Desserts/chocolate sweethearts

Makes: 32 cookies

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

From: Fresh, January/February 2014

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/8 tsp. salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2) sticks unsalted butter, cubed

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on low to cream butter until softened. With a spoon or spatula begin to stir in confectioners' sugar, then cream on low until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and dry ingredients on low until well blended; dough will be dry. Form dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into heart shapes using a 2- to 3-inch cookie cutter. Ball together excess dough and roll out again until all excess dough is used. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Step 5

Bake until surface of cookies appears dry, 10-12 minutes. Place baking sheets on wire racks, and allow cookies to cool completely.

Step 6

When cookies are cook, melt chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave or until smooth, stirring until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a zip-closed plastic bag and snip one corner. Drizzle chocolate on each cookie in a zigzag pattern. Let set about 1 hour. Store cookies in a flat container with waxed paper between each layer, or freeze.