Last month, when I made some fun lollipop cookies as cupcake toppers for my daughter’s candy party I started thinking of all the other cute mini cookies I could make for cupcake toppers all year round. Since we’re right in the middle of spring here in California, I thought some little flowers would be the perfect way to celebrate the season.
I’ve had lots of questions as to how I made the little lollipop toppers, so I’ll start with a little how-to.
First, prepare the cookie dough then chill and roll out the dough (recipe and instructions HERE).
It is important that the dough is nice and cool and firm.
For the lollipop cookies I used a 1 1/2 inch circle (from this set
). For the flower shapes, I used cutters from the Wilton Easter 12pc Mini Metal Cookie Cutter Set
.
When I’m making mini cookies to use as cupcake toppers, I use Wilton(R) 4 Inch Lollipop Sticks
(also available at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby).
Once you have your dough chilled, rolled out and have cut your shapes…
Transfer to a cooling rack, and as soon as they are cool they are ready to decorate.
These cookies also keep very well, so you can bake them one day, then keep them covered (on a plate covered with plastic wrap, or in a large Ziplock type bag) for a couple days before you decorate them.
Anatomy of a cookie decorating table
Once you’re ready to decorate, prepare Royal Icing (recipe below).
Royal Icing Recipe
4 Tablespoons Meringue Powder (I use Wilton Brand)
4 cups (about 1 pound) powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons warm water (to start, see additional notes below)
Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form.
*Make sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free or your icing will never reach proper consistency.
Spoon some of the thick white icing into individual bowls and add coloring (I use Americolor.
)
Add additional water, about 1 teaspoon at a time until you’ve reached the consistency you need.
For these cookies you can used one consistency of icing for the whole design. Thin the icing with warm water until the icing is about the consistency of corn sryup, or slighly thicker. It should be thick enough that it does not run off the edge of the cookie, but thin enough that it will flow and fill in as you pipe.
Gather supplies and prepare a work area (as pictured above).
For these cookies, I wanted to create a two toned effect, like some varieties of real-life tulips. You could skip this step and have single color cookies.
For other cookie designs, this would be the time to use of another color of flood consistency icing and add little drops onto the cookie, creating perfect polka-dots.
This technique is call “wet on wet”.
Set the cookie on a tray to dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity level in your home, the icing will take 2-12 hours to dry. Do not attempt to wrap up the cookies until the icing is completely dry. To speed up drying time a bit, set up a fan to gently blow on the cookies.
Once the icing is dry, add a ribbon around the stick (if you like), and insert into frosted cupcakes.
It’s a cookie and a cupcake… what more could you want in life? Well, what more could you want in a treat at least?
For the centers of the daisy shapes I added a mini M&M; when the icing was still wet (and before I sprinkled on the the sanding sugar).
Happy Spring
and
Happy Baking!
Help!, tried to make the hawaiian cookie circles with leaves and green and blue flowers inside and a yellow polka dot. What size tip did you use. After i started having my daughter frost all the white inside– i noticed they were dry befjote i got to the flowers and leaves. I live in a warm are. That may have been tge oroblem too. Maybe tell people to make 1 flower at a time if a lone.
But please– what size tip? Not giving up yet!
Ded
Hi Dee, So sorry you’re having some trouble. The directions for the tropical flower design does state to “immediately add leaves” after flooding the cookie. Yes, as you discoved, you can only work on one or two cookies at a time for this technique. In general for detail work I always use a #1.5 or #2 tip. Best of luck as you give it another go!
Great recipe! I tried it tonight though and my icing came out really thick, to the point where my hands are actually really sore from trying to squeeze the icing bags. Suggestions?
Desiree, As I’m looking at the recipe now I can see I wasn’t very clear on this point… I’ve updated the post now.
You need to add additional water to the icing to reach the consistency you need. If you are doing a very detailed shape, such as a snowflake, you may want to make two different bags of icing in each color, one thick and one thinner. For the design shown in this post, and for many designs, you can use the same consistency icing to outline and fill in. The icing should be about the consistency of corn sryup, or slightly thicker. Just thick enough that it does not run off the edge of the cookie, but thin enough that it flows and fills in the area you are piping.
Happy decorating!
Lovely cookies Thank you for sharing
What can I use as a substitute for meringue powder? I live in South Africa, and it is not available.
I think you could use powdered egg whites, or even fresh egg whites. If you can’t find powdered egg whites, then I would suggest doing a little google search for a recipe for royal icing using fresh egg whites. Happy Decorating!
Hi! I love your work very very much!!!!!
Tell me, please, what I can replace Meringue Powder ? I live in Kiev (Ukraine) and it turns out it is very difficult to obtain.
Thank you
If you can find powdered egg whites, that would work (I think!). Or you can use fresh egg whites, just do a search for a royal icing recipe using fresh egg whites.
Hi!! I love your cookies…
Just have a question.
Is it ok to use Wilton lollipop sticks at the oven?
Won't they melt???
@Anonymous- You are welcome to try store bought dough but I have found that it doesn't keep it's shape very well when baked.
Please see my FAQ page regarding how long the cookies and icing lasts.
Hi Glory,
Love your work. I will be making heart shaped and cupcake shaped cookies for my daughter's 1st birthday as favors. I will be suing store bought dough to save time, but will use your icing recipe. Do you know if I can make the cookies the day before. Will they still taste fresh the next day? Can I also ice them the day before?
wow!:) how cute! love those flowers <3
New to me!!! Love them =)