Valentine’s season is one of my favorite times of year to make decorated cookies (second only to Christmas). One thing I like about Valentine’s cookies is that you can get away with just a simple shape (a heart) and three colors (red, white, and pink) and still make some really special cookies.
For Valentine’s cookies I often set aside my “regular” sugar cookie recipe and make some delicious Chocolate rolled cookies. In fact, this recipe is so delicious I should really pull it out more often! This recipe is a slight variation of a recipe a friend gave me several years ago.
Chocolate Rolled Cookies
1 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons chocolate liqueur or extra strong coffee (this can be made with about 1 teaspoon of instant espresso dissolved into 2 Tablespoons warm water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1.) Sift together (or gently stir with a whisk) the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2..) With an electric mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fully incorporated and fluffy.
2.) Beat in egg, coffee or liqueur, and vanilla.
3.) Add in flour/cocoa mixture about 1 cup at a time. Blend until fully incorporated. (If you are using a hand mixer you may need to add the last cup of flour by hand).
4.) Divide dough into two or three large balls, place in a plastic bag and chill in the refrigerator 1-2 hours (if you’re in a hurry, you can chill the dough for about 20 minutes in the freezer).
5.) Once chilled, work with one ball of dough at a time, and roll onto a lightly floured surface. I find it works best to place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough, and then roll on top of the parchment. This prevents the dough from sticking to your rolling pin, and you also don’t need to add as much extra flour (as you would without the parchment).
6.) Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on a baking sheet.
7.) Place the baking sheet (with cookies on it) in the freezer about 5 minutes (this helps the dough keep it’s shape when baked).
8.) Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes (depending on size) in a 350*F oven.
9.) Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
10.) Decorate as desired.
Recipe Source- Glorious Treats
HERE is my royal icing recipe as well as lots of decorating tips to get you started.
HERE is a decorating tutorial from Karen’s Cookies that shows several of the same decorating techniques I used for these Valentine’s cookies.
Happy Baking!
How to Make Chocolate Rolled Cookies
Chocolate Rolled Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chocolate liqueur or extra strong coffee this can be made with about 1 teaspoon of instant espresso dissolved into 2 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Sift together (or gently stir with a whisk) the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fully incorporated and fluffy.
- Beat in egg, coffee or liqueur, and vanilla.
- 3Add in flour/cocoa mixture about 1 cup at a time. Blend until fully incorporated. (If you are using a hand mixer you may need to add the last cup of flour by hand).
- Divide dough into two or three large balls, place in a plastic bag and chill in the refrigerator 1-2 hours (if you’re in a hurry, you can chill the dough for about 20 minutes in the freezer).
- Once chilled, work with one ball of dough at a time, and roll onto a lightly floured surface. I find it works best to place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough, and then roll on top of the parchment. This prevents the dough from sticking to your rolling pin, and you also don’t need to add as much extra flour (as you would without the parchment).
- Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet (with cookies on it) in the freezer about 5 minutes (this helps the dough keep it’s shape when baked).
- Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes (depending on size) in a 350*F oven.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Decorate as desired.
Lizet says
Hi, I made these cookies and they were really good. I posted your recipe in my blog in english and spanish, so now all my friends in South America can make them too. 🙂
Joanna says
Can u please tell what can I use instead of strong coffee to make this recipe kid friendly? Thank you very much
Laura says
I’d like to know that too. Is it for flavor? I don’t like coffee but would love to try these.
RJ says
Do you use regular or Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe?
Simone says
I love these! They are adorable! Every time I go to click on the icing link and the tutorial link it just takes me back to the main page. Help?
Kristen says
Can iced cookies be frozen or will it be ruined once thawed?
Glory says
You can freeze undecorated cookies, but I would not recommend freezing decorated cookies. Very likely as the (decorated) cookies thaw you icing with bleed together a bit.
Glory says
Opps, sorry, typing too fast…. “your icing will bleed…”
Making of a Mom says
LOVE these! They have been feature in my Valentine Treat post published today! You can check it out here:
http://makingofamom.com/new-valentines-treat-roundup/
Glory/ Glorious Treats says
Tammie- It usually takes a full 12 hours to dry cookies flooded with royal icing. If you are finding they are not dry after this amount of time, you may be adding too much water to your icing, or you may have too much humidity in your home. I live in a dry climate, but I know humidity can be a problem.
Vaness- It will be more difficult, but I think you could make this dough by hand. It will just take a bit of kneading to incorporate all of the dry ingredients.
vanessa says
may i know if i could mix is using a wisk/spoon instead of an electric mixer?
Tammie says
As usual your cookies are beautiful! I used your post as inspiration and made these as gifts and thought they came out really great. The cookies are yummy with or with out icing. Unfortunately, my icing was still tacky on top after leaving them dry overnight. I ended up having to put sanding sugar on the tops in order to put them in cellophane bags. I have only worked with royal icing 5 times and 2 of those times my icing came out this way. The first time I blamed the Wilton coloring for it but this time I used Americolor. If you can tell me what it is you think I'm doing wrong it would be greatly appreciated.
jennifer.chorazy says
Just made these…. OMG they are fabulous! And I haven't even added icing yet! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!