We love Valentine’s Day’s ubiquitous conversation candy hearts as much as the next person, but this year, we’re skipping the store-bought sweets in favor of these homemade heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie cakes from Laurel Gallucci of Sweet Laurel Bakery.

A healthier take on the classic dessert, Gallucci’s cookie cakes are made with almond flour, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and Sweet Laurel chocolate chips. If you're giving them as gifts, Gallucci suggests personalizing each cake with a piping bag of chocolate icing; it’s also a fun way to get the kids involved in Valentine’s Day gifts. Happy baking!     

Ingredients
3 cups almond flour
1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar 
1/2 cup coconut oil (melted), plus extra for greasing pan1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
3/4 cup Sweet Laurel chocolate chips

Yield: 1 heart shaped cookie, about 6-8 inches wide, about 4-5 servings, or 4 smaller heart cookie cakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 6-8 inch heart shaped baking pan base with parchment paper. You will need to cut out a heart shaped piece of parchment. Grease the sides of the pan with coconut oil. If you don’t have a heart shaped pan, you can mold the cookie dough into a heart shape on a lined cookie sheet. 

In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda and pink salt. Stir until all ingredients are evenly blended. Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and chocolate chips. Stir until batter forms.

Press into heart shaped baking pan, or mold cookie dough into heart shape. Bake about 10-12 minutes, until it has an even golden brown color. Allow to cool, then carefully release from pan. Enjoy!

Chocolate Icing:

1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate chips over very low heat, and spoon melted chocolate into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zip lock bag! To use a zip lock bag, spoon melted chocolate into bag and then snip one small hole into one of the bottom corners. Use zip lock or piping bag to write names and personalized notes on cookie cakes!