Description
Delightful chocolate shortbread heart cookies melt with rich cocoa flavor and buttery charm. Romantic desserts from Scotland offer sweet moments that connect passionate bakers with culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 oz (115g) semi-sweet or white chocolate, melted
- Valentines Day sprinkles
Instructions
- Preparation: Whip butter and sugar into a cloud-like consistency, integrating vanilla extract and cocoa powder to develop a deep, luxurious chocolate foundation.
- Dough Formation: Delicately incorporate flour and salt, gently kneading until a cohesive dough forms without overworking, preserving the signature shortbread delicacy.
- Chilling: Divide dough into two compact discs, wrap securely, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance structural integrity and flavor concentration.
- Shaping: Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface, using a heart-shaped cutter to create precise, romantic cookie outlines. Reassemble and re-roll dough scraps to maximize yield.
- Baking: Arrange heart-shaped cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them to allow minimal expansion. Bake for 12-15 minutes, monitoring closely to achieve a firm edge while maintaining a tender interior.
- Cooling and Finishing: Rest cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once completely cooled, optionally embellish by dipping or drizzling with melted chocolate and sprinkling with decorative accents.
Notes
- Manage Butter Temperature: Ensure butter is softened but not melted to achieve the perfect creamy texture for your shortbread. Room temperature butter blends smoothly, creating a light and airy base for your cookies.
- Prevent Tough Cookies: Handle the dough minimally to avoid developing gluten, which can make shortbread tough. Mix ingredients just until combined, using a gentle folding technique to maintain the delicate, crumbly texture.
- Chill for Precision: Refrigerating the dough is crucial for clean-cut shapes and preventing spread during baking. Cold dough helps cookies retain their heart shape and prevents excessive spreading on the baking sheet.
- Customize Chocolate Intensity: Adjust cocoa powder quantity to control chocolate depth. For a richer flavor, use high-quality dark cocoa powder, or swap partially with Dutch-processed cocoa for a smoother, less bitter chocolate profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 164
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 31mg