Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day) is quickly approaching. So naturally, you’ll want a list of quick, easy, and cute recipes to try when this holiday rolls around. That’s why, when I stumbled upon this ingenious hack for turning pie dough into the perfect bite-size dessert, I knew I needed to save it immediately to my folder of must-try hacks for this season.
To make mini Valentine’s Day Pop-Tarts, grab a sheet of store-bought pie dough. Roll it out on a floured surface or parchment paper until it’s even. Next, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes from the dough. Take two heart-shaped cutouts and fill one with your favorite jam or pie filling. Place the second heart on top and press the edges together with a fork to seal in the filling.
Next, arrange the sealed heart-shaped hand pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then brush the tops with an egg wash. Now for the fun part: Use food coloring gel to paint cute designs, like hearts, flowers, or bows, on top of each hand pie. You can also use small cookie cutters and leftover dough to create additional decorative shapes to place on top. Finally, bake the hand pies according to the pie dough package directions or until they turn golden-brown.
With a hack like this, you can take many different routes. For the filling, you can go fruit-forward with jams like apricot, peach, or raspberry, or opt for something more decadent like milk chocolate, Nutella, or dulce de leche. If you’re in the mood for a savory treat, try stuffing them with melty mozzarella or Gouda, seasoned ground beef (similar to an empanada filling), or a delicious blend of spinach and artichoke.
On Instagram, people can’t stop obsessing over this hack. “Well, this wins cutest thing ever on the internet today,” said one user, and another called out, “These are the most beautiful Pop-Tarts I’ve ever seen in my life!” This trick proves that you can easily make a stunning showstopper for Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day this year with just a pack of pie dough, a tasty filling, cookie cutters, and a little creativity.
