RecipesDesserts & Treats12 Super Bowl Valentine Treats for the Year the Big Game Lands on February 14

12 Super Bowl Valentine Treats for the Year the Big Game Lands on February 14

12 Super Bowl Valentine Treats for the Year the Big Game Lands on February 14

Half the couch wants nachos and a fourth quarter. Half the room wants roses and something pink on a plate. This year neither side has to lose: the Big Game and Valentine’s Day land on the same date, so the snack table gets to do double duty.

Twelve treats pull that off without making anyone pick a side. Some lean hard into hearts and blush pink, some keep the laces and the brown sugar, and a few, like the football-shaped calzones, wear both colors on the same plate.

A handful of these contain dairy, eggs, gluten or tree nuts (cherries and almonds show up more than once), so flag the fudge and the sugar cookies if anyone at the table has a nut allergy.

The jello shots carry real alcohol: keep that tray separate and clearly marked, and set out water alongside it for anyone driving home after the final whistle.

For the rest of the spread, from wings to a full table plan, 24 Super Bowl Party Food Ideas for a Crowd That Came Hungry covers the savory half. If the room needs something to do between plays, 16 Super Bowl Party Games With Free Printables for People Who Came for the Food fills the gap at halftime.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents
  1. Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries
  2. Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces
  3. Red and Pink Cookie Cake
  4. Conversation Heart Popcorn
  5. Pink Dessert Dip
  6. Heart Pizza Bites
  7. Mini Football Calzones
  8. Touchdown Pretzel Hearts
  9. Red Velvet Football Cupcakes
  10. Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge
  11. Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies
  12. Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots
  13. Frequently Asked Questions

Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries

The strawberries already sit on every Valentine’s table, so the easy move is to leave them plain. But the half of the room watching the game wants something that looks like it showed up for kickoff too, and a line of white icing laces does that in under a minute.

Dark chocolate sets hard enough to travel on a platter without smearing, and the cold fruit underneath keeps each bite light after three hours of chips. Pat the berries bone dry before dipping: any bead of water left on the skin makes the chocolate turn grainy and dull instead of glossy.

No fresh strawberries in season where you are? Dried apricots or banana slices dip the same way and skip the short shelf life, though strawberries stay the cheaper, faster choice when the store has good ones.

Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Super bowl valentine treats
Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Would you use this?
Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Super bowl valentine treats

Football Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Makes 16 strawberries (8 servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries about 16 medium berries, stems on
  • 10 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
  • 2 ounces white chocolate melting wafers
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil divided (optional, for thinning)

Instructions

  • Wash the strawberries and pat them completely dry with a paper towel; any water left on the skin will make the chocolate seize and turn grainy.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Put the dark chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and pourable, about 90 seconds total; stir in 1/2 teaspoon oil if the chocolate looks thick.
  • Holding each strawberry by the green cap, dip it into the dark chocolate and twist gently to coat two-thirds of the berry, then let the excess drip back into the bowl for a few seconds.
  • Set the dipped strawberries on the parchment and refrigerate for 10 minutes, until the chocolate is firm when you touch the side gently.
  • Melt the white chocolate wafers the same way, stirring in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil if needed to thin it, then scoop it into a small zip-top bag and snip off one corner to make a small piping tip.
  • Pipe one straight line down the center of the flat side of each strawberry, then pipe 5 or 6 short lines across it to look like football laces.
  • Chill for 5 more minutes to set the laces, then serve within 4 hours at cool room temperature so the chocolate stays glossy.

Good to Know

Dip the strawberries the morning of the party and keep them in a single layer in the fridge; bring them out 20 minutes before kickoff so the chocolate is not cold and dull.

Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces

Brownies already please both camps, which is exactly why they get stretched two ways at once this year. A heart cutter stamps out the Valentine’s half of the argument, and a line of piped icing settles the other.

Bake the brownies a shade underdone: a toothpick with a few moist crumbs on it, not a clean one, is what keeps the hearts fudgy instead of dry once they cool and firm up further on the counter.

Short on a 3-inch heart cutter? Cut the slab into squares and snip the two top corners into a point instead. It reads as a heart close enough from across the room, and it costs nothing extra.

Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces. Super bowl valentine treats
Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces
Would you use this?
Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces. Super bowl valentine treats

Heart Shaped Brownies With Laces

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes 10 hearts

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup white frosting for laces

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking pan, lining it with parchment so the ends hang over two sides.
  • Whisk the melted butter and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture looks glossy.
  • Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, until the batter is smooth.
  • Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder just until no dry streaks remain; a few extra stirs make the brownies tough.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  • Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
  • Cool the brownies in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift them out by the parchment and cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, before cutting.
  • Press a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter firmly into the cooled brownie slab to stamp out as many hearts as you can.
  • Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or a zip bag with the corner snipped off.
  • Pipe one line down the center of each heart and short lines crossing it, just like laces on a football, then let the frosting firm up for 10 minutes before stacking.

Good to Know

Bake the brownie slab a day ahead and keep it uncut, wrapped tightly in the pan; cut the hearts and pipe the laces the morning of the party.

Red and Pink Cookie Cake

One big cookie, cut into wedges like a cake, settles the argument about whether this is a Valentine’s dessert or a football snack before anyone even asks.

The marbled red and pink dough bakes into streaks that never fully blend, which is the point: a cookie cake in one flat color looks like a mistake, one with visible swirls looks intentional. Pull it from the oven while the center still looks slightly underset; it firms as it cools on the counter and stays soft in the middle.

Gel food coloring gives the cleanest color without thinning the dough the way liquid drops do, and a few drops go a long way, so one small bottle covers this and the sugar cookies further down the list too.

Red and Pink Cookie Cake. Super bowl valentine treats
Red and Pink Cookie Cake
Would you use this?
Red and Pink Cookie Cake. Super bowl valentine treats

Red and Pink Cookie Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • red gel food coloring
  • pink gel food coloring
  • 1 cup white frosting for the top

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, grease a 9-inch round cake pan, and line the bottom with a parchment circle.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
  • Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture and stir until the dough just comes together.
  • Divide the dough in half; tint one half red and the other pink with gel coloring, kneading each gently until the color is even.
  • Pinch pieces of each color and press them together in the pan in a rough marbled pattern, pressing the dough out to the edges in an even layer about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the center still looks slightly soft; it firms as it cools.
  • Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and lift the cookie cake onto a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
  • Spread or pipe the frosting over the top in a swirl, then slice into wedges to serve.

Good to Know

No gel coloring on hand? A tablespoon of freeze-dried strawberry powder, crushed fine, tints the pink half just as well.

Conversation Heart Popcorn

Popcorn is the cheapest thing on the whole table, and it disappears first every single time, game or no game!

A thin drizzle of melted pink candy coating, not a full dunk, keeps the popcorn crunchy instead of turning it into clumps of candy with no air left in them. Let it sit until the coating no longer feels tacky to the touch before breaking it into clusters.

Any plain popcorn works here, air-popped or the bagged microwave kind without butter flavoring, so this is the one treat worth making with whatever is already sitting in the pantry.

Conversation Heart Popcorn. Super bowl valentine treats
Conversation Heart Popcorn
Would you use this?
Conversation Heart Popcorn. Super bowl valentine treats

Conversation Heart Popcorn

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Makes 10 cups

Ingredients

  • 10 cups popped popcorn about 1/2 cup kernels, air-popped or plain microwave
  • 12 ounces pink or red candy melts
  • 1 cup mini conversation heart candies
  • pink and red sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Spread the popcorn on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and pick out any unpopped kernels.
  • Melt the candy melts in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and pourable, about 90 seconds total.
  • Drizzle the melted candy over the popcorn in thin ribbons, then use two spoons to toss gently until about half the popcorn is coated.
  • Scatter the conversation hearts and sprinkles over the top while the candy coating is still wet so they stick.
  • Let the popcorn sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, until the candy coating no longer feels tacky.
  • Break the popcorn into clusters by hand.
  • Serve the same day; popcorn loses its crunch if it sits candy-coated for more than a day ahead.

Good to Know

Doubling for a bigger crowd? Spread the popcorn across two baking sheets side by side instead of piling it deep on one, or the coating pools instead of drizzling thin.

Pink Dessert Dip

Somebody always brings the queso. This is the other bowl, the one that belongs to the half of the room that came for Valentine’s and wants something sweet to dunk a strawberry into between plays.

Marshmallow fluff keeps the dip from setting too firm in the fridge, so a pretzel rod still sinks into it instead of snapping against a hard surface. Chill it at least an hour before the party starts; it needs that time to hold its shape against a cookie.

Swap the cream cheese for a dairy-free block and the fluff for a vegan marshmallow creme if anyone at the table skips dairy. The color and texture barely change.

