Eat like a kid again! Luscious lollipop cookies

Prepare the cookie dough and roll it out as directed, except for the thickness. For this project you will need to roll the dough slightly thicker than 1/4 inch, depending on the size of your lollipop stick. The dough should be about twice as thick as the stick. So for a 3 ⁄16 inch-thick stick roll the dough 3 ⁄8 inch thick. Use the round cutters to cut out cookies and then insert the sticks into the edges of the cookies, halfway into the circles. Bake according to the recipe, checking for doneness and possibly baking for 1 to 2 minutes longer due to the extra thickness.

I suggest test-baking one cookie before baking the entire batch to make sure the dough is thick enough and the stick does not show through the cookie. Let the cookies cool completely. While the cookies are cooling, make the royal icing.

Divide the icing, and dye each portion in the colors you will use. Prepare stiff and loose icing in each color. Put the stiff icings in pastry bags fitted with #2 tips and the loose icings in bags fitted with #3 tips. Using the shapes of the cookie as your guide, pipe a complete outline on each cookie using stiff icing.

For the drop-in flooding, flood and decorate one cookie at a time, using looser icing. Have all your colors ready and close at hand. Begin by flflooding an entire cookie. Without waiting for the cookie to dry, drop in the color(s) in the shape that you want.

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat until the dough just comes together, being careful not to overmix.

4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Place the ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Keeping the dough in the parchment, transfer to a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

6. Cut the cookies in the desired shapes and place at least 1 inch apart on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. Transfer to the freezer and chill for at least 15 minutes or until they are stiff.

7. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

8. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

9. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheets before decorating. (They will still be soft when they come out of the oven and may break or become misshapen if they are moved off the sheets before cool.)