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Making cookies on a stick, start to finish

Make cookies on a stick easily. This is a unique cookie decorating technique. They are not as hard as you may think. A little tedious, but not bad.

The beauty is that they can be of any arrangement, not just from flower cookies...

Unicorn cookies on a stick for birthdays.
Display of cookies on a stick made into a flower bouquet with sugar cookies and royal icing.

What this page covers:

-supplies you will need

-directions

-tips on how to make cookies on a stick to prevent mistakes

*Here is a page on royal icing tips that every cookier needs

Speaking of tips, here is a page for the decorating tips for the beginner.

You can easily add airbrushing or edible images to the cookies on a stick so they will pop with personality! Stenciling the backgrounds or make the cookies on a stick into PYO cookies on a stick can give different effects too. 

How to make cookies on a stickā€¦supplies you need

Photo showing supplies for cookies on a stick

It is best to get organized from the start. I wonā€™t list the ingredients here. There are links to the recipes below.

1. You will first need the best sugar cookies to make the bouquets. Get the recipe here if you havenā€™t already (itā€™s free). Also, reserve a bit of cookie dough for the cookie patches on the back of them before baking.

2. My Superior Royal Icing or Best Glaze Icing is a must. Iā€™m offering both as some cannot use royal icing for various reasons (though I am a royal icing person myself, you wonā€™t regret this glaze recipe).

3. Cookie sticks. Any sturdy sticks will do. With my sugar cookie recipe, I like to go with sizes of 3" and 4" cookies used together. this gives a pleasing variety.

I also use a variety of stick lengths to add depth,  including 4",6", and 8" (some companies size them at 7.9").

These are the ones I normally purchase. Each image is a link to that size stick.

4" treat sticks

4 Inch White Lollipop Sticks, , 200 Pcs

4 Inch White Lollipop Sticks, , 200 Pcs
9.5/10 WeCookier's Golden Cookie Award!
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  • 200 pcs, 
  • Paper Sticks, 4 inch/100mm in length, each stick diameter is 3.5 mm
  • Food Grade Material
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6" treat sticks

Lollipop Sticks, 200PCS 6 Inch

Lollipop Sticks, 200PCS 6 Inch
9.5/10 WeCookier's Golden Cookie Award!
Check Price
  • 200-count cake pop sticks. 6 inches, and 3.5mm in diameter
  • Quality Material: The candy paper sticks are made of high-quality paper and won't rub off, fall apart, or shred. 
  • Wide Application: The Lollipop set is suitable for making lollipops, cake pops, marshmallow pops, chocolates, candies, cookies, etc as wonderful gifts for your family and friends.
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7.9" treat sticks

Lollipop Sticks,500 Pieces White Paper, (7.9 Inch)

Lollipop Sticks,500 Pieces White Paper, (7.9 Inch)
9.5/10 WeCookier's Golden Cookie Award!
Check Price
  • 500 Pieces Cake Pop Sticks- 7.9 inches, each diameter is approx. 3.5mm. 
  • Food Grade & Eco-friendly- Made of high-quality paper and, non-toxic.
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Photo of cookies on a stick made into a floral bouquet

Although I have this picture below of Wilton treat sticks, I usually go with an off-brand because I'm conservative. I ran out of the ones I purchase online and grabbed these locally. Unfortunately costing $3 more for the box!

This photo shows the size of treat sticks I use for cookies on a stick.

4. Ribbon

5. Dry floral foam

6. Water Balloons (if using them) tied to a stick

7. Crinkle paper or easter grass to hide the floral foam

8. Large bag to slip over the finished bouquet

9. Vase, pot, etc. for cookies on a stick to stand in

For flower bouquets, I add plastic greenery too.

You can pick up most of these supplies at a dollar store.

Directions for how to make cookies on a stick

Set everything up and get all the peripherals out of the way. Fit the foam into the vase or container I am going to use. I poke holes with pointed wooden skewers where I want the sticks to be, including any holes for balloons on sticks.


Image of a vase from a dollar store with floral foam to stick the cookie sticks in.

Set out the sticks, including the ones to tape the water balloons on--minus the water, lol! I wonā€™t blow them up until right before I place the bag over the finished project.

Take wooden skewers and poke holes where you want the cookies on a stick to be.

This image shows skewers in the foam to get a visual on how the cookies on a stick will look.

Remove the skewers and the holes will be the guide.

A photograph depicting holes in floral foam to establish where the cookies on a stick will be placed.

We are now ready to bake those delicious cookies!

Hereā€™s a guide on how to bake sugar cookieson the best baking sheets. I know, it seems simple enough, but there are a lot of tricks I do to make the most of time along with hacks to make each step go very smoothly for you. Worth the read!

When you are finished with that, come back to this page, Cookies on a Stick.

You will want to roll out the cookie dough quite thick. Mine are 1/2ā€. Cut out the sugar cookies. (If you see the stick has gone through after they have baked and cooled, you can put royal icing on the back to support it).

After you have cut a tray of sugar cookies, you may need to refrigerate them to firm them up before placing the stick in them. It will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.

I prefer to first stick a skewer in to make the hole then add the stick...

Make the hole for the stick first to make it easier for the stick to slide into the cookie.
After making the hole with a skewer, place the stick in the sugar cookie.

When they are ready, place the stick at the bottom. It is easiest to have them on the cookie sheet instead of picking the cut-out cookie up to do this. Be very careful to slide them in level so you arenā€™t poking a hole through the bottom or top. The thicker the cookier the better.

You should be able to arrange six cookies with the sticks on a Ā½ baking sheet. 

Place them in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove them. Flip the cookies on their fronts and add some of that extra cookie dough to generously cover the stick area in the cookie.

Don't worry, they will flatten during baking. 

Bake them as you usually would. Flood with royal icing or glaze. Buttercream frosting will not work with cookie bouquets. Though my recipe does crust,  the frosting could begin melting at room temperature and slide off when the cookie is in a standing position. Add your beautiful decorating ideas. Let the cookies dry for 25-48 hours flat on the baking sheet or dehydrator rack.

Photo of a unicorn royal icing transfer to a ribbon cookie on a stick.
Decorated unicorn horn on a cookie image.

Once dry, place them in the holes you made in the floral foam. Blow up the balloons and tape them on the sticks. Insert those. Now add the crinkle paper, Easter grass, candy, rocks, etc. to cover up the foam. Attach any ribbons or bow. Cover with a large clear bag. Basket bags work great!


I found this site intriguing. It's not just for cookies on a stick, but you can start a franchise through this company. You can also glean inspiration from their sugar cookie arrangements.

Tips on how to make cookie bouquets to prevent mistakes

Iā€™ve put together some tips to help you:

1. The cookie dough needs to be nice and firm.

2. Bake the cookies for about 30 seconds longer than you normally would. If they are too soft, they will fall off the stick.

3. Be patient and allow the royal icing to dry on the sugar cookies for 24-48 hours.

4. Insert the balloons, if you are using any, as near to pick-up time as possible so they do not pop or deflate.

5. One big mistake to avoid is charging too little. You have extra expenses and extra time on these. 

Top of Cookies on a Stick

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