Chocolate Peanut Butter Valentine’s Heart Recipe
Delightfully rich and creamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Valentine’s Hearts, perfect for gifting or enjoying as a sweet treat. These no-bake peanut butter squares are coated in smooth melted chocolate, shaped into festive hearts, and guaranteed to satisfy both chocolate and peanut butter lovers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Approximately 25-30 heart-shaped candies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Butter Mixture
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Coating
- 10–12 oz. chopped chocolate (half semi-sweet, half milk chocolate) or good quality candy coating
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line an 8 x 8 inch dish with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to hang over the sides for easy removal later, then set it aside.
- Mix Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir together the creamy peanut butter, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until the sugar dissolves completely. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, incorporating it fully until a thick dough forms.
- Press Mixture: Transfer the peanut butter mixture into the prepared dish and press it down firmly. Smooth the surface with a spatula or press with your palms to create an even ½ inch thick layer.
- Freeze Base Layer: Place the dish in the freezer until the mixture is firm enough to cut, approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Cut Hearts: Once firm, line a tray with parchment paper. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart shapes from the chilled peanut butter layer. Gather any leftover dough, knead it briefly, and cut out additional hearts. Place all cut hearts on the parchment-lined tray and return to the freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the chocolate or candy coating gently using a double boiler or microwave, stirring frequently until smooth.
- Dip Hearts: Line another tray with parchment paper. Using a fork, carefully dip each heart into the melted chocolate to cover completely. Tap the fork gently to remove excess chocolate. Work with a few hearts at a time to keep them firm and easier to handle.
- Set Chocolate: Place the chocolate-covered hearts on the parchment-lined tray and refrigerate until the chocolate coating has fully set, about 15-20 minutes.
- Store: Store the finished hearts in the refrigerator for short-term storage or freeze them for longer keeping.
Notes
- Use good quality candy coating if you prefer easier melting and dipping; it’s more forgiving than real chocolate.
- Keep the hearts cold during the dipping process to maintain firmness and prevent melting.
- Leftover dough can be reshaped to maximize yield, so don’t waste any mixture.
- Store treats refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.
- You can customize the chocolate coating by using dark or white chocolate according to taste.
Keywords: Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts, Valentine's Day Treats, No-Bake Dessert, Peanut Butter Chocolate Candy, Festive Heart Shaped Sweets
