Valentine Cookies

Chocolate cookies covered in red and pink sprinkles topped with chocolate hearts.

Chocolate cookies covered in pink and red sprinkles and topped with a chocolate heart. These cookies are super chocolaty making them the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 194kcal

Author Allison Mattina

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter softened slightly, still cool
⅔ cup light brown sugar make sure it's fresh and soft
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg straight from the fridge
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour*
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup sprinkles I used nonpareils
15 solid chocolate hearts or Hershey's kisses

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the chocolate hearts in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes while you proceed with the cookies.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars for several minutes, until light and creamy. Add the the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until combined.
Pour the sprinkles onto a large plate (I start with ¼ cup). Scoop the dough into 1½ tablespoon portions (I use a cookie scoop). Gently roll the sides and top of the cookie dough balls into the sprinkles (no need to get sprinkles on the bottom of the cookies). Place the dough balls a couple inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets**. Make sure the dough balls are mounded higher than wider, and not flatted at all (this is so that they don't spread too much).
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to set and the centers are still slightly underdone. They will look under baked, but the cookies will set as they cool.
Place the baking sheets on wire racks. Allow to cool for 2 minutes then place a chocolate heart in the center of each cookie. No need to press it down, the bottom of the heart will start to melt and after several minutes you'll be able to nestle it onto the top of the cookies to help it stick. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan on the wire racks.

Notes

*To properly measure flour: fluff the flour several times with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion and level it off with the back of a knife.

**For thicker cookies place the cookie dough balls (already rolled in sprinkles) in the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking.

I used Hershey's Valentine hearts. You can use any solid chocolate hearts or Hershey's kisses.

Nutrition