Valentine's Day Treats for Kids
Four Easy to Make and Fun to Share Recipes for Your Sweethearts
Heart-shaped cookies, chocolate sweets and Valentine's treats are an easy way to say "I love you" for kids of all ages.
Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without sweets for your sweet. For those occasions when you are pressed for time, easy and quick treats are just as loving. One of the fastest and easiest things to make are the traditional rolled sugar cookies; heart-shaped and frosted in the red or pink colors of the season. To save time, a little extra know-how is always helpful, too.
Tried and true Valentine's Recipes
Easy Crispy Chocolate Hearts
(Can be made ahead several days)
- 3 cups rice crisp cereal
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup light-colored corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons
- 3 cups crisp rice cereal
- Heart-shaped Cookie Cutter
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Melt the chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter or margarine in a 2 quart microwaveable bowl. Heat at 30 second intervals until chips begin to melt, usually 2-3 times or about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes total.
Add the rice cereal to the melted chocolate mixture. Stir until the cereal is evenly coated with chocolate.Turn the chocolate-coated cereal out onto the cookie sheet and gently pat the mixture until it almost covers the sheet from edge to edge. Chill for about half an hour, until slightly firm.
Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter (spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray), cut cereal mixture into heart shapes. Can be decorated with frosting. Wrap each heart in plastic wrap and keep chilled until served.
Peanut Butter Kisses
- About 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 cups all-purpose biscuit baking mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Beat sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in large bowl until smooth. Add baking mix and vanilla; blend well. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until very lightly browned (do not over-bake). Remove from oven; immediately press chocolate piece in center of each ball. Cool on wire rack. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container. About 48 cookies
Sweetheart Cupcakes
Save time by using packaged mix and frosting
- 1 Standard Cake Mix
- 1 can White Frosting
- Red colored sugar or sprinkle decorations
- 2 dozen decorator "picks" (Valentine theme stick-ins)
Follow cake mix direction for baking cupcakes;Line cupcake or muffin pans with paper cupcake liners and fill 1/2 full (ice cram scoops make filling easier).
When cool, frost with white frosting and decorate with one single candy heart or other whimsical decoration (available in most stores or baking supplies. Pictured is Lips Puffy Picks from bakingshop.com) To make a fancier cupcake, sprinkle around the edge of the frosted cupcake with red decorator's sugar or small red candy hearts.
Quick and Easy Lollipop Heart Bouquets
For a last minute or super-fast treat, these simple bouquets can't be beat.
- Red, Pink and White Construction Paper
- Large Package of simple suckers or lollipops that are sealed in individual plastic
- Glue stick
Cut multiple hearts from each page of construction paper, sized just bigger than the sucker. Glue each heart onto the plastic around the sucker. Sweetheart messages can be written on the back of each "flower". If desired, add leaves to each flower by cutting leaf shapes from green construction paper. Fold the green paper in half and cut out a leaf shape, leaving the two sides attached at the seam. Wrap around sucker stick and glue two folds together to form one leaf. Group three or four suckers together for a bouquet and twistie tie. Can be decorated even more with curled ribbon.
