Hey friend! If you’ve ever wanted to make Valentine’s day extra sweet without spending hours in the kitchen, these Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies are your new go-to. Imagine soft, chocolatey bites that melt in your mouth, shaped like little hearts, the kind of valentines cookies that make everyone smile before the first bite. They’re cozy, fun to bake, and the perfect heart shaped desserts to share.
The best part? These cookies are easy, fun, and totally forgiving, no fancy tools needed. Grab a heart-shaped cutter (or freehand your hearts!) and watch them turn out soft, chocolatey, and irresistible. By the time they’re ready, your kitchen will smell like chocolate heaven, and you’ll have the cutest Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies to share with loved ones.
What You’ll Need
- Salted Butter: This gives your cookies a rich, creamy base and helps them hold their heart shapes perfectly.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds natural sweetness and chewiness, plus that lovely caramel-y flavor everyone loves.
- Egg: Works as a binder to keep everything together and keeps the cookies soft and tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings a warm, cozy aroma that makes these cookies smell like they came straight from a bakery.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure so the cookies don’t spread too much and stay thick and soft in the center.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly while giving you just the right amount of crisp around the edges.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Tiny bursts of chocolate in every bite, because chocolate is the real MVP here.
- Espresso Powder (optional): Just a pinch can make the chocolate flavor pop even more without tasting like coffee.
How to Make Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Start with soft, dreamy butter
Leave your salted butter out until it’s soft but not melted, this is key for that perfect chewy texture. Pop it in a bowl, add the brown sugar, and beat until it’s fluffy and light.
2. Bring in the egg and vanilla
Add your room-temperature egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. This step isn’t just about binding; it’s what gives the cookies that rich, tender bite you can’t resist. Quick tip: if your egg is cold, gently warm it in a bowl of warm water for a minute so it blends easily.
3. Gently fold in the flour and baking soda
Whisk your flour and baking soda together, then gradually mix it into the buttery base. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together, overworked dough = tougher cookies. You want soft, cozy cookies, not bricks.
4. Chocolate magic (and a tiny secret boost)
Fold in your mini chocolate chips. If you’re feeling fancy, add a pinch of espresso powder, it makes the chocolate flavor pop in a subtle, grown-up way. Every bite should feel indulgent, without being overwhelming.
5. Chill out
Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Chilling is your secret weapon for cookies that hold their shape, stay thick, and bake up soft in the middle.
6. Roll, cut, and embrace the imperfections
Dust your work surface with a thin layer of flour and roll the dough out to roughly half an inch in thickness. Use your heart-shaped cutter to stamp out cookies. Gather scraps, re-roll, and repeat. Tip: pressing a few extra chips on top makes them look bakery-ready.
7. Bake with love
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a tray with parchment paper, space the cookies slightly apart, and bake for 9–11 minutes. Aim for softly browned rims, making sure the middle stays pleasantly soft.
8. Quick save for shapes
If a few cookies spread slightly, no stress, the heart shape remains visible, and that little bit of rustic imperfection adds character! But if you prefer a cleaner, more polished look, lightly press the cutter over them while they’re still warm to tidy the edges.
9. Cool, admire, and devour
Let the cookies rest on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Then, enjoy your chewy, chocolatey hearts.
Mistakes to Avoid
Rolling the dough too thin
Thin dough = crunchy, uneven cookies. Aim for about ½ inch so your hearts stay thick, soft, and keep their shape.
Using cold butter or a cold egg
Cold ingredients don’t blend well and can make the dough dry or crumbly. Room temperature makes everything smooth and consistent.
Baking until they look “done”
They’ll look slightly underbaked when you take them out, that’s exactly what you want. They firm up as they cool, staying soft and chewy.
Using too much flour on your rolling surface
A heavy dusting can sneak extra flour into your dough and make the cookies dry. Lightly sprinkle, just enough to keep things from sticking.
What to Serve With These Cookies
- A warm mug of hot chocolate
The melty chocolate chips + a creamy cocoa moment? Pure Valentine’s magic. - Vanilla ice cream
Sandwich two hearts together for the cutest mini ice cream sandwiches. - Fresh strawberries
Light, juicy, and the perfect fruity balance to rich, chocolatey cookies. - A drizzle of warm chocolate sauce
Turn them into a quick dessert plate that feels extra fancy with zero effort.
How to Store These Cookies
Room Temperature (Best for Soft Cookies)
Keep them in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Add a slice of bread inside, it keeps the cookies soft without changing the flavor.
Refrigerator (If you like them extra chewy)
Store them in a sealed container for up to a week. Let them sit at room temp for a few minutes before eating so the chocolate softens again.
Freezer – Baked Cookies
Freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can keep them fresh for up to a full two months. Warm for 10–15 seconds in the microwave to revive that fresh-baked vibe.
Freezer – Cookie Dough Hearts
Cut out your heart shapes, freeze them on a tray, then store in a freezer bag. No need to thaw; bake frozen and increase the bake time by 2 minutes.
If you give these cookies a try, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you! Drop a little note in the comments and tell me who you shared them with (or if you kept them all for yourself).
Try These Cookies Too
Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies for Gifting
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour well measured
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp Espresso Powder optional
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 ¾ cup mini chocolate chips dark or milk
Instructions
- Start by letting your salted butter soften on the counter until it feels pliable but not melty, then beat it with the brown sugar until the mixture turns light and airy. Once it looks smooth and creamy, mix in the egg and vanilla, stirring until everything blends together into a silky base.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, then add it slowly into the wet mixture. Mix only until the dough forms, stopping early keeps the cookies soft instead of tough. Stir in the mini chocolate chips, and if you want a little extra chocolate depth, sprinkle in a tiny pinch of espresso powder. It’s subtle but makes the flavor richer.
- Cover the dough and let it chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes so it firms up and holds its shape while baking. When the dough is ready, dust your surface with a little flour and roll it out to roughly ½ inch thick. Press out your heart shapes with a cookie cutter, gathering the scraps and rolling them out again until you’ve used up all the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, line a baking sheet with parchment, and arrange the cutouts with a bit of space between each one. Bake them for 9–11 minutes, just until the edges start turning lightly golden and the centers stay soft. If any cookies spread a bit, don’t worry, you can still clearly see the heart shape and that slightly rustic look is part of the charm! But if you’d like them to look extra neat and perfect, gently press the cutter over the cookies while they’re still warm to clean up the edges.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled slightly, enjoy their chewy centers, chocolatey pockets, and perfect heart-shaped charm.
Notes
- Let the dough sit on the counter for a few minutes if it gets too firm after chilling, it rolls out easier that way.
- If your cutter sticks, give it a quick dip in flour between cuts.
