CHOCOLATE SPICE COOKIES WITH HEARTFELT DECORATIONS

 

Light but flavourful chocolate spice cookies cut into heart shapes, decorated with white chocolate and Valentine’s sprinkles or with messages made of royal icing…

 

 

 

For the cookies:

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

¹/₃ cup dark brown sugar, packed

6 ounces dark chocolate

2 eggs, room temperature

2-½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ heaping teaspoon each cloves, allspice, nutmeg

¼ heaping teaspoon kosher salt

¼ heaping teaspoon black pepper

pinch of cayenne, optional

To decorate:

1-½ cups white chocolate chips or discs, melted

1/4 cup fondant hearts

1/4 cup red sparkle sugar

Messages can also be written on larger cookies using royal icing.

Instructions

Prepare cookie dough: Place chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt in double boiler. Set aside. Place flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Place butter and sugars into a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat these ingredients together until light and fluffy. Crack eggs into a small bowl, lightly beat them, then add them to the wet mix, followed by the melted chocolate. Add the dry mixture little by little, mixing until the dough comes together.

Transfer dough to work surface, bringing it together by hand. Wrap and chill dough for 30 minutes. Dough can also be frozen for future use.

For baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Roll out to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Cut cookies into heart shapes using cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in oven for 8 – 10 minutes, depending on size. Remove cookies from oven and immediately transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate: Place white chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt in a double boiler. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a #2 icing tip, or snip off the very end to create a small opening. Once cookies are cool, do a zig zag of chocolate across the top of each cookie followed by a sprinkle of sparkling sugar or miniature fondant hearts. Cool cookies ensuring chocolate is set.

 

Find more video recipes on the Weekend at the Cottage YouTube Channel.