My husband and I will have been through nine Valentine’s Days together this year, but I only remember getting a gift on the first one, when we were both 15. He brought me bread and homemade soup that was both delicious and heavy on rosemary. We had only been dating two months, and I’m not sure I had kissed him yet (YES, I WAS A TOTAL PRUDE). In later years, he revealed to me that he is one of those people that rages against Valentine’s Day, a “holiday invented by greeting card companies” and “COMMERCIALISM!” and all that. Alas, I was already in love by the time he unloaded that baggage, and it was too late for me to get out. (Also, breaking up with someone for not buying you enough gifts is kind of a dick move.)
So, while I have no hope of convincing my husband that he should shower me with gifts (read: chocolate) on February 14th, that doesn’t mean that I can’t celebrate by making myself a treat to show how much I love me.
I could have gone with traditional heart cutouts, but I was feeling experimental. Last year I baked a chocolate cupcake with rose frosting, but the rosewater was overwhelming on its own. I was determined to make the chocolate rose concept work, though, so I decided to cut the rose water with cocoa powder in this cookie. I am a serial over-flavorer (it’s a thing AND a word), so I forced myself to stop at ¼ teaspoon of rose water and crossed my fingers that the flavor wouldn’t bake out. Then I threw myself a party for restraining my heavy hand, because any more rosewater would have been overkill. That stuff is strong.
I made the cookies extra Valentinesy with a white chocolate drizzle and cute sprinkles to dress them up. I mean, they’re probably going on a date for Valentine’s Day (unlike some people), so they should look fancy.
CHOCOLATE ROSE COOKIES
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 grams) natural cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cups (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon rose water
- 3 ounces (85 grams) white chocolate, finely chopped (I used Callebaut)
- Valentine’s Day sprinkles (hearts, lips, red, pink, whatever you like!)
- Preheat oven to 325° F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
- Cube half of the butter and place in a medium bowl. Melt remaining butter in a large stainless steel skillet; pour into bowl of butter cubes and stir until all butter is melted.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat melted butter and sugars 2 minutes at medium speed. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and rose water, and mix until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients to the bowl, mixing until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Scoop dough with medium disher (about two tablespoons for each cookies) and roll into balls. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly brown at the edges. Cool on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks over parchment paper.
- Once cookies have cooled completely, place half of chopped white chocolate in a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add remaining chocolate, stirring rapidly until all chocolate is melted. Drizzle over cookies with a spoon. (Alternatively, transfer melted chocolate to an icing bottle and pipe chocolate over cookies for more precision.) Immediately distribute sprinkles over wet chocolate. Allow chocolate to harden at room temperature, or chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes, then remove them.
