Life gave you lemons? Make lemonade, then put it on a stick. 🙂 These no-bake Lemonade Cookie Pops begin with a single package of sugar cookies and end up as a bite-sized lemonade stand.
Why Make Cookie Pops Instead of Cake Pops?
The cookies do half the job for you. Lofthouse cookies are soft and cake-like, and they already come frosted. One package (10 cookies, 13.5 oz) and just one tablespoon of extra frosting give you a dough that shapes beautifully.
First time dipping pops? Take a quick detour through my Cake Pop Bottom Tutorial and come right back. I’ll be here, lemonade in hand.
Ingredients
- 10 Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies one 13.5 oz package; taste-test a spare one first
- 1 tbsp vanilla frosting store-bought
- 2 tsp lemon extract start with 1 tsp and add to taste
- 12 oz yellow candy melts about 1 bag
- 4 oz white candy melts
- 6 white chocolate chips for the lemon ends
- 1 tsp shortening or Paramount crystals optional, to thin the coating
- 12 lollipop sticks 6-inch
- 6 bendy straws cut into short pieces with the bend
Step by Step
- Break the cookies into pieces and add them to the food processor. Pulse until you have fine, even crumbs.
- Add the frosting and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract. Pulse a few more times until combined. Taste and add the remaining extract if you want more zing.
- Do the squeeze test: the mixture still looks crumbly, but it holds together when you press it between your fingers. Then it’s ready to shape.
- Scoop the dough into 12 portions of about 2 tablespoons each.
- Shape 6 portions into oblong rectangles for the lemonade glasses, 3 into ovals for whole lemons and 3 into rounded triangles for lemon wedges. Place them on the lined baking sheet.
- Chill for 15 to 20 minutes while you melt the candy.
- Melt the yellow candy melts in a tall, narrow microwave-safe cup at 70% power in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. If the candy is thick, stir in the shortening or Paramount crystals. Melt the white candy melts in a separate small cup.
- Take 3 or 4 shapes out of the fridge and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Dip the tip of each lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the yellow candy and push it halfway into a shape. Let the candy set for a minute.
- Lemonade glasses: dip straight down into the yellow candy, lift straight up, tap off the excess and stand the pop in the foam block. After a few minutes, dip the top into the white candy and insert a straw piece.
- Lemons: attach a white chip to each end of the oval with a dab of melted candy and let it set. Then dip the whole pop in yellow candy.
- Lemon wedges: dip in yellow candy and let dry completely. Use a toothpick to paint a white rind with the white candy, then press a fork prong into the coating to make the segment lines.
- Repeat with the remaining shapes, working in small batches. Let all pops set completely at room temperature, about 10 minutes.
My tips
Equipment
Nutrition
How to Keep Your Pops on the Stick
- Trust the squeeze test when dosing frosting: Pinch a little between your fingers, if it holds together, stop adding frosting. Too much makes the dough greasy, and greasy dough slips right off the stick.
- Glue in every stick: Dip the tip about 1/2 inch into melted candy and push it halfway into the shape. That layer of candy is what will hold everything in place.
- Fridge, not freezer: 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge firms the shapes up just right. The freezer would get them too cold, coating would crack as it sets.
- Melt gently: Use 70% power in 30-second bursts and stir well between each one.
- Thin it out when needed: If your candy is as stiff as toothpaste, stir in a teaspoon of shortening or a few Paramount crystals until it runs off the spoon in a smooth ribbon.
My Best Trick: The 5-Minute Rule
Cold dough and warm candy lead to cracks, usually about ten minutes after you’ve finished admiring your pops. Not fair at all. To avpid this, take only 3 or 4 shapes out of the fridge at a time, let them rest for about 5 minutes, then dip. The rest should stay cold until it’s their turn.
Storing Lemonade Cookie Pops
- At room temperature: Store them upright or in an airtight container somewhere cool and dry for up to 3 days.
- In the freezer: Wrap each pop individually and freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, still in the container, and let them reach room temperature before you unwrap them.
- In a jar: Not for storage, but a jar filled with sugar or sprinkles makes an adorable stand for showing them off.
Scaling the Recipe Up or Down
For 24 pops, use two packages of cookies, two tablespoons of frosting and twice the extract. Easy. The candy coating is the exception. However many pops you make, the cup needs enough melted candy to dip each one straight down.
That means half a batch (6 pieces) still needs nearly a full bag, and a double batch doesn’t need twice as much. Start with about 1 1/2 times the amount and melt more once the cup gets shallow. Add the extract to taste, too, since some cookie brands are sweeter than others.
Variations and Ways to Serve Them
- Pink lemonade: When your store carries seasonal strawberry sugar cookies, use those, keep the lemon extract and dip the glasses in pink.
- Limeade stand: Use green candy melts instead of yellow and shape limes instead of lemons.
- Lemonade stand display: Tuck a foam block into a small wooden crate, stand the pops in a row and add a hand-lettered “5 cents” sign. Kids go wild for it, and so do the grown-ups.
- Party favors: Put each pop in a little treat bag and tie it with yellow ribbon for a bridal shower, a summer birthday or the last day of school.
Lemonade Cookie Pops FAQ
Can I use cake instead of cookies?
Of course, and then you’ve made real cake pops. Crumble a cooled lemon or vanilla cake and mix in frosting one spoonful at a time. Cake usually needs more frosting than these cookies, so repeat the squeeze test after each spoonful.
Why do my pops fall off the stick?
There are usually four reasons: the dough has too much frosting, the shapes are too large and heavy, the stick wasn’t glued in with candy, or the coating is so thick that it pulls the pop down. Fix the dough first, then thin out the candy.
Why did my coating crack?
The pops went into the warm candy too cold. As the cold center warms up, it expands and breaks the shell. Stick to the 5-minute rule above and leave the freezer out of it.
Can I use white chocolate instead of candy melts?
You can, but it takes more care. Real chocolate has to be tempered to set firm and shiny at room temperature, and you need oil-based candy coloring to tint it. Ordinary water-based gel color can make the chocolate seize and turn grainy.
More Pops, More Lemon
Now hooked on dipping? Try my Marie Antoinette Cake Pops for an elegant afternoon, or go all in on romance with Valentine’s Day Rose Cake Pops. And if you can never get enough lemon (who can?), my Fluffy Baked Lemon Pudding is pure sunshine in a ramekin.
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