I grew up making chocolate chip cookies shaped like hearts for every school bake sale and Valentine’s Day. These Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies are the same soft, slightly chewy cookies you love — just rolled and cut into hearts for a charming finish. They’re fast to make, kid-approved, and perfect when you want a homemade gift or a festive dessert without fuss.
Why you’ll love this dish
These cookies combine the nostalgia of a classic chocolate chip cookie with the showmanship of a shaped cutout. They’re:
- Easy enough for bakers of any skill level.
- Flexible: decorate simply with powdered sugar or go full glam with melted chocolate and sprinkles.
- Great for gifting because the heart shape looks polished even when you’re short on time.
They’re perfect for holidays, school parties, last-minute gifts, or a cozy baking day at home.
"Simple, buttery, and holding their shape perfectly — the heart cutters turn a familiar cookie into something special. My kids begged to help!" — a quick review from a regular baker
The cooking process explained
Overview: You’ll make a classic drop-cookie dough, chill it so it holds its shape, roll it out, cut heart shapes, and bake until the edges are just golden. Dry ingredients are mixed separately then folded into creamed butter and sugars. Chocolate chips get added last. Chilling the dough is the key step that prevents spreading and keeps the hearts crisp around the edges.
Time estimate:
- Active time: 20–30 minutes (not counting chilling)
- Chill time: 30–60 minutes
- Bake time: 12–14 minutes per batch
What you’ll need
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (swap up to ¼ cup whole wheat for nuttier flavor)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (can substitute salted butter — reduce added salt to ¼ tsp)
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (helps with even mixing)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (use chopped chocolate for larger pockets)
- Optional: powdered sugar, sprinkles, or melted chocolate for decorating
Notes: If you need an egg-free version, use ½ cup applesauce or a commercial egg replacer — texture will be slightly different. For gluten-free, try a 1:1 gluten-free AP flour blend, but chill time may need to increase.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand so they’re evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and chill for 30–60 minutes. Chilling firms the fat so the cookies keep a neat heart shape when baked.
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/3-inch thickness.
- Use a heart-shaped cutter to stamp cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired with powdered sugar, sprinkles, or drizzle with melted chocolate once cooled.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve these cookies warm with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee. For a dessert plate, pair with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce. They’re also lovely stacked in a clear cookie tin as a gift, wrapped with a ribbon. For parties, lay them on a platter with assorted small cookies and berries for color contrast.
Storage and reheating tips
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Place a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft.
- Refrigerator: Keeps for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a sheet until firm, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- To reheat: Warm a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes to revive softness.
Food safety: If you make the dough in advance and it contains raw egg, either bake the cookies before storing in the fridge, or keep dough refrigerated and bake within 24–48 hours to reduce bacterial risk.
Pro chef tips
- Chill for control: If you want sharper edges on your hearts, chill the rolled sheet of dough for 10–15 minutes before cutting.
- Even thickness: Roll dough between two sheets of parchment for uniform cookies and easier transfer.
- Avoid overmixing: Once you add flour, mix only until combined to keep cookies tender.
- Uniform baking: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the bake for even color.
- For prettier edges: Use a metal cutter and press straight down without twisting; twisting can pinch the edges and create uneven bakes.
Creative twists
- Double chocolate: Use cocoa in the dough (swap 1/4 cup flour for 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa) and white chocolate chips.
- Nutty crunch: Stir in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Citrus hint: Add 1 tsp orange zest to the dough for a bright note that pairs well with chocolate.
- Gluten-free or vegan: Use a gluten-free flour blend and vegan butter plus a flax egg (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water per egg) — texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Mini sandwiches: Sandwich two hearts with a thin layer of frosting or Nutella for an elegant treat.
Your questions answered
Q: How long do I really need to chill the dough?
A: 30 minutes is usually enough to firm the dough so shapes hold. For cleaner edges and less spread, chill up to 60 minutes or even overnight.
Q: Can I skip chilling and drop spoonfuls instead of cutting shapes?
A: Yes — if you skip chilling, the dough will spread more and won’t hold the heart shape. You can still make drop cookies with the same dough; bake time might be a minute shorter.
Q: Why did my cookies spread into ovals?
A: Likely reasons are warm butter, dough not chilled, overworked dough, or a too-hot oven. Chill the dough and make sure your oven temperature is accurate.
Q: Can I bake frozen shaped cookies without thawing?
A: Yes. Place frozen cut cookies on the baking sheet and add 1–2 minutes to the bake time. No need to thaw.
Q: Is it safe to eat the raw dough?
A: Raw dough contains raw eggs and raw flour, both of which can carry bacteria. For safety, avoid eating raw dough; bake before consuming.
Conclusion
If you want more inspiration for heart-shaped cookie ideas and decoration tips, check out Easy Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bake & Bacon for a simple visual guide. For another tested method and different decoration ideas, see Heart-shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies – Texanerin Baking.
Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour Can swap up to ¼ cup for whole wheat for nuttier flavor.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened Can substitute salted butter, reduce added salt to ¼ tsp.
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature Helps with even mixing.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Use chopped chocolate for larger pockets.
Optional Toppings
- powdered sugar For decorating.
- sprinkles For decorating.
- melted chocolate For decorating.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand so they’re evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and chill for 30–60 minutes.
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/3-inch thickness.
- Use a heart-shaped cutter to stamp cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Baking
- Bake 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decoration
- Decorate as desired with powdered sugar, sprinkles, or drizzle with melted chocolate once cooled.
