{Guest Post} Flower Pops From The Decorated Cookie!

Hi everyone, and thank you to Sarah for inviting me to guest post!

I was a cookie decorator at a shop for ten years. After I left to stay home with my daughter, I started my blog, the decorated cookie. There I share ideas for decorating cookies as well as marshmallows, cupcakes, and other crafty sweets. I'm also the Edible Crafts editor for CraftGossip, so I spend much of my days mining the internet for all of your crafty sweets, too. The idea I'm sharing today is similar to a craft featured in my second cookbook, which will be published later this year. So you get a sneak peek today.

I'm a huge fan of anything on a stick (a fact of which my Edible Crafts readers are well aware), so I make lots and lots of cookie pops. These flower pops are very easy to make, especially for first-time cookie decorators. Sprinkles cover everything (like mistakes). Even after years of decorating cookies, I frequently use sprinkles as a quick decorating tool.

Use these as personalized party favors or as placecards. You can insert the pops into a Styrofoam block that is covered with tissue paper to display at a party. Or, insert into a cupcake for cupcake toppers.

how to make flower cookie pop favors

you will need:*

sugar cookie dough
royal icing

circle cookie cutter

food coloring

disposable decorating bags

couplers

size "5" decorating tips

rubber bands

lollipop sticks

sprinkles or sanding sugar

paint brush

wax paper

green or patterned cardstock

scissors

glue stick

*You may use any recipe for cookies and icing you prefer, but I provided links to my recipes above. I used a 2-inch circle cookie cutter, buy you may use any comparable size under 3 inches. You'll need one bag, coupler and tip for each color you choose, and buy sprinkles in each of the same colors. Find the cutter, decorating bags, couplers, tips, lollipop sticks, sprinkles, paint brush, cardstock, scissors and glue stick at any major craft store. For food coloring, I suggest Americolor soft gel pastes, available in specialty stores and online (amazon.com carries these). I used Egg Yellow, Sky Blue, Electric Pink, Electric Green and Electric Purple.

step one: bake your cookies

Prepare dough according to the recipe, chill, roll out about 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick, cut out circles, insert the lollipop sticks and bake according to the recipe. Let cool completely. Tips: Make sure to chill your dough, as it makes it easier to insert the stick. Insert the stick at the center of the cookie's thickness, about half way into the cookie, and arrange on the tray so the sticks aren't touching.

step two: prepare your icing

Prepare icing according to the recipe, divide and tint your preferred colors. Prepare decorating bags with couplers and tips, fill with the colors and close tightly with rubber bands.

step three: decorate your cookies

Work with one cookie at a time. Pipe a circle on the cookie, then pipe back and forth to fill the circle completely. Immediately coat the cookie with a generous sprinkling of sprinkles in a coordinating color. Turn over to remove excess.

step four: paint the stick and add leaves

Pour a few drops of green food coloring on a piece of wax paper. Add a couple drops of water and mix. Paint the lollipop sticks green and let dry. Cut out a leaf shape on a folded piece of green or patterned cardstock so you have two leaves connected with a fold at the center (note I made a little "tab" so they wrapped around the stick more easily). Write a name on the leaf, if desired, and use the glue stick to attach around the lollipop stick. Let the cookies dry overnight.

Thank you everyone for letting me visit! Happy baking!

Meaghan