Is it a cookie? Is it a lollipop? It’s a Fun-Face Cookie-Pop! My kids loved these, both making them and eating them. We’ve been making these candy studded spice cookie pops every Fall since 1998, and unfortunately I don’t remember where I originally found the recipe. One of the great things about this cookie is the kids see this as a lollipop. Get it? If it’s a cookie, they want two or three. If it’s a lollipop, they think one is enough! And with all the candy on each pop/cookie, one is enough 🙂 Make these with your kids for a Halloween party—I’ve served several consecutive life sentences as a Room Mother and often took these as treats for school parties—or make them after Halloween with some of their Halloween candy!  Fun-Face Cookie-Pops are a great lunch box treat for that week after Halloween!

A few hints about this recipe: One, the dough is extremely soft, so be sure to allow enough time, at least an hour and up to overnight, for the dough to chill in the refrigerator. Two, the cookies spread a lot, so leave enough space between each pop on the cookie sheet; as you can see by one of the pictures, I did not leave enough space. Three, be sure to bake the cookies long enough. If you don’t, the cookie will be too soft and will drop off the popsicle stick. Four, the most versatile candies for this project are M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and cinnamon chips—don’t use vanilla chips, they brown unattractively—sprinkles, and colored sugars.  Rolos, Hugs, Kisses and mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a bit big, but still super yummy on the cookie. I’ve also tried using candy corn to decorate these cookies, but it often melts into the cookie and looses it’s attractiveness. Oh, and Hint Five! Popsicle sticks are available at Michael’s or any another craft supply store. Be forewarned though! They don’t sell SMALL boxes! One purchase will equal a life-time supply, but will only set you back about three dollars 🙂

Have FUN with this recipe, it’s a GREAT kid-grownup cooking project!

Polly’s Fun-Face Cookie-Pops

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat butter for 30 seconds, then add in sugar and spices. 
2. Beat in molasses, baking soda and egg, then stir in flour.
3. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour, up to overnight.
4. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces, about 1 oz. each.
5. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. 
6. Stick a popsicle stick into the middle of each ball, and flatten with the palm of your hand.
7. Decorate cookies! Make faces, with M&Ms, mini M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, nuts, chips, sprinkles, colored sugars, Rolos, Hersheys Hugs or Kisses, mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, etc.
8. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 12-13 minutes.
9. Let cookies cool on tray for 2 minutes then remove to rack to cool completely.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!