Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! I don’t know about you, but every year I have plans to channel my inner-Martha Stewart and make heart shaped sugar cookies and decorate them with royal icing. Or maybe Pecan Linzer Cookies with Cherry Filling! Yes! They are gorgeous and I bet they taste even better. And I’ll make my own marshmallows and cut them in the shape of hearts and float them on top of hot-chocolate made with real milk on top of the stove!

Sadly, I disappoint myself often. Sometimes, life just gets in the way. I need to remind myself that it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach!

So, here’s an idea for those of you who ran out of time or are always more realistic in your expectations! 🙂 These are super easy. And they have fresh strawberries and so they’re healthy. Okay, maybe just healthi-er.

These are super fast to make. I made it first with the white candy coating, which makes a really pretty smooth base. Then I realized that I could make them healthier by using cream cheese as the base. I only had regular cream cheese on hand, but you could make it even healthier by using the lighter cream cheese (Neufchatel) and low fat vanilla wafers (Nabisco makes a low fat version for Nilla). I didn’t add anything to the cream cheese to make it extra quick and easy.

In the picture, the one on top is done with the candy coating. The two lower ones are done with cream cheese.

Super Easy Strawberry Heart Cookie Recipe

Option 1:

You will need:

vanilla wafers
strawberries
softened cream cheese (or Neufchatel cheese)

Directions:

1. De-hull the strawberries by using the tip of a small, sharp knife.
(Rather than cutting straight across the top.) Slice the strawberries,
and carefully shape the top of each slice into the top of the heart.
2. “Ice” a vanilla wafer with the softened cream cheese. Place one
strawberry heart on the top.
3. Refrigerate until serving.

(Note that the cookies will soften with time in the refrigerator,
which improves their flavor, but overnight they might get too soft for
little kids to eat easily. To speed prep, prepare the strawberry
hearts ahead of time and refrigerate. Have your cream cheese at room
temperature for easy spreading.)

Option 2:

You will need:

vanilla wafers
strawberries
white candy coating or white chocolate pieces

Directions:

1. De-hull the strawberries by using the tip of a small, sharp knife.
(Rather than cutting straight across the top.) Slice the strawberries,
and carefully shape the top of each slice into the top of the heart.
2. Melt the white candy coating or white chocolate candy pieces in the
microwave just until softened. “Ice” a vanilla wafer with the soft
candy coating. While the coating is till warm, place one strawberry
heart on the top.
3. Refrigerate until serving.

Need a quick class Valentines idea? Check out my post Help your little one make their own stitching card Valentines.