• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Studio
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

How-to: Fireworks Cookies & Edible Sparklers

July 4, 2011 2 Comments

Happy Independence Day, everyone! Pop Rocks (you know, the candy from your childhood) is running a recipe contest that ends at midnight tonight. From their official rules website:

Get ready for the JULY 4th POP ROCKS® RECIPE CONTEST. Send us your favourite food or beverage recipe featuring Pop Rocks® as an ingredient for your chance to win a 24 pack box of the NEWLY rereleased grape Pop Rocks. For added fun, although not necessary to win, include a picture of the recipe or you and your friends enjoying it. 5 winners will be selected on July 5th by Pop Rocks’ own Chef Rocko.

Even though I’ve never been the biggest fan of grape, I thought this was a great excuse to experiment with some baking. My initial idea was to use Pop Rocks as sprinkles on my family’s generations-old sugar cookie recipe.

Fireworks Cookies

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c shortening
  • 1/2 c butter, softened
  • 1 ½ c sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 3 ½ c sifted flour
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1 ¼ t salt

How to make it

  • Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla
  • Stir in – sifted dry ingredients, mixing well.
  • Chill dough several hours.
  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Roll out small portions on dough on lightly floured board to 1/8” thickness. Cut with floured 3” cutter.
  • Place on ungreased baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle with colored sugars, nuts etc or frost after baking.
  • Bake in 375 oven 10-12 min or until delicately browned. Cool on racks
  • 5-6 dozen

Butterfrosting Recipe

Ingredients

  • 6 T soft butter
  • 1/3 t salt
  • 1# powdered sugar
  • 4 T milk
  • 1 t vanilla

How to make it

  • Cream butter in mixing bowl
  • Add sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.
  • If necessary, thin with additional milk.

The cookies were really cute, but I ran in to some trouble when serving them at a 4th of July picnic. As my cookies warmed in their tupperware container, the frosting got liquidy enough that the Pop Rocks got all popped out. Just a heads up.

Edible Sparklers

Ingredients

  • white almond bark
  • pretzel rods
  • red & blue Pop Rocks candy (Dollar Tree is where I found the candy)
  • waxed paper

Directions

Melt your almond bark in the microwave or in a saucepan. Pour melted almond bark in a heat-safe cup. Dip a pretzel rod in your cup, twisting it around to coat half of it. Set on waxed paper. sprinkle with red & blue pop rocks, rotating to cover all sides. Let set up.

If very sweet desserts aren’t your thing, I recommend this TasteSpotting page featuring a whole bunch of really interesting-looking Pop Rocks recipes.

Filed Under: Fourth of July, How-to, Recipes Tagged With: baking, butterfrosting, family recipe, independence day, pop rocks, sugar cookies

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

Previous Post: « Inspiration Thirsty
Next Post: How-to: Awesomely Easy Living Room Accessories »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Sugar Cookies & ButterfrostingSugar Cookies & Butterfrosting
  • 25 American DIYs25 American DIYs
  • 50 Great DIY Gift Ideas50 Great DIY Gift Ideas
  • How-to: Chocolate Peppermint BlossomsHow-to: Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

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

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

work with heidi

UPDATES BY EMAIL

Get a free pattern + biweekly updates sent to your inbox.

Let’s be friends!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi Gustad

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
.
knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
.
.
A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
.
.
See you in a couple weeks! ✌🏻#handsoccupied #knitdesign #craftdesign #sofadedsweater
Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
.
.
Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
.
.
rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
.
.
Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
.
Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy