You know how people always equate the act of unveiling an unglamorous truth about something beloved to “learning how sausage is made?” This sentiment is exactly how I feel about baking. After learning that the secret to making almost every cherished American dessert is somewhere between two sticks of butter and two cups of sugar, I made a conscious effort to refrain from baking sweets all together. However, with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I’m in the mood to share (the guilt).

I probably should have whipped a batch of these Chinese Almond Cookies for Lunar New Year a few weeks ago but I am more than happy to relinquish my family chef crown to my mother for family get togethers. The recipe is also insanely easy (love anything that requires one bowl and fewer than three steps) so feel free to bake a batch and share with your valentine(s) this year!