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Sugar Cookie Pops

If you are curious how to make Cookies on a Stick aka Cookie Pops you are in the right place.

Yellow and white decorated daisy cookies on a wooden tray lined with green napkin.

updated post from 2010

HOW TO MAKE COOKIES ON A STICK AKA COOKIE POPS

Today I’ll show you several ways how you can easily make cookie pops at home.

The whole idea is to put a cookie on a stick, like a lollipop. You can make cookies on a stick using number of different shapes. Flowers look great but think outside the box, too : animals, characters, birthdays, holidays, decorations and more.

Decorated moustache, candles, ninja turtles and panda cookies on a stick.

COOKIE RECIPES

ROLLING GUIDES

If you plan on placing the lollipop stick on the outside of the cookies you can roll out your cookie dough as thin as ¼ thick. I wouldn’t really go thinner than that.

And if you plan on inserting a lollipop stick into the cookie then make sure to roll out your cookie dough thicker, about 3/16 inch to 3/8 inch / 7.9mm to 9.5mm thick. To achieve different thickness it’s best to use rolling guides. (steps 1-3).

Hand holding a rolling guide and lollipop stick.

Roll out cookie dough between 2 silicone mats or parchment paper sheets.

Sugar cookie dough rolled out between two sheets of parchment.

HOW TO INSERT THE LOLLIPOP STICK INTO THE COOKIES

There are several ways to make cookie pops.

  • OPTION 1 (steps 1-2) : Personally, I think the easiest way is to either press the cookie onto a lollipop stick or gently push the lollipop stick on top of the cookie. These depending on the design and the size of the cookie can be baked with a lollipop stick facing the baking sheet, (step 1). Or facing the ceiling, (step 2).
  • OPTION 2 (step 3) : Insert lollipop stick into the cut out cookies before cookies are baked. I have seen tutorials where lollipop stick is inserted into hot cookies immediately after cookies are baked. I haven’t tried this technique. Have you tried it? What do you think ? An important thing to remember is that when using this technique your cookies are best when they are thicker about 3/16 inch to 3/8 inch / 7.9mm to 9.5mm thick, Inserting a lollipop stick into a cookie can be a bit tricky, especially if your cookies are on a thinner side.
Cut out cookies with a lollipop stick baked in them.

OPTION 1

Press slightly chilled cookie onto a lollipop stick and press is down gently. Bake cookies as usual.

Pressing cookie onto a lollipop stick.

Underside of the cookie has a lollipop stick exposed and this is the side you should be decorating. Additional layer of icing not only hides the stick but it also provides additional support so the lollipop stick is not going to fall out.

Baked cookies with a lollipop stick on the underside.

Alternative way is to push the stick onto the cut out cookie as shown below. Working with a ring shaped cut out can be tricky and placing the stick directly on top of the cookie and gently pushing it in works great. If you do it the other way around cookie is most likely going to get mishaped. This technique however can sometimes be hit or miss. If your cookie dough rises too much, it also makes the lollipop stick rise as there is nothing on top of it that can keep it from rising.

TIP : If it happens that the lollipop stick is not flush with the cookie, gently press onto the stick as soon you take your cookies out of the oven, while they are hot, until it’s flush with the cookies’ top layer.

Cookie on a baking sheet, hand pressing a lollipop stick on top of the cookie.

OPTION 2

Option 2 makes cookie pops without lollipop sticks exposed. Lollipop stick is inserted into a cookie (3/16 inch to 3/8 inch / 7.9mm to 9.5mm thick) using a gentle back and worth twisting motion. It’s best to work with cookies that are not too soft.

I like to place my fingers flat onto the cookie to stabilize it a little bit an then insert the lollipop stick. It’s best to insert the lollipop stick about 1/2 way up the cookie. Lollipop stick is hidden inside of the cookies.

TIP : When using this method thickness of the cookies you need depends on the thickness of lollipop stick/bamboo stick you are using.

Inserting lollipop stick inside the cookie.

LOLLIPOP STICKS

You can use lollipop sticks made out of a sturdy paper or you can also use bamboo sticks.

Advantage of bamboo sticks is that they usually come with a sharpened end. This makes inserting sticks into the cookies easier. And you can get them thinner than paper lollipop sticks, which means your cookies can be thinner if you are inserting bamboo sticks into the cookies (option 2).

TIP : In case lollipop or a bamboo stick becomes loose after cookies are cooled you can glue it with a little bit of royal icing.

Here are cookies on bamboo sticks that I turned into a beautiful flower cookie bouquet.

Decorated flower cookies on bamboo sticks arranged into a flower bouquet.

HOW TO DECORATE COOKIES ON A STICK

To decorate you can use royal icing, glaze or fondant. I usually work with royal icing so that’s what I used to decorated these flower cookies.

When lollipop stick is exposed it is best to decorated the side of the cookies with the lollipop stick exposed. Additional layer of icing not only hides the stick but it also provides additional support so the lollipop stick is not going to fall out.

Flower cookies being flooded with royal icing.

When lollipop stick is not exposed on either side you can decorate top or the bottom side. To decorate these cute Valentine’s Day Balloon Cookies I decorated the top side.

