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Chocolate Valentine’s Day Cookies are a great way to share the love! ❤️ These cookies are memorable and so delicious. They’re the perfect not-too-sweet treat for your favorite chocolate loving cookie monster.
You’ll love the deep, rich chocolate flavor, the perfect texture that’s not too soft and not too crisp. The dark chocolate topping with a crushed freeze dried raspberry garnish is icing on the cake!
Valentine’s Day Cookies
Our recipe for chocolate cut-out sugar cookies has been well tested and perfected over the years. The cookies hold their shape when baked and are loaded with rich chocolate flavor.
With just a hint of espresso powder (you can’t really taste it) to enhance the chocolate flavor and one ounce cream cheese adding a slight tang these are the cookies of your dreams!
In addition to the espresso powder we also switch out a few tablespoons of Dutch process cocoa with black cocoa for a richer, deeper chocolate flavor and color. I keep King Arthur Black Cocoa on hand for all my chocolate recipes. Once you try it you’ll want to make it a staple in your pantry too!
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Ingredients for chocolate cut-out cookies
For the cookie dough:
- unsalted butter at room temperature
- a small amount of block cream cheese at room temperature
- granulated sugar
- large room temperature egg
- vanilla extract
- espresso powder (optional but highly recommended to enhance the chocolate flavor)
- all-purpose flour
- Dutch process cocoa powder (optional: a few tablespoons substituted with black cocoa for a deeper, richer chocolate flavor)
- baking powder
- salt
For the topping and garnish:
- melted dark chocolate
- crushed freeze dried raspberries or sprinkles
How to make Valentine’s Day Cookies
1. Prepare the cookie dough:
In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until blended. Add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. Combine the vanilla and espresso powder stirring until dissolved. Add the egg and vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar. Beat until combined.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Blend on low until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and blend until a soft dough forms.
Gather the dough into a ball and cut into three or four pieces. Press one ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment. Roll the dough to 1/4th inch thickness. Place the entire sheets of parchment and dough onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough stacking the disks on top of each other. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or up to two days.
2. Bake the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove on disk of cookie dough from the refrigerator and cut into desires shapes. Transfer the unbaked cookies to the prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Gather any scraps and refrigerate until you’ve cut out all remaining dough.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies are set and you can small warm chocolate. For best results don’t over-bake. Cool on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.
3. Frost and/or decorate the cookies:
Melt the chocolate according to package directions. Dip half the cookie into the chocolate allowing an excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the dipped cookie on a piece of parchment. Sprinkle the chocolate with freeze dried raspberries or sprinkles.
You can also spread half the cookie with the melted chocolate using an offset spatula. You won’t use as much chocolate with this method so I recommend only melting about 5 or 6 ounces to start.
Storing and Freezing
Once dipped these cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. Place between layers of wax paper to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for longer storage.
Baked, cooled, plain cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips for Success
- Roll the cookie dough out between two pieces of parchment paper instead of using white flour. All-purpose flour can discolor the beautiful chocolate hue. Plus the cookie dough doesn’t stick at all!
- Do not place unbaked cookies on a hot cookie sheet until ready to bake. A hot pan will cause the cookies to spread before baking.
- Don’t over-bake! The cookies should be just set and you should be able to smell warm chocolate.
- Baking time may vary depending on the size and width of your cookies.
Decorating ideas
Chocolate Options:
For the cookies pictured above I used a large bar (4.5oz) of Hershey’s Dark Chocolate. However you can also use any of the following in baking bar form or chocolate chips:
- white chocolate
- milk chocolate
- semisweet chocolate
- bittersweet chocolate
The cookies can be dipped so half the heart is covered or you can spread chocolate on half as I’ve done in the photos.
Instead of dipping you can drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies in a decorative pattern, zig zag or swirl using a piping bag with a small opening cut at the tip.
Filling Options:
Cut out the cookies with a small cookie cutter and sandwich two together with a chocolate ganache filling or raspberry buttercream.
Topping Ideas:
For the cookies in the photos I used crushed freeze dried raspberry crumbs. I love the flavor combo of raspberry and chocolate and the subtle hint is perfect. Freeze dried raspberries are available from Amazon, Target, Trader Joe’s and many well stocked grocery stores.
- Valentine’s Day theme sprinkles
Valentines Day Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper for rolling out the dough
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226g) room temperature
- 1 ounce cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (222g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (318g)
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (48g) SEE NOTE #1
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- 8 ounces chocolate melted SEE NOTE 2
- 1/4 cup freeze dried raspberries or sprinkles
Instructions
To prepare the cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. In a small bowl combine the vanilla and espresso powder. Add the egg and vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar. Beat until combined.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and blend on low until incorporated. Add the final half of the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough forms. Add additional flour, if needed, one tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft and no longer sticky. For best results don’t add more then one or two additional tablespoons or the cookies may be dry. The dough will firm up in the refrigerator.
- Gather the dough into a ball and cut into three or four pieces. Press one ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment. Using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/4th-inch thickness. Place the entire sheet of parchment and rolled out cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, stacking the dough disks on top of each other. Refrigerate the dough for at least 8 hours, or up to two days.
To Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove one disc of cookie dough from the refrigerator and cut into the desired shapes. Transfer the unbaked cookies to the prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Gather any scraps together and refrigerate until you’ve cut out all the remaining dough.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the cookies) or until the cookies are set and you start to smell chocolate. For best results, do not over-bake! Cool on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before topping.
- Gather all scraps of dough and re-roll between parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cut, bake and repeat as needed.
Decorate
- Melt the chocolate according to package directions. Dip half the cookie into the chocolate allowing an excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the dipped cookie on a piece of parchment. Sprinkle the chocolate with freeze dried raspberries or sprinkles.
Recipe Notes
NOTE #2 – For dipping or topping the cookies you can use chocolate chips, semisweet, bittersweet, dark, white or milk chocolate depending on how sweet you’d like it. If spreading the chocolate on half the cookie (just on the top) you won’t need the entire 8 ounces of chocolate. Start with 5 or 6 ounces then melt more as needed.
- For these cookies I used a 2-1/2 by 3-inch cookie cutter with the dough rolled to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Don’t place unbaked cookies on a hot cookie sheet until ready to bake as they will spread.
- DON’T OVER-BAKE! The cookies should be just set and you should be able to smell chocolate.
- Baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the cookies.
- Baked, cooled, plain cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months
Nutrition
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