Brownie Heart Roll-Out Cookies.

I wanted to make some heart-shaped chocolate cookies to give away for Valentine's Day and I found a great, unique recipe on Smitten Kitchen for brownie roll-out cookies. With all those comments reassuring me this was a delicious recipe, I had to go for it and indeed they were perfect!  Tender on the outside with a chewy bite, held their shape nicely in the oven, no puffing or spreading at all.  It was exactly what I had in mind, sprinkled with pink and red sugar to match the occasion.  I cut the recipe in half and it gave me about 50 2" heart cookies - plenty for gift-giving as well as afternoon snacks and after dinner treats!

Whether or not you think Valentine's Day is just a money-making ploy from card and candy companies, I hope you take the time today to let the people in your life know how much you love and appreciate them. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! :)

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's!)
Colored decorating sugars (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.  In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and cocoa powder until well combined, then add the flour mixture, stirring until a nice smooth dough forms.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When you're ready to roll out the dough, take it out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll the dough to 1/4" thick, cutting out your shapes and placing them on the baking sheets.  Sprinkle the raw cookies with sugar, if desired, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until set on the edges and slightly puffy in the middle.  Cool completely on wire racks and store airtight for up to a week.