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Heart-shaped brownies make the best gift for Valentine’s Day! They’re rich, fudgy, and as easy as boxed brownies. This one-bowl recipe requires no mixer.
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Think outside the box with these heart-shaped brownies. And by that, I meant to ditch the boxed brownie mix!
These chocolate Valentine hearts are made from scratch using a few simple ingredients. You won’t even need to take out the mixer or melt chocolate to make seriously fudgy brownies for Valentine’s Day.
Everything is combined in a single bowl, so you’ll have less time cleaning up and more time with your sweetheart. 🥰
What are Heart-Shaped Brownies?
How can you make rich, fudgy brownies even better? Cut them into adorable chocolate Valentine hearts!
These heart-shaped brownies are your favorite chocolatey treats with a Valentine makeover. And no, you don’t need a special mold for these decadent brownies.
You’ll bake the batter in a regular pan, then slice the entire thing into brownie hearts with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. That’s pretty much it!
While cutting a brownie into cute little hearts is not exactly groundbreaking, I bet these chocolatey, fudgy treats can help you shortcut your way to your significant other’s heart.
Not only are they decadent and adorable, but heart-shaped brownies prove Valentine’s Day baking doesn’t have to be messy.
The batter is done in a bowl, which means less time cleaning up and more time with your boo!
Even better, this from-scratch brownie recipe can be made without an electric mixer and skips the tedious chocolate melting process. These brownie hearts are truly as easy to make as boxed brownies.
Why You’ll Love This Valentine Brownies Heart-Shaped Recipe
- Perfect For Valentine’s Day: Nothing says “I love you” better than a chocolatey treat in the shape of a heart! These swoon-worthy heart-shaped brownies make the best romantic gift for the love of your life.
- Made From Scratch: Why settle for boxed brownies when you can make the best, fudgiest Valentine brownies with everyday ingredients? They’re as easy as using a boxed brownie mix, but each heart-shaped piece packs more rich chocolate flavor.
- Low Effort: These Valentine heart brownies can be made in one bowl without melting chocolate or turning on the mixer. Clean-up is a breeze, and the fudgy chocolate brownies are ready in no time!
What Do Heart Shaped Brownies Taste Like?
These heart shaped brownies are everything a brownie should be: fudgy in the middle and crinkly on top.
Just like you and your beloved, the light crust and gooey center of these brownies are the perfect match for each other.
I don’t know about you, but I like my brownies thick and fudgy. If I wanted something airy and light, I would’ve gotten a slice of chocolate cake.
These brownie hearts taste rich with just the right sweetness. Do you know what this means?
They’re delicious on their own but can easily welcome different mix-ins and toppings.
Oh, and don’t forget to fold high-quality chocolate chips into the batter for good measure! After all, there’s no such thing as too much chocolate when it comes to desserts for Valentine’s Day. 🍫
Ingredients For Brownie Hearts
- Canola oil – The key ingredient for getting that irresistible fudgy brownie texture.
- Granulated sugar – To sweeten our brownie batter. But don’t worry; these chocolate Valentine hearts are not overly sweet.
- Eggs – Bind everything together and contribute to deliciously moist brownies. Just don’t forget to use room-temperature eggs for a smooth batter.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the chocolatey goodness of the Valentine heart brownies, so don’t overlook this ingredient!
- All-purpose flour – For the structure of the Valentine brownies. You might be tempted to use cake flour, but that’ll produce light and not thick, fudgy brownies.
- Cocoa powder – These easy one-bowl brownie hearts skip the melted chocolate and get their rich flavor from cocoa powder!
- Salt – Accentuates the sweet, chocolate flavor of this fudgy brownie recipe.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – You can also use other mix-ins for this homemade brownie recipe! Scroll down for some ideas. 👇
Tools Needed To Prepare Valentine Brownies
- 8 x 8 baking pan for baking the batter
- Mixing bowl for combining the ingredients
- Whisk for mixing the batter
- Spatula for leveling the batter
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter for cutting the heart-shaped brownies
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Chocolate Valentine Hearts
Mix-ins
Besides semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can make these Valentine’s Day brownies with white chocolate chips and ruby chocolate chips for a cute white and pink polka dot design.
You can also stir Valentine M&M’s into the brownie batter! Your partner will know right away that these cute brownies are not your ordinary brownies.
Chocolate ganache
For your chocolate-loving sweetheart, spread chocolate ganache over these fudgy Valentine brownies.
It’s surprisingly easy to make a rich chocolate ganache!
Just pour hot, heavy cream over high-quality chocolate chips, let them sit, then stir until smooth. Chill the ganache in the fridge for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes for the best spreading consistency.
And to take the chocolate hearts with ganache to the next level of decadence, dip a fork in our easy salted caramel to drizzle on top!
Raspberry sauce
If you want something beyond chocolate and caramel, why not whip up a quick raspberry sauce to top your heart-shaped treats?
Simply bring raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water to a boil and cook until the mixture is thick.
Bonus tip: If you pour this raspberry sauce over chocolate ganache-covered brownies, swirl the toppings together for brownies that look like they came from a bakery!
How to Make Heart Shaped Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Tools you need:
Instructions:
STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your heart-shaped brownies, and preheat the oven to 350°F. You can also line your baking pan with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Whisk the oil and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until lump-free.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
STEP 4: Fold in the chocolate chips.
STEP 5: Pour the batter into the baking pan and level it with a spatula.
STEP 6: Bake the brownie for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If your inserted toothpick comes out covered in batter, you can bake the brownie for 5 minutes more.
