Chocolate-Raspberry XOX Cookies

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought it was time to get creative in the kitchen! These cookies fit the bill for a romantic (and scrumptious) treat. And with their striped centers, they are cute to boot.

This recipe starts with a rich chocolate cookie dough studded with miniature chocolate chips. Raspberry Hugs seal the deal with extra special flavor and a pop of color. Bake them up, and see if you can't get some Xs and Os from your sweetie.

Chocolate-Raspberry XOX Cookies
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c. flour
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (10 ounce) bag mini chocolate chips
1 (10 ounce) bag Hershey’s Raspberry Hugs, unwrapped

Cream together shortening, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, blend well.

In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Whisk together until the mixture is uniform in color.

Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Combine well. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough for about an hour.

Heat oven to 350º. Spray your cookie sheet(s) with cooking spray. Roll chilled dough into balls, or portion out using a cookie scoop (I opted for the cookie scoop here). You want about a tablespoon per cookie. Bake for 9 minutes.

While still on the sheet pan, press a Raspberry Hug in the center of each cookie. Carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Give these cookies plenty of time to cool. If the Hugs are having a hard time re-solidifying, feel free to refrigerate them. (I like to eat them when the Hug is still soft, but they're harder to package that way).

Enjoy with your sweetheart :-)

Note: I ran out of Raspberry Hugs before I ran out of dough. Of course, I didn't have a problem eating a few a few double-chocolate cookies. heh heh.