Pink Dessert Dip. Super bowl valentine treats
Pink Dessert Dip
Would you use this?
Pink Dessert Dip. Super bowl valentine treats

Pink Dessert Dip

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Makes 2 cups, 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • a few drops pink or red food coloring optional
  • strawberries pretzel rods, graham crackers or vanilla wafers, for dipping

Instructions

  • Beat the softened cream cheese in a bowl until smooth with no lumps remaining, about 1 minute with a mixer.
  • Add the strawberry preserves and marshmallow fluff, and beat until fully combined and the mixture turns an even pale pink.
  • Pour in the heavy cream and beat 30 seconds more, until the dip loosens to a soft, spreadable consistency; add a drop of food coloring if you want a brighter pink.
  • Scrape the dip into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until it firms up enough to hold a dipper without sliding off.
  • Arrange strawberries, pretzel rods and cookies around the bowl just before serving.
  • The dip holds at room temperature on the table for about 2 hours; refrigerate any leftovers.

Good to Know

Make the dip itself a full day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; just stir once before serving if it looks slightly separated.

Heart Pizza Bites

Pizza Hut built an entire marketing moment around a heart-shaped pizza for a reason: cheese and dough read as comfort food no matter what shape they come in, and a heart shape just makes the comfort look intentional.

Keep the sauce and cheese inside the border of the dough, not spread to the very edge, or it slides off the sides while baking and leaves the hearts bald in the middle by the time the crust turns golden.

Assemble these ahead and refrigerate them unbaked, then slide the tray into the oven right as the pregame coverage starts. Twelve minutes later they come out hot exactly when the room is ready to eat.

Heart Pizza Bites. Super bowl valentine treats
Heart Pizza Bites
Would you use this?
Heart Pizza Bites. Super bowl valentine treats

Heart Pizza Bites

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Makes 12 bites

Ingredients

  • 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough or 1 batch homemade
  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 24 mini pepperoni slices or regular pepperoni, cut small
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  • Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Cut as many hearts as possible with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter, rerolling the scraps once.
  • Place the hearts on the baking sheet and brush each lightly with olive oil.
  • Spread about 1 teaspoon pizza sauce over each heart, leaving a small border bare.
  • Top with mozzarella and a few pepperoni pieces, keeping them near the center so the cheese doesn't slide off the edges while baking.
  • Sprinkle with the oregano.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the dough are golden brown.
  • Cool for 3 minutes on the pan before moving (the cheese is lava-hot straight from the oven), then serve warm with extra sauce for dipping.

Good to Know

Assemble the hearts up to 4 hours ahead and keep the tray covered in the fridge unbaked; bake right before guests arrive.

Mini Football Calzones

The dessert table gets the hearts; the calzones get the football, laces and all, which keeps at least one tray firmly on the game-day side of the argument.

Pinch the seam shut hard before tapering the ends into points, because a calzone that leaks filling in the oven loses its shape and its laces both. The dough should sound hollow, not soft, when tapped on the bottom with a knuckle.

Freeze a batch unbaked for the next game day: they go straight from the freezer into a 400°F oven with five extra minutes added, no thawing required.

Mini Football Calzones. Super bowl valentine treats
Mini Football Calzones
Would you use this?
Mini Football Calzones. Super bowl valentine treats

Mini Football Calzones

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Makes 8 calzones

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella divided
  • 1/2 cup mini pepperoni
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup pizza sauce plus extra for dipping
  • 1 large egg beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  • Mix the ricotta, half the mozzarella, the pepperoni and garlic powder together in a bowl until combined.
  • Divide the pizza dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a 5-inch oval on a floured surface.
  • Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each oval, leaving a 1/2-inch border bare.
  • Fold the dough over the filling to form a football shape, pinching the edges to seal completely so the filling can't leak.
  • Taper the two pointed ends by pinching and tucking them slightly, so each calzone looks like a football.
  • Cut 4 thin strips from any dough scraps; press one lengthwise down the center of each calzone and several short ones across it to mimic laces.
  • Brush each calzone with the egg wash.
  • Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until deep golden brown and the dough sounds hollow when tapped.
  • Cool for 5 minutes on the pan (the filling is very hot), then serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Good to Know

Freeze assembled, unbaked calzones on a tray until solid, then bag them; bake straight from frozen at 400°F, adding 5 extra minutes.

Touchdown Pretzel Hearts

A soft pretzel already smells like a stadium from across the room, so bending the shape into a heart instead of the usual twist barely costs anything in exchange for crossing it over to Valentine’s.