STEP 7: Allow the brownie to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 8: Cut it into heart-shaped brownies using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, and you’re done! You can also garnish them with cute Valentine’s sprinkles.
What To Serve With Valentine Heart Brownies
Serve these heart-shaped brownies with a drizzle of caramel sauce or melted chocolate!
You also can’t go wrong having them a la Mode. A scoop of ice cream over thick, fudgy brownies? Yes, please! 🍨
Or, why not impress your honey and get creative with your presentation for these chocolate Valentine hearts?
Add red food coloring to your favorite cream cheese frosting and assemble heart brownie sandwiches.
But here’s the twist: cut out a small heart in the center of the top brownie. Then, decorate the peeking frosting with Valentine sprinkles!
Want to prepare more sweet treats to share with the love of your life? We can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day without chocolate strawberries!
Check out our Valentines chocolate covered strawberries and TikTok strawberry chocolate bites to make the quintessential Valentine treat like a pro, even on the first try.
Tips About Making Heart-Shaped Brownies For Valentine’s Day
- Don’t go overboard with mixing your brownie batter! If you incorporate too much air into the mixture, your heart-shaped brownies will be more cake-like and not dense and fudgy.
- Want a fast way to remove the brownie from the pan? Line the baking pan with parchment paper, and leave some to hang over the sides of the pan! These overhanging edges are like instant tabs for lifting the brownie out of the pan.
- Cool the brownie completely before cutting it into hearts with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. If you turn the cutter upside down after every heart, you’ll also get the most brownies.
How To Store Heart-Shaped Brownies
- Room temperature: You can store these Valentine brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. I think this is the best way to preserve the gooey texture of the brownies. They won’t last that long in my household anyway! 😅
- Fridge: For those of you with self-control (haha), store the leftover brownies in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is also great for make-ahead heart-shaped brownies.
- Freezer: You can freeze these fudgy Valentine heart brownies! Wrap them with plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. To serve, allow the frozen brownies to thaw on the counter for 2 hours.
Should Brownie Batter Sit Before Baking?
It’s not necessary to let the brownie batter sit before baking, but the wait can be worth it.
If you have time to spare or want to prepare brownies in advance, you can refrigerate the brownie batter mixture in the pan for an hour or overnight!
Doing so gives the flavors time to blend together for richer-tasting brownies.
Resting the batter can also give your brownies a crisper crust. 🤤
Do Brownies Need to Rest After Baking?
Yes! Letting your brownie cool before slicing it into heart shapes is important.
Since these heart shaped brownies are gooey, they need some time to set for easier cutting.
After baking, let the brownie sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
FAQ About Brownie Hearts Recipe
How long to bake heart shaped brownies?
These heart-shaped brownies are baked at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t overbake them, though. Do the toothpick test after baking for 20 minutes.
Can brownies be cut into hearts?
Of course! But instead of using a knife, you’ll have an easier time making heart-shaped brownies by using heart cookie cutters on a cooled brownie. To minimize waste on your homemade brownies, cut the hearts as close as you can.
Why are my brownies dry and crumbly?
Overcooked brownies will be dry and crumbly. Check the brownie after 20 minutes of baking, and make sure your oven is not too hot. Remember that the brownie is ready if you insert a toothpick and it comes out with a few crumbs.
Why are my brownies not fudgy?
Make sure you have enough oil in the recipe, or your baked brownies will not be fudgy! Overmixing can also make cakey brownies, while dry brownies are usually caused by overbaking.
How to make brownies with shiny crust?
When making the batter, mix the sugar and eggs first! This will dissolve the sugar, and you’ll get a thin, glossy, crackly top on the brownies since the eggs are aerated like a meringue.
Heart-Shaped Brownies
Heart-shaped brownies make the best gift for Valentine's Day! They're rich, fudgy, and as easy as boxed brownies. This one-bowl recipe requires no mixer.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients for your heart-shaped brownies, and preheat the oven to 350°F. You can also line your baking pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk the oil and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until lump-free.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and level it with a spatula.
- Bake the brownie for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If your inserted toothpick comes out covered in batter, you can bake the brownie for 5 minutes more.
- Allow the brownie to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut it into heart-shaped brownies using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, and you're done! You can also garnish them with cute Valentine's sprinkles.
Notes
- Do not overmix your brownie batter! You'll incorporate too much air into the mixture, giving you cake-like brownies. The trick to perfectly rich, fudgy brownies? Stop mixing the batter once it's lump-free; no more and no less.
- To remove the brownie from the pan, gently loosen the edges with a plastic spatula, put a chopping board on top of the pan, then flip. Alternatively, line the baking pan with parchment paper before pouring the batter. Leave an excess of the parchment paper hanging over the pan's sides so you can just lift them to remove the entire brownie.
- Make sure the brownie has cooled completely before cutting it into heart-shaped brownies. To get the most brownies, turn your heart-shaped cookie cutter upside down after every other heart.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 168Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.
Conclusion
Bookmark these heart-shaped brownies if you don’t have a favorite brownie recipe yet!
These brownie hearts are everything brownies should be: crinkly on top with a fudgy texture once you bite into the center. 🤤
There’s nothing more romantic than personally baking chocolate brownie hearts for your sweetheart. And even if you’re not a pro, you can’t mess up this easy, one-bowl, mixer-free recipe.
So next time you’re tempted to buy a box of brownie mix, check your pantry!
You might just be 30 minutes away from ooey-gooey brownies that will make your special someone swoon.
These heart-shaped brownies are just in time for the most romantic time of the year! And if you want to impress your beloved with more brownies and Valentines snacks, go ahead and stay in. These tasty treats got you: