Brownie Graduation Hats

For Mr. Three's pre-school graduation party last week, I made little graduation hats. (I can't believe my baby is going to Kindergarten in the Fall!)

(You may have seen this pic on Instagram already.)  I got the idea from Pinterest (of course), but most used a mini Reese cup as the base.  Mine needed to be peanut free, since my son and another classmate are allergic.  So, I decided on brownies, baked in a mini muffin pan.

Since these were for preschoolers, the mini brownies made the perfect size snack!

Brownie Graduation Hats

1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients on box

1 package chocolate covered graham cookies

candy for 'tassels'*

mini M and M candies

melted chocolate for 'gluing' everything together

• Mix brownies according to directions on package (or try this egg free, lower fat version!). 
• Bake brownies in a mini muffin pan until done (they will not take as long to bake as directed on package since they are minis. Do I really need to point that out? probably not)
• Once cool, carefully cut rounded tops off brownies so they will sit flat (if needed)
• Flip brownies over, so the widest side is down.
• Use some melted chocolate to attach a graham cookie to the now upside down brownie.
• Use more melted chocolate to attach candy tassels to top of cookie, and the mini M candy on top of tassel.

*The candy that I used for the tassels was some rope candy I had never seen before (and don't remember the name of). It is similar to the pull-apart Twizzlers in shape. The problem I had with this candy is that it was kind of hard and round, and it was a little difficult to get the round rope pieces to sit on top of the cookie, and they were a little too big. I ended up cutting each rope piece in half (vertically), and then cut them to the desired length.  My recommendation, and what I will do in the future, is use something that is flat...like a fruit roll up, or maybe a flattened Tootsie roll? And cut it into strips. I think that would be much easier to work with.

Other tips: You could use cookie icing to "glue" your pieces together, b/c it hardens pretty quickly and comes in a handy little squeezable pouch. The only color I had on hand was red...so I ended up using melted chocolate. You don't need that much...I might have used 1/4 cup? 

I think they turned out pretty cute, and they were well received at the party!

Speaking of parties, I will be linking up at these - 

(Monday) The Tumbleweed Contessa, Holly's Stamping Addiction, The Dedicated House, Homemaker on a Dime, Skip to my Lou, Making the World Cuter, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, This Gal Cooks, Watch Out, Martha!, Huckleberry Love, The Newlyweds Pilgrimage (Tuesday) Naptime Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, Blessed with Grace, Love in the Kitchen, Memories By the Mile,Inside BruCrew Life, Sarah Lynn's Sweets, VMG206, The Real Thing with The Coake Family (Wednesday) Fluster Buster, Mostly Homemade Mom, Adorned from Above, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ginger Snap Crafts, Hungry Little Girl, Naptime is My Time, Cherished Handmade Treasures, The Wilderness Wife  (Thursday) Project Inspire ,Joyful Homemaking, Designed Decor, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, The Mandatory Mooch,  The Busy Bee's, Lamberts Lately (Friday) Not Your Ordinary Recipes,  Simple Living and Eating, Just Us Four, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo, Diana Rambles, The Better Baker,Craftionary, One Artsy Mama, The Best Blog Recipes, One Creative Mommy, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Close to Home, 30 Handmade Days, A Peek Into My Paradise, The Jenny Evolution , Walking on Sunshine(Saturday) Lemons for Lulu,  Or So She Says..., Six Sisters' Stuff (Sunday) Mommy's Sweet Confessions 

This post was featured at Memories by the Mile, BeBetsy, Hungry Little Girl, Saving 4 Six, The Best of Bloggers, and Miz Helen's Country Cottage!