I’m on a cookie kick lately. I’m learning how to decorate them like the pro’s, so every chance I get, I’m making cookies. After awhile, you get sick of plain old vanilla, so today we are spicing it up with some chocolate (and just in time for the chocolate holiday of the year).

Naturally, I went with hearts here. I figure if I give out chocolate cookie hearts to all my gal pals, I’ll be the best valentine they have this year. These are awesome. Just chocolate-y enough and so easy! As always, you can cut whatever shapes you’d like.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c flour, sifted
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (extra for rolling)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

Royal Icing:

• 4 c confectioner’s sugar
• 5 tbs Meringue Powder
• Water
• 1 tbs strawberry extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Stir with whisk to get rid of any lumps and bumps
3. In your mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add in sugar and beat on high speed until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture on low until a dough forms.
5. Remove dough from mixer and make a flat disk wrapped in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
6. On a lightly dusted-with-cocoa-powder surface, roll your dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, or thicker if desired (I don’t know why you’d desire that).
7. Spray your cookie cutters quickly with PAM and cut out desired shapes.
8. Place cookies about an inch apart on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Leave cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to cool completely.
9. Decorate with Royal Icing, or eat plain!

Royal Icing

In your electric mixer on low speed, combine sugar and meringue powder. Add 1/2 c water and extract. See the consistency notes below, you will need to adjust for what your purpose is.

• A thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and details. Mix until icing is thick but loosens after a moment.
• For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water.
• Separate the plain white base into several small bowls for coloring, and garnish with any sprinkles, dusts, and colors you’d like!