Apple Lollipops for a Sweet Back-to-School!

Making a sweet treat for friends, teachers, or classmates is one idea for a fun back-to-school ritual to help ease the end-of-summer blues. Homemade lollipops are one of my favorite food crafts and you can see some of my others here or in my book, Candy Aisle Crafts. These apple pops are pretty easy to make and you can find everything you’ll need at the supermarket, my favorite type of craft!

I originally made these apple lollipops for Family Fun magazine.

MATERIALS
- parchment paper
- 2 (or more) red Jolly Rancher hard candies
- - 1 (or more) green Jolly Rancher hard candy, cut in half
- ½” piece of a thin pretzel stick
- wooden skewers (pointy ends cut off) or lollipop sticks
- kitchen shears or clean scissors

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place 2 or more red candies together on the baking sheet off to one side to allow room for adding a stick later.
3. Place in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and let it cool for 1 minute.
4. Reshape the warm candy into a circle (adults only). Add the stick by pushing it up the bottom of the candy
5. Place one or two green candy halves at the top of the lollipop.
6. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes to melt and smooth.
7. Remove from the oven and push the pretzel stick “stem into the top. If desired, reshape the “apple” and “leaf” shapes again and repeat step 6, or let it cool completely on the baking sheet before moving.

I hope you’ll try this fun and easy food craft. Happy back-to-school!