green tea recipe here.) All together these batches of icing will yield enough to generously decorate 40 to 60 cookies. Notice how nicely the chocolate and the white contrast with the bright pink.

By the way, I made the cookies using the Good & Easy Sugar Cookies recipe in Simply Sensational Cookies, but for another a rolled sugar cookie recipe that works well, go here. Remember that the following icing quantity makes one color of icing. For every color you want, start with 1¼ cups powder sugar and 1 teaspoon meringue powder and proceed from there.
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted after measuring if lumpy
  • Generous 1 teaspoon commercial meringue powder or dried egg white powder
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted after measuring if lumpy, optional for chocolate icing
  • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract, optional
  • About 2½ to 3 tablespoons water, or frozen (thawed) cranberry juice concentrate, as needed for bright pink, pink or white icing
Instructions
  1. For each color of icing, thoroughly stir together the sugar and meringue or egg white powder until well combined in a small deep bowl; for a chocolate icing incorporate the cocoa powder also (the maximum will yield the darkest color).
  2. Add the corn syrup, and extract if using, then gradually stir in enough fruit juice or water (or a combination) to yield a fairly wet, fluid icing.
  3. Stir until very well blended, adding in more juice (or water) or powdered sugar to produce the color and consistency desired.
  4. Use the icings immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a week. Let warm to room temperature before using, then very thoroughly stir in a little juice or water if they are too stiff to spread.
  5. If simply icing cookies, set them on racks over paper or parchment to catch drips. Then spread the icing over the tops with a table knife; the icing will flow out evenly and dry with a sheen.
  6. If marbling cookies, also have on hand toothpicks and the accenting colors ready in piping cones; pastry bags fitted with fairly fine writing tips; or in small sturdy baggies with one bottom corner snipped off at the very end. Working quickly before the base layer of icing can set, pipe on the accenting lines as desired, then immediately draw through them to create the marbling desired.
  7. Let all iced cookies dry for at least several hours and preferably 4 to 6 hours before storing airtight. Pack them in a single layer or with wax paper between each layer. Keep 1 week at room temperature; or frozen airtight for up to 1 month.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2013/02/dye-free-decorated-heart-cookies.html