Throwback Thursday: Valentine's Day Marshmallow Pops

This #TBT piece by Lisa Carpenter originally published February 3, 2015 on Grandma's Briefs.

A fun and tasty activity and treat in one!

What you need:

20 large marshmallows

4 ounces or so vanilla candy coating, aka Almond Bark

festive decorative cookie sprinkles

20 lollipop sticks (popsicle sticks might work equally well)

What you do:

Have kiddos poke sticks into marshmallows, all the way in but not poking through tops.

Give each child a saucer filled with decorative sprinkles. Lay out waxed paper nearby.

In small bowl, melt candy coating in microwave, 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 seconds. (Should only take about one minute; do not nuke too much or coating is ruined.)

Swirl marshmallow "pop" in melted candy coating, scraping excess on side of bowl. Immediately hand over each pop to a kiddo to roll sides in the decorative sprinkles. Note: Too much coating will result in sprinkles and coating sliding off the marshmallow so be sure to scrape off excess before passing pop along the production line.

Place pops on waxed paper to dry and harden.

Once all the pops are set on waxed paper to dry, give kids graham crackers to dip and eat the remaining candy coating, along with the extra sprinkles, if desired.

Be sure baby brothers get a taste of the vanilla coating, too.

Once coating on pops hardens — which takes about 15 minutes — allow taste tests.

Await thoughts on the treats.

Brace for the sugar high. There surely will be one — but it surely will be worth it.