You’re sure to win over your sweetheart with this amazing Valentine’s Cookies recipe that includes my favorite soft and chewy peanut butter cookies, with a Reese’s peanut butter heart pressed into the center.
I love easy Valentine’s recipes! Try my Sugar Cookie Bars, Valentine’s Cupcakes, or Chocolate Covered Strawberries!
I’m a bit of a cookie snob, and these Valentine’s Day cookies fit the bill for my ideal cookie; slight crisp to the outside, but is really soft and chewy. Top with a Reese’s peanut butter heart candy and I can’t think of any better cookies to make on Valentine’s day. They are fantastic!
How to Make Heart Cookies:
1. Cream butter and sugar. Start with mixing together the butter, shortening, brown sugar and white sugar.
2. Add the eggs (room temp) and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
4. Scoop into dough balls. The dough will be pretty soft. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the dough. This recipe will make about 2 dozen cookies.
5. Roll in sugar. Roll each dough ball lightly in granulated sugar and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Keep in mind these homemade Valentine’s cookies will set up as they cool, so don’t over bake them.
7. Cool and add chocolate heart. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before pressing an unwrapped Reese’s heart in the center. Remove them to a wire cooling wrack to cool completely.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The cookie dough may be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
To Freeze: Once cooled, place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
I’ve got dozen’s of yummy cookie recipes. Some of my favorites include:
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Heart Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar , divided
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounce package Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl cream together butter, shortening, peanut butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add and eggs, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix gently to combine. Don’t over-mix. The dough will be very soft.
- Pour remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into balls and then roll in sugar.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, just until set. They will be pale, and look just barely set. Don’t over-bake them or they will be hard once cooled.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer to cooling rack.
- Press an unwrapped Reese’s heart to the center of each warm cookie. Allow cookies to cool completely.
- Store leftover cookies in a container at room temperature, or they freeze very well.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2018. Updated January 2020 and January 2022.
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This is our family’s favorite peanut butter cookie recipe!! I usually put the dough in the fridge for a minute to setup before I scoop and roll in sugar. Never seem to have the peanut butter cups but they are still delicious without them.
Cookies are too soft, chocolates melt, and there is a missing ingredient in directions. Tasty but frustrating
great peanut butter cookies. I did not have crisco so substituted veg. oil. These were perfect.
LAUR! These were so good! Like waiting until my children turn their back and sneaking one more before they can catch me good. Definitely adding this to my recipe cards! I used natural peanut butter and it went just fine, which is not always the case for peanut butter cookie recipes.
Can I use almond butter instead?
I was super excited to make these because pb kiss cookies are my favorite Xmas cookie. I thought they turned out really cute! Mine stayed soft(maybe almost to soft) but I wished they had more peanut butter flavor. If I make them again I will add more peanut butter.
I made these cookies last night for Valentines Day and they were delicious! It was a little tricky trying to keep the chocolate from melting, but most of them turned out fine!
I’ve made these before using a different recipe, and using solid chocolate hearts, and they weren’t near as tasty as your recipe!
Thanks so much Kelly! So happy you liked them. Hope you had a great Valentines!
Would it work if I use all butter and no crisco ? I don’t like to use crisco. The cookies look great for Valentine’s Day! Can’t wait to make this this weekend. Thanks!
Hi Donna, All butter would be fine–the texture will just be a little different. I would also suggest whipping the butter first, before adding the sugar and pb.
I love these cookies!! They were perfect, thanks Lauren! Just one note- don’t put your hearts on until the cookies are on the cooling rack or else they will melt!!
I saw these and could not wait to make them. That happened today and they did not disappoint! I doubled the recipe and used coconut oil and they were so good. My sons were outside playing in the snow and came into the house to the smells. One son who is not really a sweet eater at three! He told me the peanut butter in the hearts was so good. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. I put most of them in the freezer to save to share with out Sunday School class next month.
I’m so happy you liked them! I freeze my extras as well–I love having treats ready to go for things like that! Thanks for your comment
Oooh these look so good and I’m with you on soft cookies…crackers are supposed to be crunchy not cookies. I’ve never seen those Reese’e hearts but I am going to pick up a bag next time I’m at the store. Thanks for the great recipe!