Valentine Lolllipops

I made these little Valentine lollipops for the first graders that I am going to substitute teach this week.

They are so easy to make! The most important thing is to  remember to buy a box of mini candy canes at Christmas time.

All you need are mini candy canes and lollipop sticks.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Remove the wrappers from the candy canes and lay them on a Silpat or parchment paper in a heart shape with a lollipop stick. Bake for about 3 minutes.

When they come out of the oven pinch the melted candy canes over the lollipop stick and make sure the top pieces touch into the heart shape.

Once the lollipops have set - they can be put into little bags and tied with a red ribbon. They look super cute put into a vase.

I make these lollipops every February.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Lollipops Made from Candy Canes

I make these Valentine lollipops every year! I buy mini candy canes on sale after Christmas knowing that I am going to make my Valentine lollipops!

Simply preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.  Layout the candy canes into a heart shape.

I baked these candy canes for 5 minutes.  Bake until they are pliable. Depending on the brand of candy canes they might need an extra minute. Once the candy canes come out of the oven - quickly twist a lollipop stick into the bottom of the heart.

Once the lollipops have hardened - they can be packaged into little plastic bags and tied with a ribbon. I found the red lollipop sticks at Hobby Lobby. 

These look really cute presented standing up in a vase! Remember to buy the mini candy canes on sale after Christmas!

Cornicopia Treats for Religion Class

I made some little cornucopias for the 1st grade Religion class.

The sugar cones are filled with carmel corn, mini pretzels, Cheese-its and the fall colored m&m's.

The cones were packaged into cone shaped cellophane bags and tied with and orange polka dot ribbon.

I made some little tags that say "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good."

I tied the tags on with twine. And I also brought my turkey lollipop holder.

The class loved the little treats!

The Thankful basket is perfect for this little treat!

Cross Lollipops made with Jolly Ranchers

Every time I teach a Religion class right before or during Lent I make the kids these Cross lollipops. I think they look so pretty like a stained glass window. I like to reinforce the image of the Cross.

Supplies:

Jolly Rancher hard candy

Lollipop sticks

Foil

Cellophane bags

Coordinating ribbon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Cover your cookie sheets with foil - with the shiny side facing up.

Each lollipop takes 5 Jolly Ranchers. While the oven is preheating start unwrapping  the Jolly Ranchers.

Place three or four Jolly Ranchers in the middle of the foiled lined sheet.

Bake this Jolly Rancher for 1 to 2 minutes - until it is sticky but not melted.

Using the sticky Jolly Ranchers add the additional Jolly Ranchers to make a Cross and bake for 5 to 6 minutes until the Crosses are spread into a Cross shape. Then quickly add the lollipop sticks.

I used some extra long lollipop sticks. Once the Crosses are set and completely hard - gently peel them off of the foil and set them on some parchment paper for an hour or so.

Once the lollipops have dried on the parchment paper for an hour they can be packaged into cellophane bags and tied with a ribbon.

These Crosses could also be used to decorate cupcakes or a cake. In the past kids have really loved these lollipops.

Heart Lollipops Made with Candy Canes

Every so often I get called to substitute teach an afternoon Religion class. I almost always bring a little bribe for good behavior. Yesterday I bought some mini candy canes at Target. I bought the fruity primary colored candy canes and some red and white candy canes to use for Valentine's Day.

This box of 60 candy canes (which will make 30 lollipops) was on super sale at 70% off. So I think I paid sixty cents!

Supplies:

Box of mini candy canes

Parchment paper

Lollipop sticks

Small plastic bags

Coordinating ribbon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet. Lay the candy canes in a heart formation with a lollipop stick.

Bake the candy cane lollipops for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch them carefully. Mine took 4 minutes. Take them out of the oven and squeeze the lollipop stick and top of heart - so that the stick is firmly in place.

It will take the lollipops a few minutes to set - then they can be packed into the little bags and tied with a ribbon. 

This would be a fun birthday party favor! I used to make the Valentine ones for the classroom and sports teams. I also like to pass them out to neighbors.

