Chocolate Teddy Bear Pops

 

1

cup sugar

1

cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

20

craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends)

1

package (16 oz) chocolate-flavored candy coating

Betty Crocker® chocolate candy sprinkles, if desired

40

small gumdrops, if desired

1

bag (9 oz) candy-coated chocolate candies, if desired

60

Betty Crocker® red cinnamon decors or ready-to-eat cereal pieces, if desired

• 1 In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and egg with spoon until smooth. Stir in flour and cocoa. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• 2 Heat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 20 (1-inch) balls and 20 (3/4-inch) balls. To make each cookie, on ungreased cookie sheet, arrange 1 large ball and 1 small ball with sides touching. Insert about 1 1/2 inches of wooden stick through center of 1-inch ball and into smaller ball. Press floured bottom of glass on dough until about 1/4 thick. Place pairs of dough balls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• 3 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 4 Place waxed paper on tray. Melt candy coating as directed on package. Spoon coating over cookies; place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with chocolate candy sprinkles. Add gumdrops for ears. Add chocolate candies for hands and feet. Add cinnamon candies for eyes and nose.