Valentine Cookies
History of Valentines Day

“Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine,
love, thou art every day my Valentine!”
Thomas Hood

Are you looking for that perfect valentine gift? Why not give valentine cookies? We have some fabulous valentine treats that will get you that kiss of approval when you serve them.

Homemade cookies are the ideal way to say "I love you". Give a gift of love to that special person in your life, whether it is your partner, family member or friend.

Valentine cookies make the ideal gift. Surprise your valentine with a plate of homemade, heart shaped sugar cookies, iced and lavishly decorated. Or alternatively, dip them in chocolate.

Bake a batch of our valentine cookies and gift wrap them. Looking for gift wrapping ideas? Go to our cookie gifts page for inspiration on how to present your cookies.

Chocolate Valentine Cookies

These chocolate box cookies look positively spectacular yet are not nearly as hard as they might look. In fact they are surprisingly easy to make.

They are also mouth-wateringly yummy. The apple pie spice offsets some of the sweetness of the chocolate, and gives them an interesting hint of spice.

Ingredients

175 g / 6 oz / 1 ½ cups self raising flour
25 g / 1 oz / ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon mixed (apple pie) spice
50 g / 2 oz / ¼ cup unsalted butter
115 g / 4 oz / generous ½ cup caster / superfine sugar
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk

Decoration

150 g / 5 oz milk chocolate
150 g / 5 oz white chocolate
150 g / 5 oz plain (semisweet) chocolate
Cocoa Powder for dusting
Dragees or other decorations

Method

Place flour, cocoa, spice and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the butter and flour are mixed. Add the sugar, egg and egg yolk and continue processing until it starts to come together into a dough.
Turn out onto a board and gently knead the dough. Divide into two and roll out into two logs about 33 cm / 13 inches long. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Remove from the fridge and cut into 1 cm / ½ inch slices. Place on baking trays lined with parchment and bake in a moderate (180°C / 350°F) oven for about 10 minutes. They will rise slightly.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorating your Cookies

Divide the valentine cookies into thirds. Break each type of chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave. Check the chocolate often to make sure it doesn't burn.
Working with one bowl of chocolate at a time, dip each cookie into the chocolate using a fork until coated. Place on wire racks to allow the chocolate to set. Repeat with the remaining cookies and bowls of chocolate.
Set aside some of the cookies to be decorated later. To decorate the remaining cookies, sprinkle over dragees, chocolate sprinkles or slivered almonds.
Place the left over melted chocolate into a plastic bag or a disposable icing bag. Spoon the chocolate into the bag, snip off the tip, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies that haven't yet been decorated. For maximum effect drizzle white chocolate over dark etc.

Cook’s Tip

Dark chocolate tends to cool and harden very quickly. To keep the chocolate smooth and runny while you work, place it over a bowl of hot water. But remember, water and chocolate don't mix, so be very careful not to get water in your chocolate.
If you are decorating your cookies with dragees sprinkle over the chocolate before it has set.
If you are drizzling another color chocolate over the top, allow the first layer of chocolate to set and harden first.

History of Valentine's Day

Ever wanted to know how Valentines Day began?

The origins of Valentines Day are mysterious and unknown. What is known is that in 469 AD Pope Gelasius declared 14 February a day in honor of St Valentine.

Our story begins in Rome in the year 269 AD and involves the Emperor Claudius II. In order to force men to join the military he banned all marriages and engagements.

One account says St Valentine, a priest in Rome at that time, continued to perform marriages in secret. He was discovered, thrown in prison and ordered to be put to death.

Another tale suggests that St Valentine was executed for attempting to help Christians escape from the Romans.

Yet another suggests that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl, said to have been the jailor’s daughter, who visited him in prison. Before his death he left her a note, which he signed: "From your Valentine". I rather prefer this story.

St Valentine became a heroic and popular figure during the Middle Ages.

During this time February 14 was also the beginning of the birds’ mating season. This added to the belief that the middle of February was a day for romance.

The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this day gradually spread through Europe and eventually to the American colonies.

People initially gave hand-written messages of love and tokens of their affection. By the end of the eighteenth century printed cards began to replace the hand-written versions.

The first mass produced Valentines Day cards appeared in the US in the 1840’s and were created by Esther Howland, known as the Mother of Valentine’s Day

Although the origins of Valentine’s Day are cloudy, the day is now firmly fixed in the calendar as the day for romance.

No matter who your valentine is, we have a range of valentine cookie recipes that will suit every taste.