These Mini Valentine Cactus are almost too cute to eat! Made using 3 different sweets, each cactus has its own flavor and unique shape. Use them as Valentines with the free printable or as a party memento for a special day. Make 1 or make all 3… they’re sure to create a memory that’ll stick. 

My kids are pretty devastated about this year’s Valentine festivities at their new school. For the past 6 years, we have brainstormed some pretty creative Valentine shoe boxes with matching cards and fun treats. It was pretty much an all-nighter for my husband and I as we prepared all 4 of them with equally cool boxes and trinkets. NOT THIS YEAR… we get to sleep!!!! Yeah baby!! Thanks to our new school, I get to send my kids in with Valentine cards and candy only!  They are decorating paper bags as a class and I think it’s perfect! Yes, I will act sad in front of my kids that we don’t get to labor all night as they get their beauty sleep and run off to school to receive all the attention of their peers and teachers. Life goes on, right?

Okay, okay maybe I am feeling a little emotional that I won’t see their happy faces light up with excitement as mom and dad pull off, yet another, year of fun creativity. Well, let’s just say these cactus were inserted into my brain and I couldn’t ignore them.  Now I wish I had a child to make a cactus box for! 🙂 But just 1 child, not 4. Four is just crazy. I couldn’t resist the cuteness of these! I love how they turned out and think they’d be so cute as a valentine or even as a party memento or edible table decor. Find the Valentine Printable HERE and follow the tutorial below for step by step directions on how to make these little cuties!

So what you’ll need… 1.5 inch tall clay pots (washed and dried), 2.5 inch long popsicle sticks, green candy melts, candy flowers, white jimmies sprinkles, white pearl sprinkles, white nonpareil sprinkles, Oreo cookie crumbs (see recipe card for tip), large marshmallows, chocolate Ferrero Rocher, Oreo cookies (not Thins), Mini Oreos, treat bags, string/ribbon.

Start by melting your chocolate on LOW in the microwave and stirring frequently until smooth. Line up your clean and dried clay pots and dab a little chocolate on one end of a large marshmallow and place it inside the pot.

This just ensures that the cactus won’t fall out of the pot when pushed into the marshmallow.

Okay so instead of pounding out Oreo cookies to get the look of dirt, I just bought an Oreo cookie pie crust and it worked GREAT as the dirt. Saved me time and even cleanup since it was already contained in the tin. Place the crumbs inside the pot, but not overflowing.

For the taller, round cactus, place your mini popsicle stick into the large Oreo. I do not recommend using Oreo Thins here since you need a bigger edge to allow the Mini Oreo to adhere to.

Cover the entire Oreo with chocolate and place on parchment paper.

Cover Mini Oreo with chocolate and place next to big Oreo. While still wet, sprinkle with white nonpareils. I like to pour the sprinkles in the palm of my hand first and then use my fingers to sprinkle them on. I found they came out too fast just shaking them directly from the container.

Add your candy flowers where you’d like and let dry fully before moving.

Once dry, gently place into middle of pot making sure popsicle stick cannot be seen.

For a simple ball-like cactus, insert popsicle stick into chocolate Ferrero Rocher. Push stick up towards top of the candy without coming through the other end.

Cover with green candy melts, sprinkle white pearl sprinkles and place flower on top.

Place directly into middle of prepared clay pot without laying it on parchment paper first. You can use the flower at the top of the candy to help you push the stick into the marshmallow inside the pot. Let dry.

For a more rectangular-looking cactus, place popsicle stick into large marshmallow without coming through on opposite side.

Dip in chocolate, carefully stick white jimmies sprinkles into chocolate. Place flower on top.

Place directly into prepared pot. Using flower at the top, push chocolate covered marshmallow down until stick is no longer visible.

Print FREE PRINTABLE HERE. Cut out and then make a single cut at the bottom of card, as shown, to allow clay pot to sit in.

Place inside treat bag and tie with ribbon!

Hopefully you’ll have as much fun with these as I did! I can tell you they didn’t survive long in my house. My five little ones could NOT wait to get these in their bellies. I’m looking forward to sending these in to my 6-year old daughter’s class for her Valentines this year. How will you use them!?

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