Easy Cookie Heart Pops

(Made with a cake mix)

     For today's soap box, I need to tell you that our old, old house has some lead pipes.  We've lived here for about 5 years now.  About a year after we moved in, we had some plumbing done.  It seems that after that we were sick a lot more frequently than was normal for us.  It didn't dawn on me to connect the two until a plumber friend told me that cutting into lead pipes made it possible for the lead to leech into the water.  Since then, we have been drinking bottled water and most recently water from the dispenser at Smith's Grocery.
     This week the dispenser has been broken so I had to go back for a few days to buying the drinking water in the gallons.  Being the miser that I am, I opted to run the few blocks to Walmart to get their water that is about .50 less per gallon.  While there I found these cute candy lollipop bouquets.  Even better, there were 10 pops in the bouquet for only $1.  I didn't know what I might use them for at the time but they were so cute and such a bargain that I just couldn't resist.  I picked up three of them (and will go back this afternoon for more).

     As I continued my shopping (this was from 7:30 am-9:30 am right after I dropped my son off at early morning seminary), I started thinking about the Young Women's activity tonight and the cookies I planned to make.  A 'light' flickered!  I could marry the lollipops with the cookies somehow to make cookie pops!  I wasn't sure how it would work because I didn't know if these beauties would tolerate a 350 F oven or not.  There's only one way to find out though so I began the experiment.  I decided that if baking them in didn't work then I could just frost the remainder of the cookies and stick them on.  Baking them in worked just fine so.....Wonderful!  No waste!  and they looked presentable....at least most of them did.  I made 24 with lollipops and had enough to make 8 more cookies for a plate of cookies for one of our young women (that won't work out now since I overcooked them while blogging).   We will be delivering them tonight to the girls who don't come as regularly....and we will be giving the Bishop a 'Heart Attack'.

     No we're not going to kill him....except maybe with kindness.  For those of you who don't already know, a 'heart attack' is basically decorating his office door with hearts for Valentines day.  So tonight is a service and fellowship night for our group.

Before baking

After baking

     The hardest part about making these was getting the darned wrappers off.  I tried pulling them off but they were wrapped tightly.  I found that the easiest way was to use my kitchen scissors to cut the cellophane along the top and pull the wrapper off down the stick.  So now that you know the 'story' of how these came to be.....I will give you the recipe.   I think I may also dip them in a very thin cream cheese frosting glaze.   Enjoy and have a wonderful Valentines day!

Basic Cake Mix Cookies

1 package white cake mix (2 layer size)
1 egg
1/4 cup shortening (like Crisco) or margarine or butter (I used butter)
2-3 tablespoons water (I ended up using almost 3 TBLsp)

About 10-20 drops of neon pink food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients in large bowl. Add water intermittently and blend in before adding more until the dough is cookie dough consistency.  Drop by teaspoonfuls (I used a small ice cream scoop) 2 inches apart onto lightly greased cookie sheet (I sprayed mine).  Put the lollipops on top of the cookie ball and flatten slightly.   Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

(Unless your too busy blogging about your success making Cookie pops and over cook the last batch.  Oh well, my teenage boy will appreciate my cookie mishap.)