Beetroot Love Cookies: The Valentine’s Day Sweet that Strikes the Heart
If you’re looking for an idea that combines romance, genuineness, and originality for Valentine’s Day, the Beetroot Love Cookies are the answer. Characterized by a natural red color, these cookies combine the rusticity of beetroot flour with the delicacy of vanilla, creating a unique contrast of flavors and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I suggest doubling the recipe because they will literally be snatched up!
Why is Beetroot Flour a “Superfood”?
Besides its extraordinary visual impact, beetroot flour transforms a simple cookie into a wellness powerhouse because it is rich in natural antioxidants. It also allows for shades from dark pink to burgundy without chemical additives, embracing the philosophy of clean labeling, a benchmark for those seeking healthy and natural products. Its earthy and sweet flavor matches divinely with sugar and vanilla.
- Rest time: 40 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 12 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Valentine's Day, All Seasons
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, without any extra cost to you!
- 3/4 cup type 1 flour
- 3 tbsps beetroot flour
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup butter (cold)
- 1 tbsp egg yolk (about 1)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tsps egg white
- 1 tbsp beetroot flour
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Cookie cutter
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Mat
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Teaspoon
- 1 Piping bag
Steps
In a bowl or food processor, combine and mix the beetroot flour and the type 1 flour previously sifted.
Make a well, add the cold butter in small pieces in the center, and work it by pinching it with your fingers or, if using a food processor, proceed with short pulses.
You should obtain a crumbly mixture with a uniform color.
Then incorporate the powdered sugar, the pinch of salt, and one teaspoon of lemon juice into the dough: the acidity helps fix the natural beetroot pigment.
Finally, add the egg yolk (at room temperature) and the vanilla extract.
Quickly knead by hand until the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous. Flatten the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for 30′. This step is vital: it allows the beetroot fibers to hydrate and stabilizes the color.
After this time, retrieve the dough, roll it out with a rolling pin using the same plastic wrap to a thickness of about 1/6–1/5 inch.
Cut out your Love cookies with the cookie cutter I found at Lidl Italia, but I’ll leave a very similar one in the Tools Section that you can purchase online.
Transfer the cookies onto a baking sheet with a perforated mat, as I did, or regular parchment paper, and put them in the freezer for 10′ before baking. This thermal shock will maintain the perfect shape. Bake at 350°F in static mode for 10′-11′*.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
Prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar and egg white, then add the beetroot powder and transfer to a disposable piping bag.
Decorate as desired the cookies with the icing, then let dry completely at room temperature for about 5-6 hours or even longer before stacking them in a jar.
And voilà…the beetroot Love cookies are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Love Cookies with icing
Storage
👉The love cookies (with or without icing) keep perfectly in a cool, dark, and dry place inside an airtight container for 10-14 days. The icing acts as a “seal” for the sugar, keeping the cookie crisp longer.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣*The baking: beetroot flour is sensitive to high temperatures. To prevent the cookies from turning brown, as happened to me, bake them at a more moderate temperature (320°F-340°F) always in static mode for about 12′-13′. It’s what I’ll aim to do next time! Don’t wait for them to become golden; they should appear just matte and dry. As they cool on the rack, they will gain the right crispness.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. Why does royal icing come off the cookie?
It often happens if the shortcrust pastry is too rich in butter or if the cookies were not well cooled before decorating. Make sure the cookie is completely cool and “dry” on the surface.
2. Can I substitute butter for a Vegan version?
Absolutely yes. You can use solid coconut oil or a quality vegetable butter.
