The month of February has historically been recognized as a month that celebrates love. Dating back to 250 A.D, February 14th has been recognized as the burial date for Saint Valentine within the Christian church. The notion of love came into play when the names of women were pulled out a pool by the men lottery style and were matched for the evening, longer if the match was a success. Nowadays, friends and partners exchange little goodies like chocolates and personalized cards as a symbol of their connection. With all the chaos around gift giving on Valentine’s Day, it can be hard to choose what to give that special someone, so here are three bite-sized treats to hand out to your friends and family.
Thumbprint heart cookies:
“You’re my whole heart”
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of softened salted butter
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 ⅓ cups of all purpose flour
- Jam or jelly of your choice, I used blackberry
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Using a whisk, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the yolks and vanilla and mix.
- Switch to a spatula and add in the flour, folding it into the dough.
4. Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon balls, putting two thumbprints in the shape of a heart into the center.
5. Spoon the jam into the center of the heart and bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes.
6. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before enjoying.
Mini chocolate cupcakes with a raspberry icing:
“You bake me crazy”
Ingredients:
Cake:
- ⅓ cup of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup of milk
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup of boiling water
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ cup of white sugar
- ½ cup of brown sugar
Frosting:
- 1 6 oz package of fresh raspberries
- 8 oz of softened cream cheese
- ½ cup of heavy whipping cream
- 6 cups of powdered sugar
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a mini muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, salt and sugars followed by everything else EXCEPT for the boiling water.
3. Whisk together then add the boiling water into the batter and mix only until combined, do not overmix.
4. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full and bake for 10-12 minutes.
5. Move the cupcakes to a wire rack and start making the frosting.
6. Whip the softened cream cheese then add the raspberries and heavy whipping cream.
7. Once the frosting is a medium thickness, add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it is sweet enough to your liking.
8. Once the cupcakes are cooled completely and the frosting is ready, transfer the icing to a piping bag with a star tip and frost the cupcakes. Start from the inside and work your way out around the perimeter of the cupcake, ending with a peak in the middle to create the perfect frosting swirl.
M&M Pretzel Cookies:
“You’re the sweetest”
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup of softened salted butter
- ½ cup of white sugar
- ⅓ cup of brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of valentines M & M’s
- 1 cup of crushed pretzels
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla extract.
3. Switching from a whisk to a spatula, fold in all dry ingredients until a dough has formed. Add in the M & M’s and pretzels.
4. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and roll the dough balls into more M & M’s and crushed pretzels.
5. After chilling, pop in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes.
6. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool before serving.
