Festive Christmas cake pops decorated with red, green, and white sprinkles on a white plate – a cheerful holiday dessert.

Festive Christmas Cake Pops

by

Cute, Colorful, and Perfect for Holiday Parties

Bring some merry magic to your dessert table with these Festive Christmas Cake Pops! 🎄✨ Soft, moist cake coated in smooth chocolate and sprinkled with holiday cheer these bite-sized treats are as fun to make as they are to eat. Perfect for Christmas parties, cookie swaps, or as edible gifts for friends and family, they’re guaranteed to make everyone smile. Best of all, you can use boxed cake mix for a quick, stress-free holiday dessert that still looks totally impressive. 🍭

Time Breakdown

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Chill Time: 15 minutes
  • Decorating Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Servings: 24 cake pops

Ingredients List

  • 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box)
  • ½ cup frosting (vanilla, cream cheese, or chocolate)
  • 2 cups candy melts (red, green, and white)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional, for smoother melting)
  • Festive sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or edible glitter for decoration
  • 24 cake pop sticks or paper straws

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Small microwave-safe bowls
  • Spoon or small scoop
  • Cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks
  • Cooling rack or cake pop stand

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions

  1. Bake the cake: Prepare the cake mix according to the box instructions. Let it cool completely. 🎂
  2. Crumble the cake: Once cooled, crumble the cake into fine crumbs using your hands or a fork.
  3. Mix with frosting: Add frosting a little at a time, mixing until the texture is soft and moldable (like cookie dough).
  4. Shape the pops: Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined tray.
  5. Insert sticks: Dip each cake pop stick in a bit of melted candy coating, then insert it halfway into each ball.
  6. Chill: Freeze for 15–20 minutes until firm. ❄️
  7. Dip and decorate: Melt candy melts in small bowls (microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring). Dip each cake pop, gently tap off excess, and decorate with sprinkles or crushed candy canes before the coating hardens.
  8. Set and serve: Let cake pops stand upright on a rack or foam block until the coating sets.

✨ Tip: If your candy melts are too thick, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to thin them out.

Pro Tips

  • Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
  • Gift idea: Wrap each pop in a cellophane bag and tie with a festive ribbon for adorable edible gifts! 🎁
  • Flavor fun: Try red velvet cake with white coating or peppermint cake with dark chocolate!
  • Make-ahead: Cake balls can be frozen (uncoated) for up to a month just thaw before dipping.

Nutrition Table

Serving SizeCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFiberSugar
1 cake pop1201g18g5g0g13g