Description

These buttery, chocolate-flavored shortbread cookies are cut into adorable heart shapes, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. With a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich cocoa flavor, they’re as delicious as they are charming.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: Sprinkles or powdered sugar for decoration

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch but not browned.
Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles or dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

For a deeper chocolate flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.