
A little ingenuity and a heart-shaped cookie cutter is all that’s needed to make Valentine’s Day feel extra special!
A heart-shaped cookie cutter does it again..
Start with this classically delicious homemade brownie recipe (minus the Halloween candy theme), an equally scrumptious Nutella brownie, or store-bought brownies, with Ghirardelli leading the pack in my humble opinion. Then cut out small, medium, and large hearts for kids and adults alike!

Wondering what to do with the brownie scraps? My kids enjoy the randomly shaped edges as is, but there are a few other ways you could enjoy them. One idea is to chop them up and freeze for later use as an ice cream topping or for brownie sundaes.
You can also make easy brownie truffles by rolling the scraps into bite-size balls and dipping them in melted white or dark chocolate. For a pretty touch, drizzle the dipped balls in contrasting color chocolate. For example, once a dark chocolate-dipped truffle has set, finish with a decorative drizzle of white chocolate, or vice-versa!
Heart-shaped brownies need nothing else to be delicious and special. But for those who may enjoy an extra project, decorating the hearts will allow your inner artist to flourish.
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
If using chocolate chips or melting discs, place a handful or two in a microwave safe bowl. (Feel free to eyeball; if you’re only making a few tic-tac-toe boards, a half cup or so will be plenty.) Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred. Transfer the melted chocolate to a sandwich or snack-size zip-top bag, and snip a small piece from one corner. (Start very small; you can always make the hole bigger if needed.) This will become your piping bag.
If using decorator’s icing, I’ve found it helpful to refrigerate briefly before using, as several brands are a little runny at room temperature. will prevent the the runny spot you can see in the red-bordered heart, below! The control offered by thicker icing will also allow you to make smaller letters, so you could fit a message like “Be Mine” in the heart!
We’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.
Candy Bag Brownies
When doubling the batch, bake in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan and add a few minutes to the baking time.
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (112 ml) safflower or vegetable oil of choice (may substitute melted butter*)
- 1 cup (192 grams) white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour (may use gluten-free substitute**; weights will vary)
- 1/3 cup (27 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or a slightly-rounded 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped candy***, divided use (Reese’s peanut butter cups, Hershey bars, fun-size Snickers, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, M&Ms, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch round cake pan. (If the pan is dark-coated metal, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.)
- In a medium bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until well blended. Beat or whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, and stir until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chopped candy. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, and then evenly distribute the remaining 1/2 cup candy over the top.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the brownies begin to pull away from edges of pan but still appear the slightest bit undercooked in the middle. All ovens vary, so check a few minutes early and know that it might take a few minutes longer.
- Allow the brownies to cool, and then cut and enjoy. For easier cutting, chill the freshly cooked brownies in the refrigerator. Once cool, cover the brownies with foil or plastic wrap. You may store at room temperature, but to prolong freshness, you may wish to tightly wrap the brownies and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- *I have done side-by-side batches of these brownies, one using melted butter and the other using vegetable oil. The taste difference was nearly imperceptible. Over several days, however, the butter version dried out more quickly.
- **If needing the gluten-free option, make sure to check candy labels and use only those that don’t contain gluten. Also, when using GF flour blends, I find it helpful to let the batter sit for 15-20 minutes before baking. This gives the rice flour (a common ingredient in GF flour blends) time to absorb additional moisture and reduces any graininess than can be found in some GF baked goods.
- ***In my standard brownie recipe, I omit the assortment of candy and instead sprinkle 1/3 – 1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chips over the batter before baking. The brownies may be made plain, if preferred, and/or with a similar amount of chopped nuts stirred into the batter.
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