10 Bright Ways to Use a Bag of Candy Melts

Here's how to turn those colorful chocolate disks into cupcake toppers, cake pops and more.

From: Food Network Magazine

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It might surprise you to learn that candy melts are the secret behind some of Instagram’s biggest dessert trends: cake pops, unicorn bark, mermaid treats. Though they aren’t for candy purists — they’re faux white chocolate tinted with food coloring — they melt like an absolute dream. From dizzling, to dipping, to decorating, here's how to use candy melts for just about everything.

To take your candy melts to the next level, check out our Candy Melt Color Chart.

How to Melt Candy Melts:

Put the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Remelt as needed. For a thinner consistency, add a little coconut oil or shortening. Let set at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer.

Sherbet Cones

Dip the top 1 inch of sugar cones in melted green candy melts; let set. Dip 1/2 inch in pink candy melts; let set. Dip just the rim in orange candy melts; let set.

Pretty Pretzels

Dip pretzel rods in melted candy melts (a tall glass works best). Sprinkle with nonpareils and let set.

Pound Cake Petits Fours

Cut pound cake into cubes. Dip in melted candy melts and let set, then drizzle with candy melts in another color; let set.

Shortcut Cake Pops

Stick doughnut holes on lollipop sticks. Dip in melted candy melts and sprinkle with sanding sugar; let set.

Cereal Clusters

Add cereal to a bowl of melted candy melts; spoon into clusters on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let set.

Flower Pop Cupcake Topper

Pipe melted candy melts in a flower shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet, starting from the center and working outward. Add sugar pearls to the center and let set. Attach to a lollipop stick with more candy melts.

Sparkling Star Cupcake Topper

Pipe melted candy melts in an asterisk shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sanding sugar and let set. Attach to a lollipop stick with more candy melts.

Tricolor Curls Cupcake Topper

Fill a paper cup with 1/4 inch melted candy melts; freeze. Repeat with 2 more colors. Once set, remove the candy melt block, let soften slightly and shave with a vegetable peeler.