Adorable, Delicious and Decadent Valentine’s Day Treats

While I firmly believe every day is a good day for cookies, here are some adorable, some decadent, and all delicious cookie recipes to whip up this Valentine’s Day.

Valentine Cookie Pops

Is it a cookie or is it a pop? It’s both! These Valentine Cookie Pops can’t get more adorable and they are also the perfect canvas to let kids explore their creative side on.

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Makes: 20 cookie pops

You will need:

• 1 package (18oz) Pillsbury Ready To Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies
• 20 flat wooden sticks with round ends
• 1 1/4 cups vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
• Assorted small candies, or candy decors or nonpareils (optional)
• 10 yards red curling ribbon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart. Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.

2. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

3. Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies. Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.

Chocolate-Dipped Heart Cookies

You may have just had sugar cookies during the holiday season; in fact, you probably made too many and then received some as gifts from your friends and neighbors, so dress these Valentine’s Day sugar cookies up with a coat of delicious semisweet chocolate.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 2 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 roll (16.5oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• Colored sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the flour onto work surface; coat sides of half of dough with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.

2. With floured 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts. Gently brush excess flour from hearts; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining half of dough.

3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

4. In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar.

Chocolate Linzer Hearts

Just the appearance of these chocolate linzer heart cookies will impress any special valentine and with the incredible flavors of hazelnut, cinnamon, raspberry and chocolate, you’ll have them hooked on this treat for years to come.

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Makes: 3 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and ground
• 1/2 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, or mix with spoon. Beat in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except jam and melted chocolate. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (dough will be sticky.)

2. Heat oven to 375°F. Roll one-fourth of dough at a time between pieces of waxed paper until 1/8 inch thick. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Cut with 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut small heart shape from center of half of the 2-inch hearts if desired.

3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on bottom of whole heart cookies; top with cutout heart cookie. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Heart Sandwich Cookies

You don’t have to wait until the sun goes down to spice up your Valentine’s Day. Try these delightful cookies with cinnamon candy filling.

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Makes: 3 dozen sandwich cookies

You will Need:

For cookies:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon red edible glitter

For cinnamon filling:
• 1/4 cup red cinnamon candies
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk and vanilla, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour and baking powder until well mixed, scraping bowl frequently.

2. Shape dough into 2 equal halves; wrap in plastic wrap. Flatted each to 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Heat oven to 400°F. On generously floured surface, roll out 1 half of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with small (2-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookies 1 inch apart. Sprinkle glitter on cookies. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Repeat with remaining half of dough, except do not sprinkle with glitter. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat candies and water to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until candies are melted. Remove from heat. Using wire whisk, stir in butter and powdered sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, until smooth.

5. Spread or pipe heaping teaspoon filling in center of flat side of each undecorated cookie. Press decorated cookie over filling; press firmly to secure.