User post: Valentine's Day Conversation Hearts

Katie Dillon


Why buy conversations hearts when it's easy to make your own. Your kids can roll the dough and use cookie or fondant cutters to make the hearts. These also taste better.

Conversation Hearts:

1 tsp gelatin (1/2 packet)
1 tsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup of water
1 lb of powdered sugar, plus a little extra for dusting
Vanilla or almond extract
Food coloring
Food markers
Heart shaped fondant or cookie cutters

1. Mix the gelatin, corn syrup and water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds or until the gelatin has been melted.
2. Mix the above gelatin mixture and 1 cup of powdered sugar with a hand or stand mixer. Continue to add powdered sugar one cup at a time. It will turn into a gooey, thick dough.
3. Scrape dough off sides of bowl, and knead on a non stick surface until smooth.
4. Divide and color the dough. If you're using flavoring, add a few drops. I used vanilla flavored corn syrup so omitted flavor.
5. Knead the color and flavoring into the dough.
6. Roll out the dough and use cookie or fondant cutters to make heart shapes. The dough is supposed to be about 1/4″ thick. If your child is rolling the dough unevenly, it doesn't matter.
7. Dry hearts overnight on parchment paper.
8. Write words on hearts with a food marker.


Don't throw away the scraps. Have your child mash them together to form multicolored hearts. For the complete step by step with photos, see Homemade Conversation Hearts for Valentine's Day. This recipe made about 4 dozen 1 inch hearts.

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*Katie Dillon writes La Jolla Mom, an award winning lifestyle site about food, travel, parenting, homekeeping, and local happenings. She lives in La Jolla with her husband and preschool aged daughter, and is a proud member of the Yahoo! Mother Board.