Apples are a healthy snack, loved by adults and children alike. When I was asked to sign up to bring a Valentine’s Day party snack to my child’s class, I knew I wanted to make these apple peanut butter treats, but the list of ingredients to avoid (due to class allergies) gave reservations. I had to come up with a healthy snack that was cute and delicious… and something everyone could enjoy.
The sweet thought of Opal Apples kept coming back to me, and I knew that’s what we would bring. (With our own twist, of course!) Opal Apples don’t brown, are a non-GMO crossbreed between Golden Delicious and Topaz apples, and reach their peak during the winter months. I was so excited to see our grocery store still had plenty in stock.
I picked up enough Opal Apples for a batch of applesauce and 25 Valentine’s Day treats.
I let my daughter write her name on Valentine tags while I began washing each apple in a solution of vinegar and water. (Fill a sink with water, add 1 cup of vinegar and stir. Soak the fruit for 10 minutes. Dry on paper towels.) Since children would be eating the apple at the party (including the skin), I wanted to make sure the apples were thoroughly clean and ready.
Take a small cookie cutter and begin pressing it into your apple, piercing the skin. I have a plastic set of cookie cutters, and I have these mini cutters, which I love, too.
Carefully remove the cookie cutter. (You can stop here, if you’d like.)
Take a vegetable peeler and remove the shape you just scored with the cookie cutter.
It might help to practice on a “test” apple first, to see just how deep you have to go.
Continue to cut 5-6 hearts on each apple, as space allows. I loved how the Opal Apples refused to turn brown while I worked my way through the 24 remaining apples, which took a little more than an hour.
I then tied each Valentine’s Day tag to the top of the apple, before bringing them to the school party! You could even wrap each apple in cellophane or a baggie, if they will not be eaten that afternoon.
The students loved them and the parents did, too! This can definitely be done for a variety of occasions, and would be perfect for your child to find in his/her lunchbox: think birthday, student of the month, holidays and just because!
You can even get really creative with a combination of cookie cutters, just as I did here:
For information on Opal apples, healthy tips and new recipes, visit Opal Apple on facebook!