The quick dip in boiling baking-soda water, just 20 seconds, is what gives the crust its deep color and proper chew. Skip it and the pretzels bake pale and bread-like instead.

Shape the hearts a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge, then boil and bake them in the last 30 minutes before the party so they land on the table still warm.

Touchdown Pretzel Hearts. Super bowl valentine treats
Touchdown Pretzel Hearts
Would you use this?
Touchdown Pretzel Hearts. Super bowl valentine treats

Touchdown Pretzel Hearts

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Makes 10 pretzel hearts

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/3 cup baking soda for the water bath
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • coarse sea salt for topping

Instructions

  • Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy on top.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, pour in the yeast mixture and melted butter, then stir and knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back when poked.
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for 15 minutes, until slightly puffed (it will not double in this short rise, and that's fine).
  • Preheat the oven to 450°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
  • Bring 8 cups water and the baking soda to a boil in a wide pot.
  • Divide the dough into 10 pieces and roll each into a 14-inch rope.
  • Shape each rope into a heart by curling both ends into loops at the top and pinching the tails together at the bottom point.
  • Drop each pretzel heart into the boiling water bath for 20 seconds, then lift out with a slotted spoon and set on a baking sheet.
  • Brush each with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until deep mahogany brown, the same color as a classic soft pretzel.
  • Cool for 5 minutes on the pan before moving; the crust firms as it cools.
  • Serve warm with mustard or cheese dip on the side.

Good to Know

Shape the hearts up to 4 hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge; boil and bake them right before the party starts.

Red Velvet Football Cupcakes

Red velvet already wears the right color for both holidays without any help, so the only decision left is how literally to draw the football on top.

Pipe the frosting into an oval, not a dome, if you want the football to actually read as a football from the other side of the room; a dome just looks like a regular cupcake wearing stripes.

Frost these the morning of if you can. The laces smudge if the cupcakes ride in a car for an hour, so pack the piping bag separately and finish them at the party instead.

Red Velvet Football Cupcakes. Super bowl valentine treats
Red Velvet Football Cupcakes
Would you use this?
Red Velvet Football Cupcakes. Super bowl valentine treats

Red Velvet Football Cupcakes

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 19 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 cup cream cheese frosting
  • brown and white decorating icing for laces

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and sugar until combined, then whisk in the egg, food coloring and vanilla.
  • Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet mixture in three additions, starting and ending with flour, stirring just until smooth.
  • Stir in the vinegar last; the batter will look deep red and slightly thin, and that's correct.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  • Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes, before frosting.
  • Pipe or spread cream cheese frosting into an oval football shape on each cupcake using an offset spatula.
  • Pipe one brown icing line down the center and short white lines crossing it for the laces.

Good to Know

Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and keep them unfrosted at room temperature, covered; frost and pipe the laces the morning of the party.

Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge

Fudge needs no oven, no mixer and no real skill, which makes it the easiest thing on the table to hand to someone who swears they cannot bake.

The raspberry layer stays marbled rather than mixed in, swirled with just a knife tip, so each piece shows both colors without turning into one flat shade of brown. A full two hours in the fridge, not less, is what lets a clean cut happen without the pieces smearing.

No raspberry jam on hand? Strawberry jam swaps in at the same amount and keeps the pink just as bright.

Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge. Super bowl valentine treats
Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge
Would you use this?
Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge. Super bowl valentine treats

Raspberry Chocolate Football Fudge

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • pink or red gel food coloring optional

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
  • Combine the chocolate chips and two-thirds of the condensed milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then pour into the pan and spread into an even layer.
  • In a separate saucepan, melt the white chocolate chips with the remaining condensed milk over low heat, stirring until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the raspberry jam and remaining vanilla until streaked but not fully blended; a few drops of food coloring deepen the pink if you like.
  • Pour the raspberry layer over the chocolate layer and swirl gently with a knife tip for a marbled look.
  • Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours, until the fudge is firm enough that pressing the center leaves no indent.
  • Lift the fudge out using the parchment overhang, cut into 1.5-inch pieces, then trim the corners off each piece to round it into an oval football shape.
  • Pipe thin white icing laces across the center of each piece if you want the full look, or leave them plain for a simpler serve.

Good to Know

The fudge freezes well: wrap pieces individually and freeze up to 1 month, then thaw for 1 hour before serving.

Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies

A plain sugar cookie says nothing about the game or the holiday. A few flecks of chopped maraschino cherry and a drop of almond extract push it toward dessert-case Valentine’s without any extra work.

