Introduction

These shaped chocolate chip cookies combine the classic comfort of soft, buttery cookies with a fun twist—cutting them into heart shapes right out of the oven. Perfect for sharing or special occasions, they offer a delightful balance of sweet dough and rich chocolate chips.

Heart-shaped cookies have a light golden brown base with large, uneven dark chocolate chunks embedded throughout. They are decorated with small red, pink, and white sprinkles shaped like hearts and dots, spread unevenly on top. The cookies show a soft and slightly gooey texture around the chocolate, with some cracks on the surface. The cookies are stacked casually on a white plate lined with white parchment paper. The scene is set on a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini chips works well)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Then, mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips gently.
Step 5: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches of space between each scoop because the cookies will spread. If you like, press extra chocolate chunks or sprinkles on top of each cookie for decoration.
Step 6: Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are a very light golden brown and the centers are slightly underdone. Remove the cookies from the oven, and while still warm, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cookies into hearts. Be careful as they will be hot.
Step 7: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

Use a mix of regular and mini chocolate chips for a more interesting texture and even chocolate distribution.
For softer cookies, slightly underbake and let them finish cooking on the hot baking sheet.
Try swapping semisweet chips for dark or milk chocolate, or add chopped nuts for extra crunch.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes if the butter feels too soft to help cookies keep their shape better.

Storage

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To refresh slightly, warm them in a low oven or microwave for a few seconds. For longer storage, freeze cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

A close-up of heart-shaped cookies stacked on a white plate with white parchment paper underneath, each cookie light golden brown with melted dark chocolate chunks visible on the top surface, sprinkled with small pink, red, and white heart-shaped and round sprinkles evenly spread over the cookies, showing a soft and slightly chewy texture. The plate sits on a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce the added salt in the recipe to about ¼ teaspoon to avoid over-salting the dough.

Why do I cut the cookies after baking instead of before?

Cutting cookies immediately after baking while they are still warm helps maintain sharp, defined shapes. Cutting dough before baking can cause the shapes to spread and lose definition during baking.