Description
Delight in these Valentine Ganache Cookies, featuring a soft buttery cookie base topped with a rich, glossy semisweet chocolate ganache. Perfectly festive with optional red and pink sprinkles or heart-shaped decorations, these cookies combine classic flavors with an elegant touch for your special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Decoration (Optional)
- Red and pink sprinkles or heart-shaped decorations
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture for your dough.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract thoroughly with the butter-sugar mixture to combine all wet ingredients.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the rising agent and salt.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until a soft dough forms without overmixing.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookie edges become slightly golden. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Heat Cream: In a small saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, avoiding a full boil.
- Make Ganache: Pour the hot cream over the chopped semisweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes to melt the chocolate, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Apply Ganache: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spoon a small amount of the ganache onto each cookie and spread lightly to cover the top.
- Decorate: Immediately decorate each ganache-topped cookie with red and pink sprinkles or heart-shaped decorations to add a festive touch before the ganache sets.
- Set Ganache: Allow the ganache on the cookies to set completely before serving or storing to ensure an elegant finish.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is at room temperature for easier creaming with sugar.
- Do not overbake the cookies to keep them soft; edges should be just golden.
- Ganache should be applied on completely cooled cookies to prevent melting.
- For a smoother ganache, finely chop the chocolate before mixing with warm cream.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