Chill the dough a full hour before rolling it out, or the butter softens too much from handling and the hearts lose their sharp points in the oven. The edges should look just barely gold when they come out; the centers finish setting as they cool on the pan.

Leave the cherries out entirely for a plain almond sugar cookie, and the colored icing still carries the whole theme on its own.

Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies. Super bowl valentine treats
Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies
Would you use this?
Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies. Super bowl valentine treats

Cherry Almond Heart Sugar Cookies

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries well drained and patted dry
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • red and pink gel food coloring

Instructions

  • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Beat in the egg, almond extract and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, then add to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing just until the dough comes together.
  • Fold in the chopped cherries gently so they don't streak the dough pink.
  • Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm enough to roll without sticking.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
  • Roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick, cut with a heart-shaped cutter, and place the hearts 1 inch apart on the sheets.
  • Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden; the centers will look slightly underdone and firm up as they cool.
  • Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes, before icing.
  • Whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until the icing coats the back of a spoon in a smooth ribbon, then divide and tint half red and half pink.
  • Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies.
  • Let the icing set at room temperature for 30 minutes before stacking or packing the cookies.

Good to Know

Freeze the baked, unfrosted cookies up to 1 month; ice them the morning you plan to serve them.

Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots

This is the one tray on the table that belongs strictly to the adults in the room, and it should sit far enough from the rest of the spread that nobody mistakes it for a kid-friendly snack.

Pour the champagne down the side of the bowl, not straight into the center, so the bubbles don’t foam the gelatin over the rim before it has a chance to set. A full four hours in the fridge, not less, is what lets each shot hold its shape out of the mold.

Swap the champagne and vodka for pink sparkling juice in equal amounts for a version that still looks the part without any alcohol at all; keep that batch on its own clearly labeled tray too.

Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots. Super bowl valentine treats
Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots
Would you use this?
Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots. Super bowl valentine treats

Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Makes 24 shots

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cold water divided
  • 2 3 ounce packages pink or strawberry gelatin
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup pink champagne or sparkling rosé
  • 1/4 cup vodka optional, omit for lighter shots
  • pink sanding sugar for topping, optional
  • fresh strawberry slices for garnish

Instructions

  • Arrange 24 small cups, or a silicone heart-shaped mold, on a tray that fits flat in the fridge.
  • Pour the boiling water over the gelatin powder in a large heatproof bowl and whisk for 2 minutes, until the powder is completely dissolved and the liquid looks clear, not grainy.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup cold water to cool the mixture slightly.
  • Stir in the champagne and vodka (if using) slowly, pouring down the side of the bowl so the gelatin doesn't foam over.
  • Pour the mixture into the cups or mold, filling each about three-quarters full.
  • Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, until the shots are fully set and spring back when touched lightly in the center.
  • Run a thin knife around the edge of each cup, or pop the hearts gently out of the silicone mold.
  • Garnish each shot with a tiny strawberry slice and a pinch of pink sanding sugar just before serving.

Good to Know

These contain real alcohol: keep the tray clearly marked and set apart from any treats guests might assume are kid-friendly, and keep water on the table alongside it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make chocolate covered strawberries last at a party without getting soggy?

Dry the strawberries completely before dipping and store them in a single uncovered layer in the fridge, since trapped moisture is what makes the chocolate sweat. Pull them out about 20 minutes before serving.

How far in advance can you make Valentine’s Day treats for a Super Bowl party?

Most baked treats hold at room temperature for a day wrapped tightly, while anything with fresh cream or cream cheese needs the fridge and should come out within two hours of kickoff.

Can you make Pink Champagne Jell-O Shots without alcohol?

Yes, swap the champagne and vodka for an equal amount of pink sparkling juice and the gelatin sets the same way. The shots turn into a sweet, grown-up mocktail bite instead.

How many treats do you need for a Super Bowl Valentine’s party?

Plan on two to three bite-sized treats per guest per hour the party runs, so a four-hour gathering for twelve people needs roughly thirty to thirty-six pieces across the whole table.

Can you make heart shaped treats without a cookie cutter?

Yes, trace a cardboard heart template with a paring knife, or shape dough by hand into a point at the bottom and two rounded lobes at the top.

What colors work for a Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day theme together?

Red carries both themes at once, pink and white soften it toward Valentine’s, and one team color worked in as an accent keeps the football half of the room happy too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome! I'm Helen, sharing party ideas, holiday fun,…