I'm going to attempt putting my decorated sugar cookies on a stick. Just wondering which method is better - baking the sticks into the cookies, inserting after cooled, or "gluing" on with royal icing? Which method holds up best? Also, I have lollipop sticks and bamboo skewers - which would be best or does it matter?

thanks!

I prefer to bake them with the stick HTH

hello!! Ive tried both methods but if u want to bake the sticks in u have to roll out a bit thicker than if u glue with royal icing.Think thinner cookie crisp cookie it all depends what u are looking for.Also the choice between bamboo skewers and lollipos sticks should be based on whether children will be handling the cookie by themselves or is it going on a bouquet both are good but skewers hold better on bouquets here are some pics these cookies were glued. GOOD LUCK!

I make my cookie bouquets with the sticks right in them as they bake. I don't use cookie sticks though, because they are sooo thick, I prefer to use the lollipop sticks over bamboo skewers only because the thought of touching or eating cookies with wood on them or in them really grosses me out, but that's just me! I just made a cookie bouquet with the lollipop sticks in them, its in my photos if you are interested.

I prefer to bake with the sticks in. I like my cookies kind of thick so I tend to use the wooden cookie sticks.

I prefer to place my sticks in after they bake. I use cookie sticks and use the no fail sugar cookie recipe. Since you have lollipop sticks I would place them in the cookie before baking since when you place the sticks after they bake the cookie has to be thicker and therefore would be to heavy for the lollipop sticks. If you bake with the sticks in and still find that the cookie is to heavy for the lollipop sticks then you can just place a small amount of royal icing to secure it. Hope this helps.

I roll all my cookies 1/2 inch thick and use the lollipop sticks. I've thought about the skewers because they're way cheaper but if you do a thicker cookie I think the weight might be too much for the thin skewers. Also, I always put the sticks in before baking. One time I forgot to insert the sticks before baking but had read on here all about putting them in after baking...I thought it would never work, but it really worked well! The cookies shrink a little right onto the stick and hold very firm. It was nice to find out I have a backup method if I forget to put them in beforehand.

I bake mine with the lollipop sticks in the cookies and just make it a little thicker where the stick is so it doesn't get too crispie while the rest of the cookie is still baking.

I'm a little bit different than everyone eelse I roll my cookies out the same thickness as always (3/16"--but my dough puffs up..but not out ) and then i place the sticks onto the cookie, and then i cut out another identical shape and place on top of the first layer (kind of like a sandwich---with the lollipop stick inbetween) smooth the edges and bake as normal..this may seem more time consuming..but I havent had one fall out yet and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".....I tried putting the sticks in after and i tried gluing them on after, neither resulted in what i was looking for...its all a matter of personal preference...I also don't use skewers becasue I'm afraid the cookies won't hold..the cookies tend to be a bit heavy! HTH

chqtpi...that's exactly what i do. i was having so much trouble trying to put the stick in with out it coming out the back.
i just did 500 horse heads on sticks. i had someone help me put them together before baking.....next time i'll do it myself. i don't think she understood how important it was to have to cookies level. live and learn i guess.

chqtpi and kneadacookie--I do the same thing. I make a sandwich with my cut-outs and I use both cookie sticks and lollie pop sticks. I wouldn't have it any other way.

when you do the sandwich method - do you "glue" the backs or sides together w/ water (or something) or do you just let them bake together?

usually i wet my finger or a paint brush a tiny bit just to marry the edges together...I tried just "letting them go" and see if they would just bake together...but I found that sometimes the bottom shape spreads a tiny bit more and then it looks uneven...best of luck

for those of you that use the skewers - do you have to soak them first? (like you do when grilling, etc.)

I don't use water or anything to "glue" them together. I just place one shape down, press the stick barely into the bottom shape. Then I place the tope one on and gently press around the edges of the shape and around the base of the shape to ensure stability.

Oh wow! I never fail to learn something new on here. So some of you make two cookies and then sandwich the stick in? I love that. I have been having so much trouble with those darn little sticks.
And yes, yellobutterfly, you need to soak those skewers before baking. Although your not supposed to put the lollipop sticks in the oven, and they work great.
And another point I read somewhere else - some people use margarine instead of butter. Well today I did 3 orders with margarine. AArrrr! Never again. My dough was so soft I couldn't do anything with it. What are the feelings on that?

I'm with Paula Deen..BUTTER all the way I tried switching out the butter in my cookie recipe for margarine and even crisco and never again..with the margarine they spread like pancake batter and with crisco they tasted nasty....so much for experimentation lol...

I'm too cheap to use butter - so I always use bluebonnet or imperial margarine with no problems.