It is the season of love with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. Time to show friends and family how much they are appreciated and loved. Valentine’s Day is a day of love or romance, and way back in the 1800s, people began to associate chocolate or little treats with love. Richard Cadbury, a candy-maker, thought that it would be nice to package chocolates in heart-shaped boxes and the tradition grew from there. During Valentine’s, freshman Shelby Greene makes sugar cookies that are heart-shaped to show her love towards others. She says, “This is one of my favorite treats to give to my friends and family. I love the cute shapes and they are very delicious, but they also show a lot of love towards whoever receives them.”  Here is the recipe to try! 

Ingredients 

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and work surface 
• ½ teaspoon baking powder 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• ¾ cups unsalted butter, softened 
• ¾ cups granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg, at room temperature 
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• ¼ or ½ teaspoon almond extract  (optional) 
• Decorate with any icing (pink and red for valentines season) and can also use heart-shaped cookie cutters 

Steps

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl 
2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes) 
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat on high speed until combined (about 1 minute) 
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on low until combined (Dough will be soft, and if too soft, add a teaspoon of flour) 
5. Roll out dough, break into 2 parts if you have a lot of dough, then lightly dust with flour and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours 
6. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F, line baking sheets with parchment paper
7. Roll out dough, and use the cookie cutter to cut out a shape, then place cut-out dough on a baking sheet (about 3 inches apart)
8. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly brown, then allow cookies to cool 
9. When cookies are done and cool, it is time to decorate! 

  Another popular treat to give to friends is a Valentine’s snack mix. This recipe is not as sweet as the first one and would be perfect for someone who does not have a big sweet tooth. It is great for gatherings and just maybe chilling out. Here are some things to add to make the snack mix amazing! 

Ingredients 

• Marshmallows
• Pink goldfish
• Pink and red M&Ms
• Chex mix 
• Cheerios 

Just mix these all together to make an amazing snack mix. Other things could be added like pretzels, cheez-its, or anything snack-related can make this recipe the best. These recipes are great for loved ones, and they will feel very appreciated.