Cookie decorated with white icing and red circles, dragging the needle tool thru circles to make heart shapes.
Decorated balloon cookies on sticks displayed in a small container.

HOW TO PACKAGE AND DISPLAY COOKIE POPS

Flower Cookies on a stick are really great for making flower cookie bouquets. These can be put together easily with some florist foam, vase, crinkle paper, solid fabric or tulle fabric, tissue or other decorative paper, tape, stapler and a ribbon.

Crinkle paper is really great for filling the spaces between the cookies.

Sunflower cookies on a stick displayed in a white vase.

Here I used a plain green napkin.

Cookies on a stick displayed in a vase.

Another way of packing cookie pops is in individual poly bags. Use clear poly bags and tie the bag with a pretty ribbon.

Or you can make pretty flower cookie bouquets.

Decorated rose cookies wrapped in a brown craft paper and white doily.
Decorated flower sugar cookies arranged into a flower bouquet.

DECORATE WITH COOKIE POPS

Cookie pops can be creatively used to decorate cakes, cupcakes and even gingerbread houses.

CAKES DECORATED WITH COOKIES ON A STICK

I used Anna and frosty tree cookies to decorate this Frozen inspired cake.

Blue winter style cake decorated with cookie pops toppers.

I decorated this Ballerina Ruffle Cake with a personalized cookie topper decorated with marshmallow fondant and royal icing.

Ballerina cake decorated with a topper cookie pop.

Or on this Mickey Mouse cake I used my Chocolate Sugar Cookie to make Mickey’s ears on a stick and I decorated the cookie with fondant letters.

Cake decorated with Mickey Mouse ears cookie on a strick.

And on this Lil’ Quarterback 1st Birthday Cake I creatively used a football cookie pop to decorate.

Green football style cake decorated with brown football cookie pop.

To decorate small desserts such as cupcakes and petit fours with cookies the easiest way is to use toothpicks. And also, when working with certain shapes or very small cookies it’s rather impossible to use regular lollipop sticks. If that’s the case you also utilize toothpicks.

I inserted the toothpick into the cookies after they were baked and decorated. And then I placed the cookies on top of the cakes.

Decorated cookies with a toothpick inserted in them.
Two Cakes decorated with buttercream, top cake has a yellow polka dot bunny cookie topper and bottom cake has a diamond ring cookie topper.

CUPCAKES DECORATED WITH COOKIES ON A STICK

TIP : If you decide to decorate cupcakes with cookies on stick be sure to only use small cookies. And if you are transporting the cupcakes, insert cookie decorations after you step up your dessert table.

These Basketball Hoop Cupcakes were really fun to make. I used cookies and Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Aren’t they cute!

Basketball cupcakes decorated with cookies on a stick.

I also used cookies on sticks to decorate my New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Cupcakes.

Cupcakes in red liners with a white buttercream on a cake stand.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATED WITH COOKIES ON STICK

To attach spiral hill with the moon on my Nightmare Before Christmas Gingerbread House I used a cookie with a stick.

Detail of curly cookie on a roof of a gingerbread house.

In my Wizard of Oz Gingerbread House I made a tornado cookie pop with a toothpick. It helped to make it stand upright in the chimney.

Decorated Wizard of Oz Gingerbread House.

MORE COOKIE DECORATING IDEAS :

Decorated animal cookies on sticks.

This post containsThis post contains Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.

TO MAKE COOKIES ON STICK YOU NEED

  • TOOLS
  • Get all the tools in my Amazon Shop
  • Cookie Cutters
  • Lollipop Sticks
  • Bamboo Sticks
  • Rolling Guides
Decorated daisy flower cookies on a wood tray lined with bright green cloth.

This post was originally published on March 31st, 2010. On January 15th I updated this post with new step by step pictures and written text.

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8 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing these easy-to-follow instructions! Using your recipe, I was able to make baby rattle cookies for a friends baby shower. If your interested, you can see how they turned out here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=1613526107395&id=1513569163&aid=2071390&l=01d869f377.

    I didn't have all the ingredients to make cookie icing and the frosting didn't come out as smooth as I would have liked, but no one seemed to notice. 🙂 Thanks again for a great recipe!

  2. Thank you everyone for stopping by.

    Nicole,
    Great to hear you found a way that works for you.
    I have tried that before, but for me personally it doesn't work very well, I can't seem to get the edges perfectly aligned, especially when working with more complex shapes. 🙂
    Thank you for stopping by.

  3. I have found an easier way to make cookies on sticks. Instead of rolling out a thicker cookie and inserting the stick, I roll out two thinner cookies of the same design. Place one cookie on the baking sheet and press the stick gently into desired position. Then place the second cookie of the same design on top and make sure the edges line up, then bake. Works like a charm !

    1. That is a great idea! I think this will make cookies more stable! Thanks for great tip! You could possibly decorate both sides?!

  4. Oh goodness. I've been seeing so many desserts on sticks as I wander around the little world of blogging. The more I see, the more I'm convinced that I need to have a dessert kebab party!

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