Get your mini candy canes on sale this week! 

It's All About The Bling

I found these blinged out rhinestone lollipop sticks at Hobby Lobby and they elevate my simple Rice Crispy Treats to a whole new level! My Rice Crispy treats are ready for the holidays!

I am going to go back up and pick up some more of these lollipop sticks and use them for some sort of Valentine's Day project! Merry Christmas everyone!

Tennis Themed Lollipops - A Good Luck Treat for the Team

Today I made some tennis themed lollipops - a good luck treat for the team. I was going to make another treat like a homemade granola bar. But today was so hot - there was no way I could turn the oven on!

Fortunately - I had everything I needed to make tennis ball lollipops.

For this project you will need:

Yellow lollipops

Yellow scrapbook paper

Circle punch

White Sharpie pen

Green scrapbook paper

Scalloped circle punch

Double stick tape

I bought my yellow lollipops at Party City.

Then cut out yellow circles and green scalloped circles.

On the yellow circles - I used the white Sharpie pen and made the white line.

Using the double stick tape - tape the yellow tennis ball to the green scalloped circle.

Then tape the yellow tennis ball to the green scalloped circle. Now tape the circles to the lollipop.

This is such an easy project and I have made these lollipops to look like with both baseballs and basketballs.

These lollipops would also make cute place cards by writing the players name on the tennis ball for a tennis banquet or luncheon.

Simple Valentine Treats

I used the vases I made from the tin cans to hold brownies, pretzels and heart shaped lollipops.

I dipped some pretzel rods in pink melted chocolate and used Valentine themed sprinkles to decorate them.  Once they are dry they can be packaged into pretzel bags and tied with ribbon.

I also made some Valentine lollipops made out of mini candy canes.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Lay the mini candy canes out into heart shapes leaving room to add lollipop sticks on parchment paper. Bake for 3 minutes.Perhaps your oven or candy cane brand might take a minute longer.

Once the hearts come out of the oven - pinch a lollipop stick into the bottom of the heart. Be careful the candy cane is hot and sticky. Once the heart lollipop is hard - remove it from the parchment paper and place in a small plastic bag and tie with a ribbon.

Then I added little bags of brownies (the brownie pictures turned out awful) but we all know what brownies look like, pretzels and lollipops to the Valentine teases.

I hope you have a romantic Valentine's Day!

Homemade Carmel Apple Lollipops

 Every so often I substitute teach a Religion class. I always like to bring the kids a homemade treat and this week I made Carmel Apple Lollipops. These are so simple to make! And you just need a few simple ingredients that you can pick up at any grocery store or Target.

Ingredients/Supplies:

Two bags of Jolly Rancher Hard Candies

A bag of Caramels

lollipop sticks

medium sized plastic bags, buy the sandwich bags that flap over - not the ziplock type

coordinating ribbon

Directions:

Separate out the green and red Jolly Ranchers - put the rest of the Jolly Ranchers in your bowl for the Trick or Treaters.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat pad. If you don't have a Silpat pad put it on your birthday or holiday wish list - they make baking and cleaning up super easy. They sell them at Bed Bath and Beyond - use your coupon!

On the Silpat pad line up three green or three red Jolly Ranchers.

Bake in the 275 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes. They are done when they are melted into the lollipop shape. Take them out of the oven and gently twist in a lollipop stick. Careful - the melted Jolly Ranchers are really hot.

Let them sit for a minute - then using a metal spatula remove them to a piece of parchment paper and make a new batch. I make four lollipops at a time.

Let the lollipops cool. While they are cooling. Unwrap the caramels. It takes a while to unwrap each little caramel.

Melt the caramels in the microwave - about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the caramels - be careful they are also very hot.

Using a spoon coat the top 2/3 of the lollipop with the melted caramel. Set them back on the parchment paper to dry for a few hours.

Once the caramel is hard - you can put the lollipops into the medium sized plastic bags and tie with a ribbon.

The kids really liked the lollipops! These would be cute to make for a Halloween party, the sports team, classroom or neighbors!