Decadent Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Hearts
These chocolate-dipped shortbread hearts are buttery, tender cookies with a smooth bittersweet chocolate coating, perfect for Valentine’s Day treats or thoughtful homemade gifts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
- Optional: sea salt flakes for sprinkling
Instructions
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla extract and salt until combined.
- Gradually add flour, mixing on low until just combined; dough should be soft and crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (optional but recommended).
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Lightly flour surface and roll dough to about ¼ inch (6mm) thickness.
- Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place them 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are just turning golden but cookies remain pale.
- Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth, or use a double boiler.
- Dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, letting excess drip off, then place on parchment paper.
- Optionally sprinkle sea salt flakes on chocolate before it sets.
- Let chocolate set at room temperature for about 30 minutes or refrigerate briefly to speed up.
Notes
Chill dough to make rolling easier and prevent spreading. Cool cookies completely before dipping to avoid chocolate sliding off. Use good quality chocolate for best flavor and smooth finish. Microwave chocolate in short bursts or use a double boiler to prevent burning. Optionally sprinkle sea salt flakes on wet chocolate for flavor contrast. Dough can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1.5
Keywords: shortbread, chocolate-dipped, Valentine’s Day, cookies, homemade, easy recipe, buttery, chocolate coating