Flower Cookie Pops Food

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY ROSE COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly and holds together when pinched. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and press into a ball. Knead a few times until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of parchment paper. Top with another piece of parchment and roll out the dough until 3/8 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Cut out cookies using a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Arrange 2 inches apart on 2 unlined baking sheets, then insert an 8-inch lollipop stick about three-quarters of the way into each. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm, if needed; reroll to cut out more cookies.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Beat in the water and cherry extract with a mixer on medium speed until soft glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes; add up to 1 more tablespoon water as needed until the icing is pipeable but not runny. Tint red with food coloring.
• Decorate the cookies: Transfer about 1/2 cup icing to a resealable plastic bag and snip a corner. Pipe the icing around the edge of each cookie; set the bag of icing aside for adding details later. Thin the icing in the bowl until the consistency of runny yogurt, adding 1 teaspoon water at a time. Transfer to another resealable plastic bag and snip a corner; pipe within the outline, then use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to smooth it out. Let set, about 1 hour. Pipe the reserved detail icing on top of the cookies to make a floral design.

FLOWER POWER COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and eggs until dough forms. Divide dough evenly into 5 portions; tint each portion with different paste food color, kneading until blended.
• Break off 2-inch portions of each color dough. On lightly floured surface, gently press dough portions together to form a large round, about 1 inch thick. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 2 inches apart. Insert 1 lollipop stick halfway into center of each cookie.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.