Heart-Shaped Puzzle Cookies

Quick Summary: These raspberry heart-shaped puzzle cookies are naturally colored and flavored with freeze-dried raspberries, iced with pink royal icing, and cut into interlocking heart pieces. They are a fun Valentine's Day treat you assemble like a puzzle, and you can make them with kids.

What are puzzle cookies?

Puzzle cookies are roll-out cookies cut into interlocking pieces that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. This version is shaped into hearts: some cut with a plain heart cookie cutter and some with a puzzle heart cookie cutter, so the pieces link together. They are iced with pink royal icing before baking, which sets the color and pattern right into the cookie.

Just have a look at the pictures: there is a love story in how they're arranged in different combinations.

How to make raspberry powder

The easiest way to make the raspberry powder is to crush freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor. Then pass the powder through a fine-mesh sieve/mini strainer.

How to make dried raspberries

To make dried raspberries from fresh berries, preheat the oven to 195°F (90°C). Place 1.8 oz (50 g) fresh raspberries on parchment paper and bake.

Let berries dry for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Let them cool, then crush into raspberry powder (you will get about 0.4 oz (10 g).

Why you'll love this recipe

1. They make a sweet gift for your loved one (or yourself!). Just wrap them up and seal with a kiss.
2. Their pink color represents one of the main Valentine's Day colors.
3. Adding dried raspberries brings an additional berry flavor.
4. These iced heart cookies do not require any decorating skills: royal icing is applied before baking.
5. They are fun to make with kids.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these puzzle cookies:

• Puzzle heart cookie cutter: to cut the interlocking heart pieces.
• Heart cookie cutter: to cut a few whole heart cookies.
• Stand mixer or hand mixer: to make the dough and whisk the royal icing.
• Food processor: to crush the freeze-dried raspberries into powder.
• Fine-mesh sieve: to sift the raspberry powder and the flour.
• Rolling pin: to roll out the cookie dough.
• Angled spatula: to spread the royal icing over the dough.
• Baking sheet with parchment paper: to bake the cookies.

How to make heart-shaped puzzle cookies

Step 1. To make the raspberry powder, place freeze-dried raspberries in the bowl of a food processor and crush dried berries. Pass the dust through a fine-mesh sieve/mini strainer.

Step 2. To make the cookie dough, place butter, sugar, and raspberry powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix (photo 1).

Step 3. Add the whole egg, hazelnut, and almond flour, and continue mixing. Add the sifted flour and mix to combine (photo 2).

Step 4. Take the cookie dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper sprinkled with powdered (icing) sugar.

Step 5. The dough should be about ⅖ inch (1 cm) thick. Refrigerate for one hour (photo 3).

Step 6. To make the pink royal icing, whisk the egg white with powdered (icing) sugar and 3 to 4 drops of red food color (the intensity is up to you) with an electric mixer.

Step 7. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and spread a thin layer of royal icing with a bent spatula (photo 4).

Step 8. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Cut out cookie hearts with a heart cookie cutter and a puzzle heart cookie cutter (photo 5) and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment (photo 6).

Step 9. The dough is quite hard; cutting the cookies is a little tricky. Remove them from the cookie-cutter by pushing them from underneath (photo 7).

Step 10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool (photo 8).

Expert tips

1. Leave the royal icing white or make half of the icing white and the other half pink. Mix colors and spread the icing over the cookie dough with a bent spatula, if desired.
2. The remaining cookie scraps aren't as pretty as heart-shaped cookies, but you can bake them as well.

Recipe variations

• Different shapes: swap the heart puzzle cutter for another puzzle cookie cutter to make round or square puzzle cookies for any occasion.
• Icing colors: leave the royal icing white, or divide it and tint one half pink and the other white, then swirl the two together over the dough.
• Berry swap: use freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries interchangeably for the natural color and flavor.
• Nut-free: replace the hazelnut and almond flour with the same weight of all-purpose flour.
• Personalize them: once the cookies are baked, use an edible marker to write a short note to your loved one. See how to decorate cookies with a food pen in this short tutorial from Taste of Home.

Storing & freezing

Store the puzzle cookies in a dry, airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks. To keep them longer, freeze the baked and iced cookies in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

You can also prepare the raw dough ahead: wrap it well and refrigerate for up to 2 days before rolling and cutting.

Recipe FAQ

What is a puzzle cookie?
A puzzle cookie is a roll-out cookie cut into interlocking pieces that fit together like a jigsaw. Here, the pieces are shaped into hearts using a puzzle heart cookie cutter.

What cookie cutter do I need for puzzle cookies?
You need a puzzle heart cookie cutter for the interlocking pieces, plus a plain heart cookie cutter to make a few whole hearts.

Why is the royal icing applied before baking?
Spreading the pink royal icing on the dough before baking sets the color and smooth surface right into the cookie, so no decorating skills are needed afterward.

Can I make these cookies without freeze-dried raspberries?
Yes, but the freeze-dried raspberries give the natural pink color and berry flavor. Without them, add a few drops of food color to the dough for the pink shade.

How many calories are in one puzzle cookie?
One cookie has about 328 calories.

Love pink desserts? Try these next!

• Strawberry Eton Mess 
• Pink Praline (French Pink Pralines)
• Raspberry Almond Cake Ispahan
• Browse all Valentine's Day Recipes

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was originally published on January 28, 2019. It has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.