Valentine Stained Glass Cookie Pops

I know as a Desperate "Craft"wife, I should be coming up with all kinds of cutesy Valentine crafts, but with my insatiable sweet tooth, all I can think of are Valentine treats! Fortunately I have my son's Kindergarten class and several neighbors who are happy to take the goodies off my hands so they don't end up in my belly. First up......Valentine Stained Glass Cookie Pops!

What You Need:

• Your favorite sugar cookie recipe (I always use this one: Best Rolled Sugar Cookies )
• Red colored hard candies - crushed (I used 1 bag of Wild Cherry Lifesavers and crushed them up in my Magic Bullet).  You can use red Jolly Ranchers too.
• Your favorite icing (my favorite is Sugar Cookie Icing, but with vanilla extract instead of almond)
• Heart shaped cookie cutters in 2 sizes
• Lollipop Sticks
• Parchment Paper

How You Make them:

• Prepare and thoroughly chill sugar cookie dough.
• Roll out dough and cut heart shape using larger cookie cutter. Use the smaller heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the inside and remove (or just bake the mini heart separately).
• Place heart cookie onto PARCHMENT-LINED cookie sheet (I cannot stress the importance of using parchment paper enough!). 
• Use a small spoon to fill center of cookie with crushed red candies.

• Place lollipop stick under bottom of heart so cookie will bake around it.
• Bake according to cookie recipe directions.
• Remove from oven. You may want to use a toothpick to push the melted candy all the way to the edges if it didn't get there or to pop any air bubbles that may have formed.
• Leave cookies on the cookie sheet to cool, allowing melted candy to harden.
• Once cool, frost as desired!

Have a Sweet Valentine's Day!

-Blythe

Places I'm Partying:

The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
www.whipperberry.com
http://twosucculentsisters.blogspot.com/