Planning the Eclipse Dessert Spread
Okay so my neighbor was throwing this space-themed birthday bash next weekend and asked if I could handle desserts. Immediately thought: eclipse party treats! Started scribbling ideas on a napkin while drinking morning coffee.
Ran to the grocery store with my messy list:
- Oreos (lots)
- Black food coloring gel
- Round cookie cutters
- Edible gold spray
- Yellow cake mix
- Chocolate melts
- Orange jelly candies
Making the Solar Eclipse Donuts
First up: eclipse donuts. Baked simple yellow donuts – just followed the box mix directions but added extra egg to make them fluffy. While they cooled, melted dark chocolate in a bowl.
Dipped each donut halfway into chocolate. Waited 30 seconds then grabbed an Oreo – twisted it open and scraped off half the cream. Pressed that sucker right onto the chocolate part so it looked like the moon covering the sun.
Finished by spraying gold dust around the Oreo edges. Messed up two donuts when the Oreos cracked but hey, snack bonus for me!
Creating Those Planet Cookie Pops
Rolled out store-bought sugar cookie dough thick – like half my thumb. Used big circle cutter for main shapes, tiny circle cutter to punch holes for sticks later. Baked until edges turned golden.
Mixed black frosting using half a bottle of food gel – stained my fingers for two days! Frosted all cookies solid black. While still wet, stuck orange jelly candy in the center and immediately sprinkled gold sugar around it. Looked just like sun’s corona peeking out.
Poked sticks through the holes AFTER decorating – learned that the hard way when first three broke.
Moon Phase Oreo Stackers
Simplest but coolest idea. Took regular Oreos and carefully broke some into crescent shapes. Arranged them on the tray showing moon phases:
- Full Oreo for full moon
- Half-broken for quarter
- Thin crescent bites for new moon
Dusted with edible silver powder between layers. Kids at the party thought these were actual moons!
How Everything Turned Out
Carried everything to the party on baking sheets – nearly dropped the donuts twice. Set them under this cheap LED blacklight my neighbor had.
People went nuts for the cookie pops first. The eclipse donuts disappeared in 10 minutes flat. Saw one guy sneaking five moon phase Oreos into his pocket! Best compliment was when the birthday kid yelled “Space food!” and smashed a cookie pop into his face.
Total win except my kitchen looked like a galaxy explosion – black frosting splatters everywhere. Worth it though! Gotta buy more Oreos tomorrow…
