(Family Features) For a fresh take on Easter treats, these egg-shaped cookie pops will surprise and delight. Easy and delicious, each one is uniquely decorated -an unexpected, but festive way to say "Happy Easter!"

To begin, a simple butter cookie dough flavored with vanilla and almond extracts is cut into egg shapes with a cookie cutter. Once they're baked and cooled, tint white Candy Melts (or use colored) with favorite Easter colors - pastel, bold, or both - then "dye" the eggs by pouring the melted candy over the cookies.

Now the decorating fun begins. Pipe with melted candy to make spirals and stripes, then attach confetti sprinkles. Other decorating options include brushing with pearl dust for a luminous effect, or sprinkling with colored sugars. You could even write messages on them. After decorating, use a dab of melted candy to attach the "pops" stick to the backs of the cookies.

A decorated flower "pot" is an ideal way to present the pops. Place the pops in the convenient insert that comes with the Flower Pot Kit and add some green curling ribbon for grass. This bouquet of pops can do double-duty as a centerpiece for the table, or as an Easter gift for friends and family when wrapped in clear bags and tied with ribbon.

Visit www.wilton.com for more Easter project ideas, to order supplies including the Pops Flower Pot Kit, or a copy of the new Wilton book, "Pops! Sweets On A Stick!"

Fresh Eggs Cookie Pops

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• White Candy Melts, melted
• Primary, Garden Candy Color Sets
• Yellow, White Pearl Dust
• Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract
• Blue, Lavender Colored Sugar
• Jumbo Confetti Sprinkles
• Cookie Treat Sticks

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg; mix until blended. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in flour mixture. Do not chill dough; divide into 2 balls. On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Dip egg shaped cookie cutter in flour and cut dough; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 6 - 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove from sheet and cool completely on cooling grid.
4. Tint melted white candy desired colors. Pour over cooled cookies to cover. Tap to settle; chill until firm.
5. Use melted candy in cut parchment or disposable decorating bags to pipe spirals, stripes and attach Confetti Sprinkles. While still wet, sprinkle some shapes with Colored Sugars. Brush set candy decorations with Pearl Dust/vanilla mixture. Attach sticks to back of cookies using melted candy. If desired, place in assembled Pops Flower Pot Kit.

Source: Wilton Products

(Family Features) A bake sale is a sweet way to support any charitable cause, whether it’s raising money for new uniforms or donating to a local animal shelter. These tips and recipes from the celebration experts at Wilton will make bake sale treats that stand out among the rest — it’s a piece of cake.

• Baking delicious goodies is just the start to a successful bake sale. Add some dazzling details. The eye-catching finishes on Bake-Sale Ready Cupcakes — swirls of colorful icing topped with jumbo sprinkles and butterfly decorations, complete with vibrant wraps — will ensure they sell out fast.
• Serve sweets-on-a-stick like Kaleidoscope Cookie Pops and School Star Cereal Treat Pops. Favorite treats are more fun and easier to eat when customers can just grab them and enjoy.
• Offer size options. Sell some cupcakes and mini breads by the “eaches” and cookies by the pop. Have dozens available, too.
• Wrap goodies using treat bags and ribbon, or pack in colorful, easy-to-transport boxes — making them perfect gifts customers will want to keep for themselves.

Visit www.wilton.com for other bake sale ideas and recipes, and for all of your baking and decorating supplies.

Coconut Lime Mini Breads

Makes 9 petite loaves

Breads

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Topping (optional)

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons toasted sweetened flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cavities of Petite Loaf Pan with Petite Loaf Baking Cups.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, lime zest and baking powder. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in coconut extract. Add flour mixture alternately with coconut milk to butter mixture; mix until well combined. Divide mixture evenly into baking cups.
3. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pan 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pan; cool completely.
4. To make icing, combine confectioners’ sugar and lime juice in small bowl to desired consistency. Drizzle icing over tops of loaves, allowing icing to run down sides. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Zucchini & Apple Bread

Makes about 12 servings

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and shredded (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable pan spray.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In medium bowl, whisk together oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture. Stir in zucchini, apple and pecans, mixing until just combined. (Do not overmix.) Turn mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Loosen edges of bread from pan. Remove bread from pan; cool completely.

Kaleidoscope Cookie Pops

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Round Comfort Grip Cutter
• Assorted Colors Cookie Icing
• Assorted Jumbo Sprinkles or other favorite Sugars and Sprinkles
• Cookie Treat Sticks
• Candy Melts candy (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Do not chill dough.
3. Divide dough into 2 balls. On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12-inch diameter x 1/8-inch thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 8 to 11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool cookies completely.
4. Outline and fill-in cookie with Cookie Icing. Add zigzag border to some cookies. If desired, pipe alternating circles of colors onto cookie surface; immediately pull toothpick through icing from center of cookie to outer edge, pulling colors through. Or, arrange sprinkles and sugars on iced cookie surface. Let dry.
5. Attach sticks to back of cookies with icing or melted candy. Let dry.

Bake Sale-Ready Cupcakes

Each cupcake serves 1

• Assorted Primary, Gold or Silver Baking Cups
• Favorite cupcake recipe or mix
• Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream Icing
• Golden Yellow or other desired Icing Color
• Jumbo Stars and Jumbo Nonpareil Sprinkles
• Butterfly or other favorite Icing Decorations

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cavities of standard muffin pan with baking cups.
2. Bake your favorite cupcakes in prepared pan. Cool completely. Color buttercream icing with icing color. Pipe tip 1M buttercream or chocolate buttercream icing swirl on cupcake top; insert icing decoration.

School Star Cereal Treat Pops

Makes about 2 dozen pops

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• Cookie Treat Sticks
• Cookie Icing
• Assorted Sprinkles

1. Spray Star Cookie Treat Pan and rubber spatula or wooden spoon with vegetable pan spray.
2. In large saucepan, melt butter. Add marshmallows; cook and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add cereal; mix well. Press into prepared pan; insert cookie sticks. When cool to touch, remove from pan. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture. (If mixture becomes hard to work with, microwave at 50 percent power 30 to 60 seconds to soften.)
3. Outline treat with Cookie Icing; add Sprinkles. Let dry.

Candy Bark

• 2 packages (12 oz. ea.) White or Light Cocoa Candy Melts candy
• Rainbow Chip Crunch or other Sprinkles or Sugars

1. Line 10.5 x 15.5-inch cookie pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt Candy Melts candy following package instructions; spoon into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles; if needed, smooth top with large spatula. Sprinkle on Rainbow Chip Crunch. Chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment from pan; break candy into smaller serving pieces.

Source: Wilton Enterprises