Name: Decadent Homemade Chocolate Hearts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3.5 oz quality dark chocolate (can also use milk chocolate); 1 TBSP coconut oil; 1 handful roasted hazelnuts (or other nuts, or omit)

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These decadent, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate hearts are very easy to make. They are perfect as a Valentine’s Day gift or anytime you want to treat someone.

If you’re in the mood to create something extra special, these homemade chocolate hearts are an absolute delight. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or just a day that needs a sweet touch, these cute treats are perfect for any occasion.

Forget store-bought treats; there’s something magical about the love and effort you put into making these goodies yourself. Trust me, they are so worth making, and the end result is not just delicious but also filled with a dash of personal charm.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy to Make: No need for complicated steps or hours in the kitchen. These dark chocolate hearts are so easy to whip up and only take very little time to make them.
So much fun: Transform your kitchen into a creative space. Get the kids involved, make it a date night activity, or simply enjoy some solo baking therapy. Crafting memories has never been this delicious.
Customizable: Adjust the recipe to your liking. Experiment with the chocolate type, play with nut choices or go for a nut-free variation. Your kitchen, your rules!
Small-Batch Friendly: Perfect for those times when you want a little something sweet without committing to a long session in the kitchen.
Makes the Perfect Gift: These homemade delights aren’t just a treat for your taste buds; they’re a feast for the eyes. Share the love by gifting these chocolate hearts – the perfect gesture for any occasion.

chocolate hearts on small plate with red rose

The ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients for these heart-shaped chocolates:

Chocolate: Aim for around 3.5 oz of high-quality chocolate if you’re making one batch. Brands like Ghirardelli and Valrhona are excellent choices.
Hazelnuts: For that extra layer of indulgence, consider adding whole hazelnuts. I really like Trader Joe’s roasted hazelnuts from Oregon. You can also find them online.
Coconut oil: Just a tablespoon of coconut oil will give your homemade chocolates that irresistible melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Valrhona dark chocolate bars, chocolate bar in plastic, and unsweetened baking chocolate

Helpful Tools and Equipment

Here’s what you will need:

Double boiler: A double boiler can be very helpful. Alternatively, create a makeshift double boiler using a saucepan and a Pyrex measuring cup.
Silicone molds: You will need a silicone heart mold to make these shapes. You can easily find a candy mold online in a variety of shapes and sets (here are the square ones).

heart shaped silicone mold and square silicone mold

Substitutions and variations

These are only some ideas for how you could vary the recipe:

Chocolate: You can use various types of chocolate: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate. It doesn’t matter whether you use bar chocolate or chocolate chips. If you’re like me, you already have a favorite type and brand of chocolate.
Nuts: If you can’t find hazelnuts, you could also use whole almonds or pecans. You can also omit the nuts altogether – or make some with and some without nuts.
Maple syrup: If you are using unsweetened chocolate or very dark chocolate, you might consider adding a bit of maple syrup to these chocolate truffles.

How Long Will They Last?

Since this is a very simple recipe and we are not tempering the chocolate, they are best if you enjoy them within a week. For optimal freshness, store them in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. I also recommend you place them in an airtight container.

How to make these homemade treats:

1. Melt the chocolate:

First, you need to melt the chocolate. The best way to do this is by putting a glass measuring cup in a water bath over low heat. Breaking the chocolate into small pieces helps but it might take a while before it’s all melted. You can add the coconut oil at any time. Since coconut oil has a lower melting point, it will melt much faster than your chocolate. Stirring the chocolate will help it melt faster.

melting chocolate in glass measuring cup in water bath

chocolate and coconute butter in glass measuring cup in water bath

2. Pour the chocolate into the molds:

For this step, make sure that the silicone molds are completely dry. Also, be careful not to drip any water (such as from the bottom of your glass jar) into the molds. Water and chocolate don’t like each other! You want to place the silicone molds onto a flat surface.

Fill just a small amount of melted chocolate in each mold.

Note: In the past, I had placed the hazelnuts into the molds first and added the chocolate then. For some reason, the chocolate didn’t go all the way around the hazelnuts and the heart chocolates didn’t look as pretty. So trust me on this one!

To speed up the process of cooling and solidifying the chocolate you can put the silicone mold in the freezer for about 10 – 15 minutes.

3. Add the hazelnuts:

Once the little bit of chocolate in the bottom of each mold is solid, we add the hazelnuts. Again, feel free to use other nuts – or leave them out entirely.

4. Fill the molds with more chocolate:

Now, we’ll fill the individual molds completely with chocolate. Don’t worry about spilling some chocolate but also don’t overfill the molds too much. When you’re done, let the chocolate cool down to room temperature. Trying to move the silicone mold to the freezer while the chocolate is still runny usually ends in the chocolate flowing everywhere. Again, trust me here.

I like to let the chocolate cool down for some hours and then move it to the freezer for about 1 hour.

5. Pop the chocolates out of the mold:

Here comes the fun part: popping the chocolates out of the mold. You simply turn the mold upside down, press with your thumb on the mold, and out they come.

chocolate hearts and hazelnuts on wooden cutting board

Final thoughts and tips:

If you have any excess chocolate, you can pour it onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Once dried, you can break it into chocolate bark.

You could also keep the extra chocolate melted and dip pieces of fruit into it. Think chocolate-covered strawberries! Or pour the melted chocolate over some banana chunks.

For these little hearts, consider gifting them in a pretty box or arranging them on a plate – maybe even throw in a pressed flower card for that extra touch of charm. While they make a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, they are perfect for any special occasion.

And looking for more chocolate goodness, you might like to check out my super creamy chocolate avocado mousse.

homemade chocolate hearts on white plate with red rose next to it

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