Red velvet Valentine’s whoopie pies, just like grandma used to make

In the 1940s, Red velvet Valentine’s whoopie pies were just a few of the treats that came out of Tico’s Family Bakery in Lancaster County. The bakery has been closed for decades, but Holly Holleran, the granddaughter of the woman who founded it, made it her mission to re-create those pies.

Last fall, after extensive testing using recipes passed down from her grandmother Tico, Holleran launched Tico’s Whoopies, an online-only retailer based in York County. The pies are handmade and can be shipped anywhere in the country.

Starting Feb. 1, Tico’s will offer heart-shaped pies made with red velvet cake for Valentine’s Day. The heart-shaped whoopies will be available through February and then return in May for Mother’s Day.

The cakes are thick and filled with rich buttercream frosting that tastes more like cake icing than the marshmallow fluff found in some whoopie pies. They are made using locally sourced ingredients such as buttermilk and eggs, according to Holleran. The pies also come in regular chocolate, peanut butter, and pumpkin flavors.