Chocolate Reindeer Cake Pops
These Chocolate Reindeer Cake Pops are one of my cutest Christmas treat recipes to have on hand during this season. They make a fun holiday activity to do with kids, and I love that they can also be made ahead as a dessert for a Christmas party, or even given as homemade gifts.
WANT TO SAVE THIS FOR LATER?
We'll email it to you - along with our free printable party planner!
The process of making this is so simple, and they’re made with just simple store-bought ingredients. If you love this kind of Christmas treat recipe, you may also want to try my Snowman Cake Pops and Reindeer Oreo Pops.
How to Make Reindeer Cake Pops
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step-by-Step Guide
1. First things first, let’s whip up that chocolate cake! Follow the instructions on the box for a no-fuss experience. After baking, let the cake cool completely.
2. Once your cake is cool! Crumble the entire cake into a large bowl. Add the chocolate frosting and dive in with your hands. Mix it all together until it’s thick and moldable.
3. Grab about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cake mixture and roll it into a ball. Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep going until you’ve got around 18 to 20 little cake balls. Once done, pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
4. While your cake balls are chilling, create those adorable reindeer antlers! Take mini pretzels and break or cut them in half.
5. Now, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate wafers in 30-second intervals, stirring between each session, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
6. Grab those cake pops from the freezer. Dip the tip of a popsicle stick into the melted chocolate and insert it into a cake pop.
7. Then, dip the entire cake pop into the chocolate, swirling it around to cover the whole thing. Stick the other end of the popsicle stick into your styrofoam brick to keep it upright while the chocolate sets.
8. Before the chocolate hardens, carefully insert two pretzel halves into the top of the cake pop to make antlers. Repeat this process for all of your cake pops.
9. Once your reindeer cake pops are standing tall, it’s time to bring them to life! Use black decorating icing to add two little eyes.
10. Then, pop a red mini M&M under the eyes to give each reindeer their iconic red nose. Lay them down on their backs for about 10 minutes so the noses can set.
Serve and Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Make sure the cake is completely cooled before crumbling; warm cake will make the mixture too soft.
- Chill the cake balls in the freezer for about 30 minutes before dipping in chocolate to help them hold their shape.
- Melt the chocolate slowly in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, to prevent burning.
- Insert the popsicle sticks into the cake balls while they are slightly chilled so they stay upright when dipping.
- Decorate the reindeer quickly before the chocolate hardens to ensure the pretzel antlers and candy noses stick.
- Store finished cake pops in the fridge until ready to serve to keep them fresh and stable.
Reindeer Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 (16 oz) can of chocolate frosting
- 20 oz dark chocolate melting wafers
- Black decorating icing
- 20 red mini M&Ms
- 20 mini pretzels
- 20 popsicle sticks
- 2 styrofoam bricks
Instructions
- First things first, let's whip up that chocolate cake! Follow the instructions on the box for a no-fuss experience. After baking, let the cake cool completely.
- Once your cake is cool! Crumble the entire cake into a large bowl. Add the chocolate frosting and dive in with your hands. Mix it all together until it’s thick and moldable.
- Grab about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cake mixture and roll it into a ball. Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep going until you’ve got around 18 to 20 little cake balls. Once done, pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- While your cake balls are chilling, it’s time to create those adorable reindeer antlers! Take mini pretzels and break or cut them in half.
- Now, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate wafers in 30-second intervals, stirring between each session, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
- Grab those cake pops from the freezer. Dip the tip of a popsicle stick into the melted chocolate and insert it into a cake pop.
- Then, dip the entire cake pop into the chocolate, swirling it around to cover the whole thing. Stick the other end of the popsicle stick into your styrofoam brick to keep it upright while the chocolate sets.
- Before the chocolate hardens, carefully insert two pretzel halves into the top of the cake pop to make antlers. Repeat this process for all of your cake pops.
- Once your reindeer cake pops are standing tall, it’s time to bring them to life! Use black decorating icing to add two little eyes.
- Then, pop a red mini M&M under the eyes to give each reindeer their iconic red nose. Lay them down on their backs for about 10 minutes so the noses can set.
