BASKETBALL OREOS ARE A SLAM DUNK FOR MARCH MADNESS

KILEY CRUSE | World-Herald Sta Writer

March Madness is in the air. Next Sunday, 68 teams will be selected to participate in the Big Dance.

If you are looking for a fun (and yummy) treat to eat while you watch your bracket bust, give these basketball Oreos a try.

They can be made two ways: with or without a lollipop stick. Either way, don’t pass them up.

Basketball Oreos

• Mega Stuf Oreos

• Orange candy melts

• Dark chocolate candy melts

• Coconut oil

• Lollipop sticks or 2-inch round silicone mold

1. To make lollipops, add 1 bag of orange candy melts and 1 tablespoon coconut oil to a tall and skinny microwave-safe container. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until candy coating is melted.

2. Coat the top ¾ inch of a lollipop stick with candy melt. Push the end into the middle of the Oreo lling (Mega Stuf Oreos work best. Regular Oreos don’t have enough lling to allow the stick to t between the hard outer cookies). Repeat with all lollipop sticks. Freeze until coating is hard.

3. Remove from freezer. Dip Oreo into the candy melt. Gently shake off excess candy coating. Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet to harden.

4. To make using a silicone mold, melt candy melts with coconut oil as in Step 1. Put a spoonful of melted candy coating into the mold. Tap mold on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Put an Oreo in the middle of the mold. Spoon just enough candy coating to cover the Oreo. Put mold in refrigerator to harden. Once solid, remove from mold and decorate.

6. To decorate the circles, add a ½ cup dark chocolate candy melts into a sandwich-sized zip-top bag. Microwave for 30 seconds. Knead melts. If not fully melted, microwave for an additional 15 seconds.

7. Cut a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag. Squeeze out a vertical line down the middle of the cookie. Add two slightly curved lines on either side of the middle line. Then add a horizontal line across the cookie.