Get in the mood for Valentine’s Day with these simple and easy Brownie Hearts. Fudgy, mini brownies topped with a quick chocolate icing – all shaped like hearts! Plus, you’ll use the brownie scraps to make sugared Brownie Balls!
Brownie Hearts
Got a favorite brownie recipe (like these Classic Weeknight Brownies)? You’ll want to get that baked up in a 9×13″ pan – thinner brownies are easier to cut, and you’ll have more surface area for the cookie cutters. If your recipe calls for an 8×8″ pan, be sure to keep an eye on your brownies as they’re baking, because the thinner brownie may take less time to bake.
Once your brownies are baked and completely cooled, you can grab a heart-shaped cookie cutter and go to town! A smaller cookie cutter will yield more brownies than a larger cookie cutter (like the one I used).
Now it’s time to choose a topping! The options here are endless. I chose a simple chocolate glaze made from powdered sugar, water, and Dutched cocoa powder. You could do a caramel, white chocolate, or dark chocolate drizzle. You could pipe cute buttercream designs. And, of course, add nuts or sprinkles.
How to Make Brownie Truffles
Once you’ve cut the hearts out of your cooled brownie, you’ll be left with a lot of brownie scraps. Sure, you could eat this (hello, brownie edges!), but you could also make brownie truffles! Grab a cookie scoop and begin scooping brownie balls from the leftover scraps – smash it in there if you have to.
Now, smash and roll the balls until they’re smooth. After all the brownie truffles are rolled, you can use a spoon to roll each one in powdered sugar. I chose to add freeze-dried strawberry powder to mine! And that’s it! You’ve got brownie truffles to go along with your brownie hearts.
Brownie Hearts and Truffles
Get in the mood for Valentine's Day with these simple and easy Brownie Hearts. Fudgy, mini brownies topped with a quick chocolate icing - all shaped like hearts!
Ingredients
- 1 batch of my Classic Weeknight Brownies
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- Water or plant-based milk for the icing
Instructions
- Prepare a 9x13" baking pan or dish with non-stick spray and parchment paper. You'll want to cut two pieces of parchment paper that will criss-cross along the bottom of the pan. Fold the excess paper over the sides and trim. You'll use these "tabs" to pull the brownies out later.
- Bake the brownies according to the recipe directions. Allow the brownies to cool completely - you can refrigerate them to speed up this process.
- Cut the Hearts: run a butter knife along any brownie edges that are touching the pan. Then, use the parchment paper tabs to carefully pull the whole brownie up and out of the pan.
- Use any heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts from the brownie. Press the cutter firmly down into the brownie and wiggle a bit before slowly pulling it up. If your brownie gets stuck in the cutter, gently press it out with your fingers.
- Make the Truffles: add the brownie scraps to a bowl and use a cookie scoop to scoop out brownie balls. Use your hands to smash and roll the brownie balls smooth before placing them on a plate; set aside.
- Blend or crush the freeze-dried strawberries. Sift the strawberry powder and throw out the larger bits and chunks - you only want to use the fine powder.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and strawberry powder. Use a spoon to roll each brownie truffle in the sugar. Place truffles back on the plate.
- Make the Icing: take the leftover powdered sugar mixture and add the cocoa powder. Begin mixing in water, adding it by the teaspoon until the icing comes together and reaches a thick yet spreadable consistency. Carefully spread the icing over the brownie hearts. Top with sprinkles, nuts, powdered sugar, etc.
- Allow icing to set at room temperature before storing leftovers in an airtight container.
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