Winter Cookie Pops Food

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them until roughly chopped. Add the cream cheese and continue pulsing until the mixture is well combined and there are no large pieces of cookie remaining.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using your hands, squeeze and roll the cookie mixture into 1-inch balls. Insert a lollipop stick into each ball, place them on the baking sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate and vegetable oil in the microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until fully melted. Dip the cookie balls in the melted chocolate then immediately garnish them with sprinkles, crushed nuts or toasted coconut flakes. Return the pops to the baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate them for 1 hour or until the chocolate is set.

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 COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the lollipops 2 inches from the edge of the pan and 4 inches apart.
• Mix the cookie dough with the flour until it is an even texture. Use a round teaspoon measuring spoon to form leveled half circles. Use your finger to gently ease the dough out of the spoon. Place 5 of the half circles, rounded-side up, around each lollipop, leaving a little space so that they are not quite touching.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back midway through baking, until the candy melts and the cookies are slightly puffed and just golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the pans until the candy hardens, about 10 minutes.

WINTER COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Spread peanut butter onto the flat side of the cookies.
• Place an ice cream stick into the peanut butter on half the cookies.
• Top with another cookie so the stick is sandwiched between the two cookies.
• Melt chocolate chips.
• The best method is using a double boiler.
• If you don't have a double boiler, you can use a heat proof bowl which is large enough to be suspended over a pot without its bottom touching the simmering water.
• Simmer the water over low heat and stir the chocolate often.
• Remove from the heat as soon as the chocolate is melted and stir until smooth.
• Dip cookie pops in the melted chips, covering completely.
• Roll pops in red and green sprinkles and lay or stand on waxed paper or paper plates.
• Place in refrigerator to chill.
• Variations: You can make flags, faces, hearts-- here are a few suggestions Snowmen-- Using a licorice whip, while chocolate is still warm on pop, form headband and position two regular sized M&M candies as ear muffs.
• Lie pop flat on waxed paper and let cool.
• When cool, use black decorator gel for eyes and mouth and orange for the nose.
• Gently wrap a fruit roll up around the bottom of the cookie at the stick.
• Santa-- While chocolate is still warm, dip top of pop into red sprinkles for Santa's hat.
• Lie flat on waxed paper and let cool.
• When cool, dot top of hat with white decorator icing using flower tip.
• Use flower tip and white icing to add his beard and line the brim of his hat.
• Use black decorator gel to dot on eyes.
• Holly-- While chocolate is still warm, position to red mini M&M candies off center in the chocolate.
• Let cool.
• When cool, use green decorator gel to draw on holly leaves, fill in.

VALENTINE COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart. Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.
• Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies. Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.

COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Spread peanut butter over the flat side of 10 vanilla wafers (about 1 teaspoon on each). Top each with a popsicle stick and another vanilla wafer. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for 7 minutes.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth.
• Dip cookie pops into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return pops to baking sheet.
• Decorate with M&M's Miniature Baking Bits.
• Freeze for 5 to 6 miniutes or until chocolate is set.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.