I’m back for the last installment on how to make the Minnie Mouse-inspired treats I served up at the Tiny Dancer’s second birthday party.  I went over how to make the Minnie Mouse cupcakes and Polka Dot Candy-Covered Pretzels in previous posts so today we tackle the Minnie Mouse-inspired cookies.

Now, there are a few different ways you can tackle this.  If you are planning in advance, I would just spend the $5 and buy the official Disney cookie cutter from the Disney Store. Since it’s a trademarked product, I was unable to find any others on the market.  The idea to make cookies was a bit last minute so I didn’t have enough time to buy the cookie cutter so instead I did it myself.

Since this was a new endeavor for me I tried three different ways to shape the cookies: ears attached to the head, ears attached on the head, and ears attached under the head.  I thought that the ears attached to the head was the most like the original Minnie head but it was also the most difficult.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Cookie Dough (I used store bought Sugar Cookie Dough but feel free to make your own)
Red Heart Candies
Mickey Mouse Cookie Cutter or 2 Cookie Cutters – 1 small and large circles (the small one should be about 1/2 the diameter of the large one)

I have found that whenever I use shaped cookie-cutters the cookies tend to ooze and not keep their shape very well so I like to take the cookies out of the oven a minute or two early and cut them so they have a nice shape with clean lines.

Here’s how to do it:
1. Spoon cookie dough onto a cookie sheet (I like to line mine with parchment paper) – cookie dough should be about 2-3 inches in diameter.

2. Bake according to instructions – take out the cookies a minute or two before they are done.

3. Carefully use your cookie cutters to shape the cookies. (Remember, the trays and the cookie dough are hot. I like to slide my parchment paper onto a cutting board and set the tray aside to cool.) Using the round cookie cutters, cut out 2 small circles for every large circle you cut out. (If you are using the Mickey Mouse cookie cutter then your job is simple and skip to step 6).

4. If you are using method one with the ears attached to the head you need to work quickly while the dough is still soft and press the small circles into the large circle to form the Mickey head. If using this method, it’s best to work in small batches because once out of the oven, the cookie dough hardens relatively quickly.

5. If you are using method two or three with the ears attached under or on the head (big circle) then just cut out the circles (big and small) and let them cool. Then using icing or melted candy or chocolate, attach the small circles to the big circle (either under or on the big circle) using the icing or melted candy/chocolate as glue.

6. To turn these Mickey Cookies into Minnie Cookies we need to add a bow. Using two heart candies,with the points of the hearts facing toward the center, use the icing or melted candy/chocolate as glue to affix the hearts to the cookies.

That’s it!  This is a fun activity you can do with the kids too.

When I was a kid, my mom was very crafty. She and her hot glue gun could do no wrong. And she didn’t stop there. She would paint ceramic decorations for every holiday and make candy & chocolate pops for our birthdays and holidays. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t make. So with these giant shoes to fill, I had to come up with something fun for my daughter’s Minnie Mouse-themed birthday party. And, I remembered my mom and her candy pops.

I tried to find Minnie Mouse candy molds but since it’s a copyrighted character it was impossible to find but I didn’t give up. While I was at the craft store I found a candy pretzel mold on clearance for less than $1 that was a bunch of round smiley faces. Trying to make do with what I had, I figured I could make polka-dot covered pretzel sticks and not paint faces on the circles.

While I was at the craft store I also bought the Wilton Candy Melts. The candy melts are very similar to the texture of chocolate but as a chocolate person, I have to say that I don’t love the flavor. It tastes very much like white chocolate which I hate but if you want to decorate in color then real chocolate won’t work unfortunately. That said, most people don’t have a deep-rooted hatred for white chocolate (which I don’t even think should be called chocolate) so you can feel safe knowing that it will be a crowd pleaser.

On to the pretzels, here’s what you’ll need:
-Pretzel Rods (be gentle with the bag you don’t want to use the broken ones though they make for good snacking while you’re making the candy pretzels)
-Candy Melts or Chocolate
-Pretzel Mold
-Small Glass Bowls (1 for each color you’re using)
-Small Spoons – I used espresso spoons (1 for each color you’re using)
-Frying pan filled half-way with water

How to make the candy pretzels:
1. Bring the water in the frying pan to a boil. When the water boils take it off the heat.
2. Put the candy melts in the small bowls and put the bowls in the hot water in the frying pan.
3. Stir the candy melts until they are completely melted.
4. Fill your mold according to the particular instructions (instructions may vary by design – if you’re layering colors you’ll have to do one color, set the candy and repeat).
5. After you’ve filled the candy in the mold, place the pretzel in the mold.
6. Set the candy in the refrigerator on a flat surface for 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove the pretzels from mold – if the candy is set it will come out easily.
8. Store in a cool, dry place and enjoy!

For more ideas on candy pops or candy covered pretzels visit the Wilton website.

To celebrate the Tiny Dancer’s second birthday, I made Minnie Mouse-inspired cupcakes.  I love cooking but I’m definitely more of a savory cook than a baker so when it comes to baking – especially for others – I go with what I know works.  And for me, that’s Duncan Hines.  But please feel free to use your own cake and icing recipe – if you can whip that up from scratch and have it taste yummy then you are my idol.

I wanted to jazz up the cupcakes so I decided to get crafty.  I found a template online for cupcake wrapper – you can download it by visiting the post here.  Here are the steps to make the Minnie Mouse-inspired cupcakes:

Supplies:
Black Oak Tag Paper
Pencil
Scissor
Ribbon
Hot glue gun & glue sticks

Instructions:
1. Print the template.

2. Trace the template on the oak tag with pencil – to be safe trace the outlines on the back side of the paper.

3.  Cut out the wrappers by cutting alone the pencil outlines.

4.  Cut your ribbon to the size you need to make the bows and tie all of your bows.

5.  Heat up your glue gun.  Measure a wrapper around a cupcake and make a note of where to glue the wrapper closed.  Glue the ends of all of your wrappers.  Then glue the bows on the front cupcake wrapper (the back is the glued edge of the wrapper).

6.  Set the wrappers aside and let the glue dry.  Put the cupcakes in the wrappers after you have put the icing on them.

That’s it! I just added a candy heart to the top of the cupcake and you’re done

Some of you may remember that the Tiny Dancer had a Minnie Mouse-themed first birthday party. This year, I wanted to choose a theme that the Tiny Dancer would like – it turns out she’s a huge Minne Mouse fan! So, for a second year, we had a red/white Minnie Mouse theme. It worked out in some ways because I had things already lined up like the table runners and table cloths.

Last year I made Minnie Mouse birthday invitations and special ordered a cake from a bakery complete with fondant bows and ears. This year, I skipped the invitations since it was just the grandparents and one uncle (the rest of the family is in NY and we’re having a NY party in a few weeks!) and I put my crafty efforts in the kitchen.

Each day this week I’ll let you know how I made each treat – for now just feast your eyes on the Minnie Mouse feast!