Instructions

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a template cut out from a card and with a stencil draw hearts all over the paper leaving one inch apart. The cookies will spread much during baking. Turn on the paper to make the stencils facing down. Then preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Next, in a bowl whisk together flour, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl cream together softened butter for 1 minute on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy.
4. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and combined. Then mix in vanilla and egg, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. Beat in buttermilk and one tablespoon of red gel food coloring.
   On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not overbeat the batter.
6. Transfer the batter in a piping bag with a ½ inch round tip. If you don’t have it, you can use a zip-lock bag and cut off the corner. It will work fine, too. Pipe the V shapes inside the hearts. You don’t need to fill all the inside of the hearts, it will spread during baking, just a simple V shape is OK.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until centers appear set. Cool for 10 minutes on the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely before sandwiching.
8. To make the filling beat softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar.

Assembling the hearts:

1. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or again, you can use a zip-lock bag and cut off the corer).
2. Pair the cookies by shape and size. Pipe the filling onto the flat side of one cookie leaving a little room around the edges. Top with another cookie (flat side down) Press gently so that the filling reaches the edge.
3. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.