These Valentine Cookies are the perfect blend of sweetness and charm, designed to make your heart skip a beat. With a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a delicate hint of vanilla, each bite feels like a warm hug. In just 40 minutes, you can create a batch of 45 cookies that are as delightful to make as they are to share. Their soft, crumbly edges and rich, creamy centers are sure to win over anyone lucky enough to try them.
Packed with just 95 calories per cookie, these treats are guilt-free indulgence at its finest. The subtle sweetness, balanced by a touch of richness, makes them irresistible for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a loved one or treating yourself, these cookies are a simple yet elegant way to celebrate love. Their heartwarming flavor and effortless preparation make them a must-try for every baking enthusiast.
Ingredients for Valentine Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened (ensure it’s at room temperature for easy mixing)
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure extract for best flavor)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups (295 g) all-purpose flour (spoon and level for accurate measurement)
- 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate melting wafers (or substitute with semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate melting wafers (or substitute with milk chocolate chips)
- Nonpareils or sprinkles for decoration (use festive colors for Valentine’s Day)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add flavor: Mix in the vanilla extract and salt until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing.
- Incorporate the egg yolk: Add the egg yolk and beat until just combined.
- Add flour: Gradually add the flour on medium-low speed, scraping the bowl frequently to ensure the dough is well-mixed. The dough will be dry and crumbly.
- Shape and chill: Transfer the dough to a clean surface and form it into a ball. Flatten into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut: Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Use lightly floured cookie cutters to cut out shapes, transferring them to the prepared cookie sheets.
- Reuse scraps: Re-roll the dough scraps and cut out more cookies to maximize your yield.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes (adjust for smaller or larger cookies) until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt chocolate: Place the dark and white chocolate melting wafers in separate bowls and melt according to package instructions.
- Dip and decorate: Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate, place on a wax paper-lined sheet, and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or sprinkles. Alternate between dark and white chocolate for variety.
- Set and serve: Allow the chocolate to harden completely before serving. Enjoy your festive Valentine Cookies!
Creative Chocolate Dipping Ideas
While the recipe suggests dipping the cookies in dark or white chocolate, you can get creative with your toppings! Try drizzling melted chocolate in zigzag patterns over the cookies for a decorative touch. Alternatively, use colored candy melts for a festive twist. For a nutty flavor, sprinkle crushed almonds or pistachios on the chocolate before it hardens.
Perfect Pairings for Your Cookies
These Valentine Cookies pair beautifully with a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of cold milk. For a more indulgent treat, serve them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. They also make a lovely addition to a dessert platter with fresh berries and other bite-sized sweets.
Storing Your Cookies for Freshness
To keep your cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you’d like to prepare them in advance, you can freeze the undipped cookies for up to 2 months. Just thaw them at room temperature before dipping in chocolate and decorating.
Time-Saving Tips for Busy Bakers
If you’re short on time, skip the rolling and cutting process by shaping the dough into small balls and flattening them with a fork for a classic look. You can also use pre-made cookie dough and focus on the fun part—dipping and decorating! Another tip is to melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals for quicker prep.
Common Questions Answered
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon.
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
A hand mixer or even a sturdy wooden spoon will work just fine.
How do I prevent the dough from sticking?
Lightly flour your rolling pin and work surface, and chill the dough if it becomes too soft to handle.
Valentine Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 cup white chocolate melting wafers
- Nonpareils for decoration
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) and beat until well-creamed.
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt, stirring until well-combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Add egg yolk and beat until combined
- With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add flour until well-incorporated (you will definitely need to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl several times for this, as the mixture is fairly dry and crumbs tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl).
- Transfer dough to clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball.
- Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Once dough has chilled, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to 1/4″ thickness.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes, transferring them to ungreased cookie sheet.
- Once you have cut out all of the shapes that you can, be sure to re-combine the scraps and roll out and cut out again to get the maximum number of cookies from your dough.
- Bake on 350F for 10-12 minutes (this is how long it took me to bake my 2″ heart cookies, you may need less time for smaller cookies or longer if you are using larger cookie cutters — look for the edges to be just beginning to turn lightly golden brown) and allow cookies to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
- Prep chocolate by placing dark chocolate melting wafers in one bowl and white chocolate melting wafers in another and preparing according to package instructions.
- Once chocolate is melted, line a cookie sheet with wax paper and, firmly holding the base of each cookie, dip the surface into the chocolate.
- Immediately after dipping, place on wax paper lined cookie sheet (chocolate side up) and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils/sprinkles. Repeat, alternating with white and dark chocolate, until all cookies are covered with chocolate.
- Allow chocolate to harden before serving.