how to make sparkly mod cookie pops

you will need:
dough (scroll to end of link for chocolate)
icing
circle cookie cutter
lollipop sticks
disposable frosting bags
couplers
decorating tips (size “4″ or “5″)
rubber bands
frosting colors (any preferred)
fine sprinkles or sanding sugar (to coordinate with frosting colors)

*Find most of the above in the baking aisle of your craft store. You can also find concentrated paste food coloring there, which work well, but I prefer Americolor soft gel pastes (harder to find, but click the link for tips on where to buy, also available from amazon.com). I used the following 4 colors: Electric Pink, Electric Green, Orange and White. You’ll need one bag, coupler, tip and rubber band for each color you use.

step one: bake your cookies
Prepare and chill dough according to recipe. Roll out dough somewhat thick to accommodate sticks (about 1/4″). Cut out circle, place on parchment paper-lined baking tray and insert lollipop stick about half way into cookie, making sure it fits securely (if cookie is too thin, re-roll). Fill tray, making sure none of the sticks touch each other or other cookies. Bake according to recipe and let cool completely.

step two: prepare your frosting
Prepare frosting, divide among the colors you choose and tint using your colors. Prepare frosting bags using a couplers and size “4″ or “5″ tips. Fill with each color and close tightly with a rubber band. TIP: use any colors you like, but I used White frosting for the non-sparkly parts, which I think worked well to contrast. (You must use “White” coloring to make white, you can’t use the bare frosting.)

step three: decorate your cookies
Working with one cookie at a time, choose a color frosting and pipe design on a cookie, stripes, circle or swirl. Immediately sprinkle a coordinating color of sprinkles over cookie to totally coat the frosting. Turn over and tap off the excess. Fill remaining cookie by piping white or color of your choice in empty areas.

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how to make mini mod dot lollipops

you will need:*
candy writers in assorted colors
lollipop sticks
baking tray
wax paper
container of hot water
scissors

step one: melt your candy writers
Put the candy writers in a tall container filled with hot water (not boiling). Let sit a few minutes until melted and massage the tube to mix. As you use each writer, snip the end with scissors to open.

step two: make your dots
Work with one lollipop at a time so the candy doesn’t dry before you finish. With a candy writer, make a circle about the size of a nickel, but no bigger than a quarter. Place a lollipop stick at the center and turn to coat. Make another dot on top of the first circle with another color. Make a third dot on top of that with yet another color. Let dry at room temperature fully before lifting away from the wax paper. That’s it!

bonus: mod stripe bites
You can play around with your candy writers. I made square stripe bites (not on a stick) here:
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how to make Oreo Cakester petits fours

you will need:*
Oreo Cakesters
sharp knife
white rolled fondant
food coloring
wax paper
rolling pin
decorations
light corn syrup (to adhere decorations, if needed)

*Fondant is available at any craft store. For food coloring, I used Americolor soft gel pastes, Sky Blue, Orange, Electric Green and Electric Pink. For decoration, I used a 1/2″ circle fondant cutter, also available at craft stores.

step one: make your cake cubes
With a sharp knife, cut off four edges from the cakester circle to create a cube. Eat the remnants, reserve the cubes on a piece of wax paper.

step two: cover with fondant
Take a handful of fondant for each color you’d like. Knead drops of coloring into fondant very well until fully blended. Add drops to achieve desired colors.
Take a ball of colored fondant (a few tablespoons worth) and roll thinly into a circle between two pieces of wax paper. Peel the circle from the wax paper and lay on top of a cakester cube. With fingers, press fondant around the cube. (Leave the cube sitting on the wax paper, you aren’t covering the bottom.) With a sharp knife, trim and remove excess fondant from around the base of the covered cube. No need to trim super-close to the cakester! After you remove the excess, pick up the cube and smooth the fondant around the edges, reshaping into a cube if needed, and tucking the trimmed end underneath the cube. TIP: If fondant gets too sticky or unmanageable, simply let sit uncovered at room temperature for 5 minutes or more.

step three: decorate your petits fours
Decorate your petits fours with piped icing, candies, or, like I did, more fondant. Roll out a ball of fondant between two pieces of wax paper. Cut out 1/2 inch circles and set aside to stiffen about an hour. Dab some light corn syrup on the underside of the circle and press onto petits fours.Tweet

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I was inspired by the blog, mushy, to create my own little pillow box. (See her post here, and my post on her post at my other blog, here. Was that confusing?) I found the template online and added the circles myself.

how to make cookie dots

you will need:
dough
icing
1/2 ” circle fondant cutter
food coloring (any desired colors, I use Americolor soft gel pastes)
1 disposable frosting bag, coupler, rubberband and size “4″ tip for each color OR
1 ziploc with the corner snipped (don’t snip too much) for each color

to package, you will need:
color printer
8 1/2 x 11″ thick, cardstock or photo paper
small cellophane favor bags
scissors
craft knife or Xacto knife
craft glue

*fondant cutters are found at most major craft stores, as are the rest of the supplies, though Americolor food coloring is primarily found in specialty stores and online.

step one: bake your cookies
On a floured surface, roll out your chilled dough about 3/8″ thick and use the fondant cutter to cut out your dots. Bake about 7 minutes according to recipe directions. Let cool.

step two: decorate your cookies
Make a frosting bag with 4 tip or use a ziploc for each color frosting. Tie closed with a rubber band. Pipe a dot on each cookie. This works best if you pick up and hold each cookie with the forefinger and thumb of your non-dominant hand while piping with your dominant hand. The cookies are so light they move around the tray otherwise. Let dry overnight.

step three: package your cookies
Put dots in a small favor bag, fold over the edge (you can use a sticker to close if preferred), and put in a pillow box or any container. The favor bag is important because the oils from the cookie will stain paper containers!

To make the pillow box, print the template (pdf found here, and also at the end of this post). Each sheet makes 2 boxes. Cut out each along the outside lines. Lightly and precisely score the black lines on the inside of the shape with a craft knife. This is to make folding easier. Fold along the tab line along the right side of the box and the middle. Glue the box together along the tab line. Hold closed until dry. Puff open and fold in curved ends.

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Feel free to share (nicely)! While my blog's photographs and text are protected by copyright, I do allow (and encourage) you to share ONE photograph with credit to "the decorated cookie" and link to this blog post. PLEASE don't reprint any part of the blog post and PLEASE don't post a photo without credit. Thank you!