Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, which gives you just enough time to plan the perfect, tasty treat to give to your “sweetie.” Even if you don’t have exemplary culinary skills or access to a full pantry of ingredients, you can still put together a sweet dessert that your Valentine is sure to love. All you need is some store-bought cookie dough!
Warm, chewy and made with love, cookies are a gift no one can turn down. With just a few add-ons and a little extra thought, you can quickly and easily turn any tube, box or bag of store-bought cookie dough into a personalized treat for your Valentine. Whether you live off campus or in a dorm with a shared kitchen, these unique twists to ordinary cookie dough are the best Valentine’s Day gifts to show that special someone how much you care about them.
1. Add Fresh Fruit
What You’ll Need: Sugar cookie dough, frosting, fresh fruit of your choice
If you’re looking for a way to make your cookies taste especially fresh and stand out, try spreading some frosting of your choice onto a batch of flat sugar cookies (baked according to package instructions). Finish these off with some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or sliced strawberries for a cookie pizza you’ll have to stop yourself from eating.
2. Stuff ‘Em
What You’ll Need: Cookie dough, bag of candy, Oreos, mini marshmallows
This trick is perfect for personalizing cookies to fit your Valentine’s tastebuds. Roll your cookie dough into a ball and flatten it with the palm of your hand. In the center of the ball, you can place an Oreo, a Rollo, a Reese’s mini peanut butter cup, three to four mini marshmallows or any filling of your choice. Get creative and keep your Valentine’s tastes in mind for some super delicious stuffed cookie treats.
3. Add Ice Cream
What You’ll Need: Cookie dough, ice cream, sprinkles/mini chocolate chips (optional)
You really can’t go wrong with an ice cream sandwich. Everyone expects flowers and chocolate on Valentine’s Day, but really nothing compares to ice cream sandwiches. Bake the cookie dough of your choice according to the package instructions. Wait for the cookies — preferably cut into the shape of hearts — to cool and place a scoop of ice cream in between two evenly-sized cookies. For an extra treat, roll the edges of your ice cream sandwich in sprinkles or mini chocolate chips before placing them in the freezer to chill.
4. Make Nutella Cups
What You’ll Need: Cookie Dough, Nutella
Ever wonder why people bake with the cupcake tin upside down sometimes? This is your chance to give it a try! Roll your cookie dough into medium-sized balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand. Take a mini cupcake/muffin tin and turn it upside down. Mold each flattened cookie around the greased muffin molds and bake according to package instructions. Allow the cookies to cool and fill with a spoonful of Nutella for a shot of chocolate everyone can enjoy.
5. Add Some Extra Treats
What You’ll Need: Dried fruit, chocolate chips, cereal, walnuts, peanuts, cinnamon, etc.
A slightly simpler way of making your store-bought cookies extra delicious is to throw in a few add-ons before you get to the actual baking. This works best with cookie mix, but also fits with pre-made cookie dough. Simply take the cookie dough of your choice and roll/mix in a few of your Valentine’s favorite ingredients that might not be found in your everyday package of cookie dough. Walnuts, extra chocolate chips, cinnamon, dried fruit, oats, cereal and peanuts are just a few extra treats you can toss in for a yummy, personalized dessert.
6. Dip Them in Chocolate
What You’ll Need: Cookie dough, melted chocolate, sprinkles/mini chocolate chips (optional)
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, chocolate truly does make everything better. If you don’t want to give your Valentine regular cookies, try rolling your cookie dough into the shape of sticks before baking. Once they’re done, dip them in melted white, milk or dark chocolate and cover the ends in sprinkles or mini chocolate chips. They’re so fun to make, you can even have your Valentine help for some delicious snacks and quality time together.
7. Get Creative with Presentation
What You’ll Need: Cake pop sticks, heart-shaped cookie cutters, red/pink cupcake liners, red food coloring, ribbon, tissue paper, heart-shaped box
As delicious as everything above sounds, Valentine’s Day is also a time to get creative with presentation and have some fun. Your mind is the limit when it comes to this step, so just put some love into it and you’ll be fine. Stick the cookies on cake pop sticks for a hand-held treat. Decorate using pink icing or by cutting the cookies into the shapes of hearts. Place your cookies in a heart-shaped box, surrounded by tissue paper and ribbon. Anything you can think of to make your cookies look as beautiful as they taste will make this Valentine’s Day gift that much more special.
Now that you have all the ideas you need to make one very personalized batch of cookies, head down to CVS or Whole Foods to pick up some cookie dough and start baking. Your Valentine will definitely appreciate the thoughtful gesture.