I've read a bunch of threads here about cookie-bouquets, but I still have a couple questions.

Do you glue/tape down the paper shreds to the styrofoam?

Do most of you put the sticks in before you bake? Then doesn't that mean you can only bake a few cookies at a time because the sticks take up a lot of space on the baking pan?

Would this Heart Cookie Treat Pan be useful for this purpose?

Hi, I've only made a few bouquets, but here is what I do.

I've tried putting in the stick before baking and after baking and neither one works for me. If I put them in before, the sticks take up too much room on the cookie sheet and I can only do a few at a time. Everytime I've tried to put them in after, they have peirced the backside of the cookie. To alleviate this problem I tried rolling them out thicker, but I don't like really thick cookies. So now I just decorate the cookies, wait for them to dry flip them over and attach the stick with a thin layer of RI. The backsides of the sticks get hidden by the other cookies. Behind the back row of cookies I insert the sticks through tissue paper before I put them in the container, that way the sticks in the back row are hidden by the tissue paper and everything still looks pretty. I use floral foam instead of styrofoam (the sticks stick better) and I don't tape or glue the shred in, I just kind of tuck it in aroud the edges a little. Also, I've used the cookie treat pans and I must say that they come out way to thick for my liking and the surface is kind of bumpy for decorating. Of course that might have been just me not smoothing the dough out enough when I was pressing it into the pan. I hope I made sense and that this helps you out a little.

I've made a few and actually that heart pan is useful. But it is tricky placing those sticks in otherwise. After much practice what I learned is that when placing the sticks in, you need to twist as you push the sticks into the cookie (this is before baking) Make sure that your sticks are as close to the top of the cookie as possible. It will seem like your sticks are coming thru the top, but they aren't. Then just smooth the top of your cookie with your finger. Another trick is after baking, flip your cookie over and decorate the back-side because now you have a smooth surface to decorate on. I posted sunflower lollipop cookies in my pics. Hope that helps a little

I've always put my sticks in before I bake, but I use bamboo skewers, not lollipop sticks. That way the cookie doesn't have to be that thick. I was told in a class to dip the skewer into flour before I insert and then do the little twist to get it in. I've never had a problem. However, with bigger cookies I've used 2 skewers for stability

I use skewers as well. They're a great, cheap alternative to lollipop sticks. I usually stick them in as soon as I take the cookies out of the oven and I haven't had a problem yet. If the cookie becomes loose then I'll use some RI to "glue" the cookie where it meets the stick. I haven't used that heart pan so can't help there but whatever you try, I'm sure it will look great!

I actually don't even put the sticks in the cootkies themselves. I wrap them in shrink wrap and then, tape the sticks to the back using shipping tape. I never got the hang of baking with the sticks and to me, this is soooooooooooo much easier!