Heart Shaped Cookies (2024)

Published: Jan 25, 2023 · Modified: Mar 26, 2023 by Katalin Nagy · This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads. Please read our Disclosures.

These are the cutest heart-shaped cookies, and you don't need a cookie cutter to make them! This easy recipe is so simple and the result is deliciously gooey heart shaped chocolate chip cookies that are perfect for Valentine's Day or any celebration of love (and we all love freshly baked cookies).

❤️ How do you make a heart-shaped cookie without a cutter?

How to make heart shaped cookies? If you don't have a heart shaped cookie cutter, don't worry! To make heart shaped cookies without a cutter you need to shape the balls of cookie dough on the tray before resting and baking. You can then help them along during baking by using a teaspoon to press the edges and keep them in a heart shape. When the cookies have just come out of the oven and are still hot they are also pliable enough to be adjusted further to get that perfect heart shape.

Another alternative is to use a knife to cut cookies into a heart shape after baking, although I do not recommend this as it creates waste. Although in my house, no cookies ever get wasted!

🌟 Why this is the best recipe

1. They're cute: These chocolate chip cookies in a heart shape are super cute and perfect for loved-up events like Valentine's Day or anniversaries. I have other Valentine's Day recipes you can try too eg. these white chocolate covered strawberries are the perfect easy dessert besides these cookies!
2. They're tasty: Who doesn't love a gooey chocolate chip cookie? With just the right amount of crunch, a perfect rise, and melted chocolate chips, they look and taste fantastic.
3. They're easy: This easy cookie recipe is so simple, it doesn't require any special kitchen equipment or ingredients. You can make the homemade cookie dough in minutes and then it just needs to rest before being baked to perfection. And you don't need a heart cutter!

📝 Ingredient notes

1. Unsalted butter: Always use high-quality, unsalted butter in baking, and for this heart-shaped cookie recipe, take it out of the fridge a little while before so that it is atroom temperature.
2. Brown sugar: We use both brown and white sugar in these chocolate chip heart-shaped cookies, to get a deliciously sweet taste. Brown sugar has molasses content, which gives it a slight caramel taste.
3. White granulated sugar: Sugar doesn't just add sweetness and taste to cookies though, it also helps to lock in moisture and keeps them soft. To find out more about sugar and all the ways it works in baking, read my sugar guide
4. Eggs: Eggs are baking superheroes that play so many roles. They add moisture and richness, work as a binding agent, and they have leavening qualities. Always use room-temperature eggs in baking and check out my guide on what eggs do in baking to learn more.
5. All-purpose flour: AP flour, or plain flour as it is sometimes known, is a medium-strength all-rounder that is the best flour for baking cookies. To find out more about flour, read my flour guide.
6. Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer and helps to balance the sweetness in cookies.
7. Baking soda: Baking soda is a chemical leavening agent that helps the cookies to rise and go deliciously tender and chewy.
8. Chocolate chips: Use good quality semi sweet chocolate chips, or they can melt unevenly and even go greasy. I recommend Callebaut as a reliable brand.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this Heart Cookies recipe

1. Process of making heart shaped chocolate chip cookies

Making these heart-shaped cookies is the same as my other easy cookie recipes, but we shape them both before and during baking. Here's how to make them!

1. Whip the butter and both sugars together with an electric hand mixer.
2. Slowly add the egg, just until combined
3. Mix the dry ingredients together. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a separate bowl and stir to combine.
4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using arubber spatula until just combined - do not overmix.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips, but leave some behind to place more on top later.
6. Line cookie sheets with baking parchment paper. I recommend baking these heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies in two batches, and baking 5 cookies at once.
7. Divide the dough into 10 equal-sized balls and place 5 onto each tray with enough space between them to spread.
8. Create heart shapes made from dough with your hands. Press some more chocolate chips on the surface of the dough.
9. Rest the cookie dough in the fridge for one hour.

To turn this into heart shaped chocolate chip cookie recipe, simply divide the dough into 5 and make the cookies twice as big!

💡 Top Tip: When shaping cookies, make sure the heart has a long and pointy tip and the top of each heart cookie is defined and well-rounded. The cookies will puff up and this helps keep the heart shape as they bake.

2. How to further shape the cookies into a heart shape after baking

1. Pre-heat the oven to 175°C / 347°F(no fan)
2. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes but check the shape after 10 minutes. If needed, use a teaspoon to gently press the edges back into a heart shape before baking for the final 5 minutes.
3. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, and then carefully remove them to acooling rack. You can also still adjust their shape whilst they are hot with the back of a spoon if you need to.
4. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving to really bring out the flavors.
5. Store the heart-shaped cookies at room temperature for 2-3 days in an airtight jar or container.

Cookies are most delicious when served slightly warm when the chocolate chips are still soft and gooey.

💡 Top Tip: After 10 minutes in the oven, I like to gently reshape my heart shaped cookies and place more chocolate chips on top, and then dust them with pink sprinkles.

✨ Flavor variations & Substitutions

Play with the kind of chocolate chips, you can use white chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate, or even a mixture of all of them! You could also use ruby chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.

To add an extra pink touch for your Valentine's Day cookies or for an anniversary, try stirring some raspberry coulis through the cookie dough or add some freeze-fried raspberries as well as chocolate chips. If you've made these heart shaped biscuits and need more ideas, try this pink cake too!

To make these heart-shaped cookies even more decadent, serve them with a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top.

If you are a coffee lover, add some espresso powder to the dough just as I make my coffee cookies!

You can use some sprinkles in the cookie dough or even M&M like in these m and m cookies.

Check out my baking guides if you are baking around a dietary restriction or preference that prevents you from using certain ingredients. For example, read my guides onbutter substitutesandegg substitutesand take note of the quantities and instructions when making the swap to get the best result.

🎓 Expert tips

1. Use room-temperature eggs and butter.
2. Preheat the oven and use an oven thermometer to ensure it is at the right temperature.
3. Do not skip the chilling time or the cookies might end up very flat. If you don't have time to chill the cookies for one hour in the fridge, blast them for 15 minutes in the freezer instead.
4. Make the heart shapes very defined. The cookies will lose their shape as they bake and puff up, but you can always bring them back to heart shape using a spoon on their edges when they are still hot on the baking sheet.
5. Do not overbake the cookies, or they will not be deliciously gooey and fudgy. If you somehow forget them in the oven, here is what to do with burnt cookies.

🥣 Equipment Notes

I always recommend using a digital scale and weighing ingredients by the gram - baking is a science and requires precision.

A hand-held electric hand mixer is a great piece of kitchen kit and can be used on everything from cookies to cakes.

Fold ingredients together with a rubber spatula to avoid knocking out the air and keep your baked goods light and fluffy.

All ovens vary, and a digital oven thermometer will make sure you are baking at the right temperature. After all, you don't want to waste all of your ingredients and hard work making heart-shaped biscuits.

Allow your heart shaped chocolate chip cookies to cool on a wire cooling rack so that air can circulate around them and prevent moisture from forming underneath them on the tray.

❓Recipe FAQs

🍰 More Valentine´s Day recipes

Have you tried this recipe?

Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your dessert turned out and your feedback also helps other Readers!