Graduation Cookie-Candy Caps
with Fondant Diplomas
June: Graduation Season
Success smells (and tastes) sweet, especially when commencement caps and diplomas are made out of candies and cookies. We bring these “too-cool-for-school” desserts to potlucks and parties in honor of the graduates we know, whether they are preschoolers advancing to kindergarten or newly-minted Ph.D.s. These festive foods always get an A+ in the academic and foodie communities. Congratulations, graduates!
Recipe
For the cookie or candy caps
- Chocolate fudge-covered square graham crackers or Ghiradelli chocolate squares
- Reese’s mini chocolate peanut butter cups
- Peanut butter or chocolate frosting
- Tube frosting in school or favorite colors (we used Wilton brand)
Directions
Place the flat side down on the graham crackers or chocolate squares. Dab a little peanut butter or chocolate frosting on the small end of the peanut butter cup. Adhere to the middle of the graham cracker or chocolate square.
Use a small round tip on the tube frosting. Squeeze out “tassels” on a graham cracker or chocolate square, starting up and ending on the corner edge. Pipe out a line from the “tassel” to the middle. Finish with a small dot.
For the diplomas
- Red licorice (we used Twizzlers brand Pull-n-Peel cherry-flavored candy)
- White fondant
- White tube frosting (we used Wilton brand)
Directions
Carefully “pull-n-peel” off strands of the licorice candy. Cut into 3-4-inches long. Shape into bows and press in the middle to stick together. Trim if necessary.
Pinch out a small ball of white fondant from the package. Knead until pliable. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch squares, then into 1×2-inch rectangles.
Roll up the fondant into “diplomas.” Add a little dot of frosting to secure the red licorice “bows.” Let dry. Serve with the graduation cookie or candy caps.
Notes
- We also made “diplomas” by drawing a bow with a red edible food marker on short dipping snack sticks (crackers) as a quick alternative to the fondant-licorice version. Bigger “diplomas” were made with white chocolate-covered cookie rolls and red tube frosting bows.
- Insert a lollipop stick on the bottom of the cookie-candy cap for a graduation dessert pop!
June 2, 2011 at 1:54 am
These are adorable! What a great idea. I have to say though, although all the other candy sounds yummy, I tried Twizzlers once and um, let’s just say I’m not a fan. But it does work a treat as the ribbon.
May 20, 2014 at 8:44 pm
My daughter graduated from the 5th grade last week. I made these for her class. They were awesome and everyone loved them! I made cupcakes with faces and added the “cap” and “diploma” on it and it was adorable!
May 28, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Congrats on your daughter’s 5th grade graduation! Glad you were able to add your personal creative touch to your cupcakes with the cookie-candy caps.