Chocolate Walnut Sugar Cookies

Another "heart" idea for Valentine's Day. I got the idea for these chocolate cookies dipped in chocolate and walnuts when I saw the Walnut Chocolate Hearts Recipe at the Taste of Home website. I decided to use a different recipe for the dough though, but followed the same general idea of making heart shaped cut-outs from "chocolate sugar cookie" dough, dipping half of the cookie in chocolate and then the edge in chopped walnuts.

I chose not to use the recipe there, because I thought it looked like it would be a slightly drier, crispy cookie and I wanted to go for something more chewy and soft. Use the original recipe, my recipe or any chocolate sugar cookie recipe you like. Alternatively, use a regular sugar cookie recipe and dip in white chocolate and walnuts.

Here is the "chocolate sugar cookie" recipe I came up with:

1 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. cocoa powder
3 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Roll out dough 1/4" thick. Cut dough with heart shaped cookie cutter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 8-10 minutes.

Let cool completely. Melt chocolate and dip half of the cookies then roll edge in chopped walnuts. Place on waxed paper until chocolate has hardened.