Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day – an especially fun and goodie-filled holiday for kids, as well as for women with creative, generous, romantic spouses . . .

While expressing love with a Valentine’s card is always appropriate, a little homemade treat can make the sentiment even sweeter. These Oreo cookie pops look fancy and festive, but can be assembled and decorated in less than half an hour. Sweet mother of shortcuts!

Try these same easy pops for any holiday – just change the color of the candy coating and/or sprinkles (i.e., green for St. Patrick’s Day, pastel for Easter, school colors for Spirit Day). Candy melts last forever, so stock up whenever you see them on sale or have a coupon for Michael’s. (Note that the candy melts I used were “Candy Cane Colorburst”– purchased on sale last December.)

If you can’t find candy melts, you can use white chocolate chips mixed with some vegetable oil instead.

Quick-n-Easy Cookie Pops

Makes 12 pops

• 12 “DoubleStuf” Oreos (from one package)
• 12 lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)
• 1 package white or pink candy melts (10 oz.) (or white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil)
• Assorted seasonal candies and/or sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Arrange Oreos on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave for 15 seconds. Carefully insert lollipop sticks into softened Oreo centers and arrange on lined baking sheet. Refrigerate or freeze for a few minutes to re-solidify centers.

A quick zap in the microwave helps the sticks slide in easily.

Add candy melts (or chips plus vegetable oil) to a medium microwaveable bowl or Pyrex measuring cup and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and then continue to microwave in 30-second increments until candy melts are smooth.

A small but deep vessel like this large Pyrex cup is ideal for melting small amounts of candy melts; it makes dipping easier.

One at a time, dip the chilled Oreo sticks into the melted coating, using a spoon to help obtain even coverage.

Place dipped pops back on the lined baking sheet and decorate as desired. (White chocolate chips will set up faster than the candy melts, so if that’s what you’re using you’ll want to decorate as you go.)

Return completed cookie pops to the refrigerator to harden.

Serve on a pretty plate or tray, wrap individually, or arrange in a foam-filled pot to create a cookie bouquet.

Oreo Cookie Pops as Valentine’s Favors

Cookie Pop Bouquet