Chocolate Heart Cookies

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. So what better way to show our family and friends, how much they are loved and appreciated by baking a big batch of these Chocolate Heart Cookies.

Although it is nice to take one day out of the year, such as Valentine’s Day, to let people know we love them, I think it is far more important to tell those we love every day. To ‘love’ is a verb, a doing word and so the act of loving people, should be part of our daily lives.

I love baking for my loved ones and seeing their faces as they bite into something delicious, made by me for them. Because it shows them that they are important to me and loved very much.

These Chocolate Heart Cookies can be made for a fraction of the cost of buying Valentine’s Day gifts and they are so personal. When they are made you make them with love. And there is also an added bonus, you can make these all year round and believe me, these cookies are so utterly delicious, your loved ones will keep coming back for more!!

Great Quality Ingredients Produce The Best Results

The reason for the outstandingly, melt in the mouth flavour of these cookies, is, because they contain cream cheese.

Didn’t see that one coming – hey? 😉

Yep, good old Philly makes a real difference to the soft, almost, truffle like, texture of the cookies and they taste amazing too!

If you are going to make these cookies, it’s worth using a good quality cocoa powder, as that directly affects the chocolate flavour of these hearts. You only use 50g per batch, so it works out pretty cost effective, overall. I use Callebaut as it gives consistently great results.

I used a fluted heart cutter and was happily surprised that each cookie kept the definition during baking.

Recipe: Makes 20-30 Chocolate Heart Cookies, depending on cutter size.

150g/5oz Soft Light Brown Sugar

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

100g/4oz Full Fat Soft Cheese – I use Full Fat Philadelphia Cream left out of the fridge to come up to room temperature

1/4tsp Salt

1 Large Egg Yolk

1/2tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – alternatively 1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey 

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut 

225g/8oz Plain White Flour – plus extra for dusting the worktop

100g/4oz White Chocolate

Method:

Making The Cream Cheese Chocolate Cookie Dough

• First of all add the softened cream cheese, butter, salt and sugar to a large bowl.
• Whisk together until fully combined.
• Now add the egg yolk, vanilla and whisk in.
• Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl.
• Mix together until uniform in colour and texture.
• Wipe the work surface with a clean, damp cloth.
• Lay cling film over the damp worktop, it will stick and not move.
• Place the cookie dough onto the cling film, form into a disc a wrap tightly.
• Place the wrapped cookie dough into the fridge to chill for one hour.

When you are ready to bake the Chocolate Heart Cookies preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, has mark 3, 325F.

Cutting Out And Baking The Heart Shaped Cookies

• Line 2-3 large baking trays with baking parchment.

• If the cookie dough has been in the fridge for more than a few hours (I made the dough on Sunday and baked on Monday), remove and leave to warm slightly for 30 minutes. This will prevent the dough from cracking.
• Divide the dough in two and wrap one half in the cling film.
• Lightly dust the worktop with flour.
• Roll the dough out to approx 1/4 inch thickness (6mm).
• Ensure you are constantly moving the dough and lightly dusting the worktop with flour – as this dough can get quite sticky.

• Using a 2 inch (5cm) heart cutter, cut out the cookies.
• Re-rolling the cookie dough so you can get the maximum number of cookies from it.
• Roll the second half of cookie dough and continue as before.
• I cut out 27 cookies.

• Place the baking trays into the oven and bake for exactly 10 minutes.
• The cookies will have a slightly matt appearance when baked.
• As soon as cookies are baked remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the tray.

Decorating The Chocolate Heart Cookies.

• First of all lay the cookies out in a uniform manner. This makes it easier to pipe the melted chocolate on.
• Into a heatproof and microwaveable bowl add the chopped up white chocolate.
• Heat on 20 second bursts – remembering that white chocolate keeps its shape when melted.
• Stir after every 20 seconds and remove just before all the white chocolate has completely melted.
• Continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted.
• Spoon the warm, melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag – alternatively, use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
• Snip the very end off of the piping bag so that there is only a small hole.
• Pipe a squiggle pattern over the heart cookies, I find it easier to pipe them in vertical lines (from top to bottom) without stopping, lifting the bag tip upwards after the last heart in each line is drizzled.

• Allow to cool completely. This can take a little while and during hotter weather (it is Winter here now) they may need to go into the fridge to set completely.

These are the perfect ‘I Love You’ gift anytime of the year!

Keep the cookies in an airtight container and eat within 5 day. Refrigerate during warmer weather.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chocolate Heart Cookies, then you might also like to try these:

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies

Strawberry Topped Chocolate Heart Pavlova

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

While I am a romantic at heart and also very sentimental, I do enjoy showing those people that are close to me how much I care about them. And also how much certain people mean to me. Rather than always telling them, it is fun to bake a delicious treat and share it with those I love. There are definite benefits to having a keen baker in the family!

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast, especially with those you love.

Sammie x

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