Description
These Valentine Cookies are delicate, buttery treats perfect for celebrating love. Soft and tender, they are cut into heart shapes, baked to a light golden perfection, and decorated by dipping in luscious dark and white chocolate followed by colorful nonpareils for a festive touch. Ideal for gifting or sharing at Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cups (150 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups (295 g) all-purpose flour
Chocolate and Decoration
- 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate melting wafers
- Nonpareils for decoration
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is well-creamed and fluffy, helping create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Vanilla and Salt: Stir in the vanilla extract and salt thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is evenly combined.
- Incorporate Egg Yolk: Add the large egg yolk to the mixture and beat until just combined, ensuring the dough binds properly without becoming too wet.
- Add Flour Gradually: With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the all-purpose flour. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently because the dough is dry and crumbly. Continue mixing until all flour is incorporated and a cohesive dough begins to form.
- Form Dough Disk and Chill: Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead it lightly with your hands until it forms a smooth ball. Flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to make rolling easier.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: While chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll and Cut Shapes: Remove chilled dough, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, and roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Lightly flour cookie cutters and cut out heart shapes, placing them on the prepared cookie sheets. Recombine scraps, roll, and cut again to maximize cookie yield.
- Bake Cookies: Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until edges just begin to turn lightly golden brown. Smaller cookies may require less time, so watch closely. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
- Prepare Chocolate for Dipping: Melt dark chocolate melting wafers in one bowl and white chocolate melting wafers in another according to package instructions, ensuring smooth, glossy chocolate for dipping.
- Dip and Decorate: Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Hold each cookie firmly by the base and dip the top surface into the melted chocolate. Immediately place dipped cookies onto wax paper lined sheet chocolate side up and sprinkle with nonpareils while chocolate is still wet. Alternate dipping cookies between dark and white chocolate.
- Set Chocolate: Allow the chocolate coating on the cookies to harden completely at room temperature before serving or packaging.
Notes
- The baking time may vary significantly based on the size and thickness of your cookie cutters; keep a close eye on the cookies to avoid overbaking.
- Using a stand mixer simplifies the creaming process but a hand mixer works equally well.
- Make sure dough is chilled before rolling out to prevent sticking and to maintain cookie shape during baking.
- You can substitute chocolate melting wafers with chocolate chips if preferred, but wafers melt more smoothly.
- For easier cleanup and less mess when dipping, use wax paper on cookie sheets.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
