Description
Sweet whispers of chocolate shortbread heart cookies melt romantic desires with rich cocoa and buttery crumbles. Delicate heart shapes promise moments of pure indulgence that connect passionate bakers and dessert enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decorative Ingredients:
- 4 ounces (115g) semi-sweet or white chocolate, melted
- Valentines Day sprinkles
Instructions
- Craft a creamy butter and sugar mixture by whipping them together until they transform into a light, airy texture. Incorporate vanilla extract and cocoa powder, blending thoroughly to create a rich, dark base.
- Gently fold in flour and salt, working the ingredients until a tender dough emerges. Avoid overmixing to maintain the delicate shortbread texture.
- Partition the dough into two equal portions, compressing each into a flat disc. Encase in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes to solidify.
- Heat the oven to 325F (165C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Dust a clean surface with a light flour coating.
- Roll out the chilled dough to a thin, uniform thickness. Utilize a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create delicate cookie shapes, gathering and re-rolling remnants as needed.
- Arrange the heart-shaped cookies on prepared baking sheets, maintaining a small gap between each piece to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching carefully to ensure edges become firm without developing significant browning. The cookies should maintain a soft, tender appearance.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- For an optional elegant finish, partially immerse each cookie in melted chocolate or create a decorative chocolate drizzle. While the chocolate remains glossy, sprinkle with festive Valentine’s Day embellishments.
- Let the chocolate set completely before serving these romantic, rich chocolate shortbread treats.
Notes
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain heart shape during baking.
- Use high-quality cocoa powder for rich, deep chocolate flavor and smooth texture.
- For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend, ensuring 1:1 ratio.
- Handle dough gently and minimally to keep cookies tender and prevent tough texture from overworking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg