poppies poppies poppies

More cookies-on-a-stick ideas!

You will need:
rolled sugar cookie dough
3 circle cookie/fondant cutters (2 1/2 inch, 1 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch)
rolling pin
lollipop sticks
parchment paper
wax paper
rolled white fondant
Americolor soft gel pastes (I used Sky Blue, Orange, Electric Pink and Electric Green)
any frosting
light corn syrup
green ribbon (optional)

notes on supplies: the cutters are available at most craft stores or cake decorating stores, the fondant and lollipop sticks are available at most craft stores. Check the Americolor web site for where to buy soft gel pastes. I ONLY ever use Americolor, and all my kits come with Americolor pastes. O' how I love Americolor pastes.

Step One: make your cookies
Roll your sugar cookie dough pretty thick, about 1/4 inch. Cut out circle cookies with the 2 1/2 inch and 1 1/2 inch cutters and place on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Insert lollipop stick half way into cookie, patting back into shape if necessary. Bake as normal. You may want to put the different size circles on separate trays for even baking.


Step Two: make your fondant circles
For white circles, simply knead a handful of rolled white fondant. For each color, add a few drops of soft gel paste on a separate hunk of fondant and knead with your hands VERY well until thoroughly mixed. This gets messy. I looked like a Smurf after mixing the blue.

Roll each color fondant separately between two sheets of wax paper to about 1/8 inch.

Cut out a mixture of the three circles (2 1/2 inch, 1 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch) from each color. Set on a wax paper lined baking tray and let dry for a couple hours.



I planned my poppies ahead of time so I wouldn't have leftover circles.

Step Three: assemble your poppies
For the larger poppies, use three different colors of the 2 1/2 inch, 1 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch circles. Spread a thin coat of light corn syrup on the back of a 1 1/2 inch circle of fondant (I poured a bit of syrup in a bowl and used my finger). Gently press the circle, centering, onto a 2 1/2 inch fondant circle. Repeat with the 5/8 inch circle of fondant, pressing on the 1 1/2 inch circle. For the smaller poppies, spread corn syrup on the back of a 5/8 inch circle and press on a 1 1/2 inch circle, centering. (Don't press too hard to mush them together. The concentric circles will just sit on top of each other.)

Spread a small dollop of frosting on the cookie. Don't spread to the edges, keep centered or it will ooze out. Lay prepared fondant circles on top of corresponding size cookies. With the palm of your hand, cup the poppy and gently press down. Let dry several hours or overnight.



Step Four: add stems to your poppies (optional)
If you like, wrap the sticks with green ribbon. I used tape at either end to secure, starting just under the cookie (and covering the tape at this end by wrapping the ribbon around.)