Peppermint Swirl Cookie Pops How-To

You will need:

• Graduated Round Cookie Cutter Set
• 1 bag royal icing
• Christmas Non Pareils
• 1 Squeeze Bottle
• Rolling Pin
• Wax or parchment paper
• Popsicle or candy sticks
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 oz hard candies such as Life Savers or Jolly Ranchers in assorted colors

Instructions:

1. Beat butter, sugar, honey, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with 2-1/2- to 3-inch floured cookie cutters. Use the smaller version of each cutter to make an interior cut, leaving a 1/2- to 3/4-inch border of dough. Cut out and remove dough from the center of each shape; set aside.

3. Place cutouts on baking sheets covered with parchment paper and push a candy or popsicle stick into each one. Shape the remaining dough into a ball; re-roll to make additional cutouts.

4. Crush each color of candy separately between 2 layers of wax paper with a mallet. Spoon crushed candy inside the centers of the cutouts.

5. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the candy is melted and the cookies are lightly browned. Cool cookies completely before removing them from parchment.

6. While cookies are baking, prepare your royal icing mix according to the directions on the package. You want your icing to be the consistency of heavy cream. Dye the icing in desired color(s). Pour the icing into a pastry bag or decorating squeeze bottle.

7. Allow cookies to completely cool.

8. Ice each cookie with royal icing. Wait one minute before adding the Christmas nonpareils to the icing (see photo).

9. Let the icing completely set before stacking and storing (4-6 hours or overnight).

10. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.