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Take some chocolate brownies, grab a heart cookie cutter, and bring a whole lot of smiles. I’ve surprised people for years with these chewy fudge hearts and a bit of extra care. Each one is basically an edible hug, great for telling someone you’re thinking of them.
Back when my kids were tiny, I started making these every February. Now it’s just tradition. There’s nothing like cutting brownies into hearts – it’s just fun kitchen magic.
Gorgeous Essentials
- Unsalted real butter: Go for the good stuff
- Deep cocoa powder: Rich and dark
- Eggs, fresh: Let them warm up first
- Genuine vanilla: No fake flavor here
- Heart sprinkles: Makes 'em party ready
- Pink candy melts: Sweet drizzle magic
- Parchment paper: Cleanup's a breeze
- Heart cookie cutter: The main tool you need
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Making Chocolate Magic
- Fudgy Batter:
- Melt butter until it’s totally liquid, then beat together with sugar till it’s thick and grainy. Drop in eggs one at a time, add vanilla too. The chocolate scent will make you hungry already. Sprinkle cocoa and flour right in and mix, but just barely – we want gooey middles.
- Smooth Setup:
- Spoon batter into a pan lined with parchment, then smooth it out to every side. Get it even so your hearts look sharp later. Slide that pan in the oven and let the amazing smell fill the house while you wait.
- Cut Out Hearts:
- When the brownies are all the way cold (trust me on this), lift them out with the parchment. Use the cookie cutter to punch out as many hearts as you can. And nibble the edges – you earned it.
- Deck Them Out:
- Slowly melt your candy melts – if you rush, they’ll go weird. Drizzle however you like, then jump in with sprinkles before it sets up.
The first time I did this, I got in a hurry and the hearts just fell apart. Now I know, waiting for them to cool is totally worth it if you want perfect shapes.
Charming Presentation
Pop these chocolate hearts on a clean plate – I use white so the colors stand out. Sometimes I’ll stack them on cake stands at different heights, then drop extra sprinkles around for fun. For gifts, little boxes lined with pink tissue are adorable. Seriously, homemade hearts are the best way to say “I care.”
Fun Twists
I’ve mixed things up a lot. Peppermint in the batter makes them minty and cool. White chocolate on top really pops against the brownie. My kids beg for all kinds of colored candy melts – purple, red, white – so every single heart is different. For grown-ups, a spoon of espresso powder makes them extra fancy.
Easy Storage
Pack these hearts in a tight container, using wax paper to separate layers if you stack ‘em up. They keep about five days out (not that they’ll last that long). Or freeze them before adding candy melts – just wrap well and thaw when you’re in the mood to decorate.
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I think my favorite thing is how these brownies feel like a chocolatey hug. For your family, buddies, anyone really – when you serve these, you’re sharing love (and awesome chocolate).
Recipe FAQs
- → What can I do with leftover brownie bits?
- Use them as a topping for ice cream or mix into cake pops!
- → Can other cookie cutters be used?
- Of course! Just grab any small shape you like.
- → Is it important to let them cool first?
- Yes, cooling avoids crumble mess and gives clean shapes.
- → Can I store these in the freezer?
- Sure, freeze plain brownies for up to three months.
- → Candy melts seem too thick; what now?
- Just stir in a little vegetable oil, and you're good to go.