This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Cookie pops for the holidays! These vanilla bean Christmas cookie pops are so easy to make, and so much fun to eat. They’re cookie lollipops!

Vanilla Bean Cookie Pops

There should be more things on sticks. Every time I have this thought, I am reminded of that scene in There’s Something About Mary where they’re strolling along the boardwalk discussing the lack of meat on sticks. Great movie – and they did have a good point. Why aren’t more treats on sticks?

There’s something very whimsical and fun about eating off of a stick! We’re all familiar with cake pops, but probably not as familiar with cookie pops. I’ll admit, it does complicate the simple cookie baking process a bit, but with a little extra time and patience (in which I’m truly lacking), you can stick-ify your cookies fairly easily.

A few things I’ve learned along the way about creating a Christmas cookie pop:

1.  You’ll want to use a fairly sturdy cookie dough base for your pop, so a sugar cookie is a great place to start. You could also use a gingerbread cookie dough, or really anything that isn’t SUPER soft.

2.  Roll your cookie dough out to about 1/2″ thickness. Anything less than that, and the stick will likely not make it into the center of the cookie and will bust through the top or bottom. I don’t own one, but a dough guide would be so helpful for this!

3.  SPREAD OUT your cookies on the tray, so you have enough room to insert the stick as soon as it comes out of the oven. This means you’ll need multiple trays!

And a few more things…

4.  Make sure your cookie sticks are fairly thin – I actually used lollipop sticks as the cookie sticks I bought were way too thick.

5.  Use a toothpick to poke the initial hole in the bottom of the cookie – it’ll allow the thicker cookie stick to slide in easily.

6.  Do. Not. Touch. the cookies after you’ve inserted the sticks until they’re completely cooled! This ensures the soft dough has molded around the stick and kept it secure.

I think that’s it – don’t be intimidated! It’s really quite easy. 🙂

Do you need to use vanilla bean paste?

Adding the vanilla bean paste just really brings out that vanilla flavour, plus the specks of vanilla bean make a plain sugar cookie a little extra special. I always use Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste – I have to refrain from adding it into everything I bake. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can use vanilla extract (as per my recipe card below)!

Not only is this sugar cookie dough the perfect consistency, it doesn’t crumble and it doesn’t have to be chilled!! The dough can also be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge, or even the freezer until ready to use.

Vanilla Bean Cookie Pops

Obviously, since it’s the holiday season I made Christmas cookie pops, but I think cookie pops for a wedding or baby shower, birthday party or really any other celebration would be so fun!

I can’t believe Christmas is less than a week away. The only thing that makes me sad about this is that I think this is my last holiday cookie recipe of the season. Where has the time gone!?

Vanilla Bean Cookie Pops

And some other Christmas cookie ideas for you:

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
christmas cookie pops

Vanilla Bean Cookie Pops


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Katherine
  • Total Time: 1 hours 60 minutes
  • Yield: 40-45 cookies 1x

Description

Cookie pops for the holidays! These vanilla bean Christmas cookie pops are so easy to make, and so much fun to eat. 


Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste*

Royal Icing

  • 1/2 cup egg white substitute (about 3 egg whites)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on high until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and combine, followed by the egg and vanilla paste, mixing just until combined.
  4. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture until a soft dough begins to form. Stop mixing as soon as the dough begins to clump together.**
  5. Using your hands, scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, packing the loose pieces of dough together. Roll out the dough to 1/2″ thickness, and cut out the desired cookie shapes.
  6. Place the cookies on the prepared sheets, 1 per row to allow room for the stick (see image in post). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown. Cookies should still be quite soft.
  7. Remove the cookies from the oven, and watching the edges of the hot pan, carefully poke a toothpick into the middle of the bottom of each cookie, then quickly insert your cookie stick until it comes about halfway into the cookie. Leave the cookies to rest on the sheet until mostly cooled, then transfer to a wire rack, using a spatula to lift the cookie and not lifting it by the stick.
  8. Once the cookies have fully cooled, prepare the royal icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high until they start to foam. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the consistency of the icing is thick but still fairly runny***. Add the lemon juice and mix.
  9. If creating multiple colours of icing, separate the icing into different bowls and add the colour (and flavour, if desired), then transfer the icing to a piping bag or squeeze bottle. Use immediately.
  10. Allow the icing to set on the cookies, then enjoy immediately or store.

Cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Notes

*If you don’t have or want to use vanilla bean paste, you can use 1 tsp pure vanilla extract instead.

**If you don’t plan on cutting your shapes right away, wrap the dough in saran wrap and keep it in the fridge (up to 5 days). You can also freeze it in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag (wrap in saran wrap first) for up to 2 months.

***If you’re “flooding” your cookies with icing, you’ll want the icing a bit runnier. If you are decorating fine details, you will want it a bit stiffer, so add more or less powdered sugar as needed.

Sugar cookie recipe originally adapted from Bake @ 350.

  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Need more holiday treat inspiration?

Holiday Twix Bars

Christmas Cookie Pops

About Katherine

Heeey! Thank you for stopping by! I like 30-minute dinners and giant peanut butter cups made with only 3 ingredients. I LOVE food! If you do too, you're in the right place.

You Might Also Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

26 Comments

  1. LOVE this idea! then you never get sticky, cookie fingers! genuis! also love the decorations too, ive never been one to make a cake/cookie look nice with icing and decorations, i made a lego cake for adam once and it was a disaster!

    1. Haha YES exactly!! Who likes sticky cookie fingers!? I swear I am terrible at decorations too, so maybe it’s just the wonders of photo editing haha but thank you!! (A lego cake sounds so cool)

  2. These are so cute and I love the way you decorated them! I prefer pink and green to red and green :). And thank you for the reminder that I need to watch There’s Something about Mary again. It’s been way too long! Have a great week, Katherine!

    1. Thank you Kelsie!! I love how the colours turned out too – so fun! Haha it’s a great movie. I could watch it over and over – cheers!

  3. Yeah, so I’m totally lacking in the patience department too! Glad to hear I’m not the only one 😉 Well, looks like you’ve knocked it out of the park cos these look perfect, Katherine! And, I must admit, I chuckled at the work ‘stickify’ 😀 How awesome would these be to gift? Fun and tasty!!

    1. Definitely not alone, Dawn!! Intricate details on treats is not something I’m particularly great at! Thank you!! Haha – don’t you think we should stickify a few more things? Cheers, my friend!!

  4. Last Christmas cookie recipe this season? I disagree, Katherine! You. Are. Not. Allowed. Please share more, more delicious cookies. And these cookie pops are fun and not that complicated (The hardest part would be not touching them until they’re completely set haha)

    1. Aaah thank you Ben!!! Can you believe we are 5 days away though!? Maybe I’ll find the time 😉 YES – so hard not to touch them haha you basically need to leave the room because the smell will bring you back to the kitchen!!

  5. Woah..look at those colors!!! These truly are sugar cookies on a stick. Vanilla bean got me hooked. I gotta try these. Lovely recipe.

  6. Hey Katherine
    such a lovely post , i really enjoyed during reading this article about vanilla bean cookie pops
    i must try at home , but never made at home before
    Thank you for sharing awesome knowledge

  7. Thank you for all the beauties I have found at your place. I wish you have a happy holidays with your loved ones !

  8. I agree! We need more food on sticks! 🙂 (Corndogs are my guilty pleasure. shhhh) – These are so adorable and would make such a fun edible gift!

    1. Oooh corndogs. I won’t tell if you don’t 😉 Haha thank you Marissa! They are a great gift!! Have a great Christmas my friend!! XO

  9. Katherine, I just love your creative cookie recipes! This is a great idea, and would be a huge hit with the kids in our family when they come over during the holidays! Hope you have a great Christmas! I can’t believe it’s almost here!

    1. Thank you Leanne!! It’s definitely a novelty for the kids – Oscar was pretty disappointed when they were all gone haha