Valentine's Day Treats!

We always send treats and gifts to the children and grands for holidays and special occasions when we cannot be with them to share those times. Sometimes we send them something that will be an experience - like a trip to the zoo for the family. However, this year the experiences have been something that got put on the back burner in some ways. When I sat down to try to think of what I could send for Valentine's day, I sort of hit a wall for a bit. 

At Father's Day I sent a bunch of snacks - some salty and some sweet. As it turned out, that was a gift for the whole family! Halloween I sent a five pound bag of candy. That was a gift for the whole family as well but the parents of the littles sort of let me know it was an overindulgence that was a bit overwhelming and distracting.  (By the way, those are not the exact words that were used but that was the message I heard!)

So, as I was thinking about Valentine's Day, I tried to think about what might be an experience and what might be well received as well. So, a big bag or box of chocolates was out. Then, I started seeing lots of blog posts where folks were making Valentine treats that included cut-out cookies with icing and decorations. That's when I knew I had hit on a good idea. That could kind of be an experience as well as a treat!

I turned to my go-to for shipping treats inexpensively and began looking for a way to make that cookie cutting and decorating experience for the grands. I found this cute set of cookie cutters that included a little set of hearts. Then, I added a pouch or two of a cookie mix, a couple of squeeze containers of pink and red icings, and some sprinkles. Later, I found another recipe that looked relatively simple and emailed a link to the parents just in case they wanted to extend the experience!

Cassie and Evie's Cookies

Evie intensely studying her work!

Cassie's opinion of the action is expressed with a look.

You can see the cute little tin of cookie cutters just behind the dough that Evie is  working in the photo above. I kind of wish I had ordered me these treats!

Beautifully decorated treats!

Linley's decorating technique.

Harris and Linley's serious attention to detail!

I loved the cookie that was round and had the little heart cut-out in the center. I was also very impressed with the perfect roundness of the cookies on the plate above. Mom told me they had used a glass to cut out the circles and the cutter to get the heart shape inside. So clever! I was thrilled to get photos of the experience and the treats they created! Doesn't that look fun? And delicious? (And just enough messiness that only a grandmother can love when it is in photos and not her kitchen!)

UPDATE:

Another set of grands shared photos and I wanted them to be posted here as well. It looks like rolling out the dough is serious business.

Then comes the cutting and it looks like there was some thinking involved there, too.  After all, you want to get the most you can out of that flattened dough!

And the decorating must have taken the most time. With all those options, I'll bet they sure were tasty!

Looks like there were plenty of tubes of icing and lots of sprinkles and that is really what makes that kind of treat a special one. I think this last bunch used a snow day for cookie baking. I know that their mother got asked every day after school about making cookies till the day finally arrived for the fun to take place. Don't you know I was getting love vibes from mother?!