There’s something truly magical about bite-sized holiday treats, and I’m excited to share my take on the festive and delicious Christmas Tree Cake Balls Recipe. These little beauties pack all the joy of Christmas in one sweet, creamy bite — perfect for sharing (or not!).
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Honestly, this is one of those easy, no-fuss desserts that feels fancy and festive. I remember making these with my kids last Christmas—they loved rolling the little balls and decorating them. Plus, they’re creamy inside, chocolatey outside, and just the right size for snacking throughout the holiday season.
- Simple Ingredients: Uses Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes with cream cheese for a creamy center that's foolproof.
- Festive Presentation: The green sanding sugar and red candy drizzle give these cake balls the perfect Christmas vibe.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare these in advance to save time on busy holiday days without sacrificing freshness.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Rolling and decorating these is a great way to get kids involved in holiday baking.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic here comes from the creamy texture of cream cheese combined with the moist Christmas Tree Cakes. The almond bark coating sets perfectly to give a smooth chocolate exterior, contrasted by the crunchy sanding sugar. Each ingredient plays a role in balancing flavor, texture, and ease.
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes: These are the base, providing flavor and structure—you can swap with chocolate or zebra cakes if you want.
- Cream Cheese: Adds moisture and richness, binding the cake into perfect truffle balls.
- White Almond Bark: Melts smoothly and hardens to create a crisp shell while staying allergy-friendly compared to traditional chocolate.
- Red Candy Melts: Perfect for drizzling — melts easily and tastes sweet with that classic holiday red color.
- Green Sanding Sugar: Adds sparkle and crunch that remind me of glittering Christmas trees.
Make It Your Way
I love getting creative with these cake balls depending on my mood or the crowd. You absolutely can personalize the colors or even the flavor — just have fun with it!
- Variation: Once, I swapped the white almond bark for dark chocolate and drizzled with peppermint candy bits for an adult twist — it was a huge hit at the office party.
- Dietary tweaks: You can try dairy-free cream cheese alternatives and vegan candy melts to make these friendly for more diets.
- Seasonal Changes: Switch green sanding sugar for sparkly gold or silver sugar in other seasons, or swap colors to match other holidays.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Tree Cake Balls Recipe
Step 1: Cream the cream cheese until silky smooth
Start by placing room temperature cream cheese in a large bowl and beat it up using a hand mixer on medium speed. You want it nice and creamy without lumps, scraping the bowl sides with a spatula every now and then to mix evenly. This step ensures your cake balls will have that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Step 2: Mix in crumbled Christmas Tree Cakes
Now, crumble your Christmas Tree Cakes into chunks and add them to your cream cheese. Beat everything together until the mixture looks well combined. It should feel sticky but easy to scoop — this balance is key for rolling balls that hold their shape but aren’t dry.
Step 3: Scoop and chill the truffles
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the mixture and roll gently into balls. If you notice sticking, a little vegetable oil on your hands works wonders—this tip saved me from sticky messes more than once! Freeze these for at least 2 hours (overnight is better) until firm.
Step 4: Dip in melted white almond bark
Place the almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second bursts, stirring between, until perfectly smooth. Dip each truffle fully into the almond bark using two forks or a fork plus skewer method — this helps you remove excess coating without breaking the balls. Place back on the parchment.
Step 5: Sprinkle with green sanding sugar
While the chocolate shell is still wet, sprinkle green sanding sugar over the top. This step adds that irresistible festive crunch and sparkle—don’t rush it, this is what gives the cake balls their tree-like look!
Step 6: Drizzle red candy melts
In a separate bowl, melt red candy melts just like the almond bark. If they seem too thick, I gently mix in a teaspoon of melted refined coconut oil to thin it. Pour the melted candy into a small plastic bag, snip a tiny corner, and drizzle the red candy back-and-forth over your truffles. Let them set in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Step 7: Store and enjoy
Once set, keep your Christmas Tree Cake Balls in an airtight container in the fridge. They stay fresh and delicious for up to a week—if they last that long!
Top Tip
I've made these cake balls more times than I can count, and a few handy tricks have made all the difference from "meh" to wow-worthy every time. Here are some things I learned the easy way.
- Hand greasing: Lightly oil your hands before rolling the truffles to avoid sticky dough clinging — a small step that saves big frustration.
- Chocolate melting: Melting in short bursts with stirring prevents scorching and gives you a luscious glossy shell.
- Drizzle control: Use a small corner cut in a plastic bag for drizzling candy melts precisely and neatly over the cake balls.
- Chilling patience: Resist the urge to shortcut chilling time — properly chilled cake balls dip more cleanly and maintain shape better.
How to Serve Christmas Tree Cake Balls Recipe
Garnishes
I usually stick with green sanding sugar and the red candy drizzle for that classic Christmas tree look. Sometimes I’ll add tiny edible silver stars or mini candy pearls to mimic ornaments—just enough sparkle without overpowering the original vibe.
Side Dishes
These cake balls pair perfectly alongside a cup of hot cocoa or a cozy mug of spiced apple cider. I’ve also served them with a creamy vanilla or peppermint whipped dip for an extra indulgent treat table.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, I love arranging these on a tiered serving tray with sprigs of fresh pine and small twinkling lights tucked underneath. Another fun idea: stand each cake ball on a festive lollipop stick and display them like a holiday bouquet! Kids and adults both adore this playful presentation.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep any extras in an airtight container in the fridge. This way, they stay moist inside and the coating stays firm for up to 5 to 7 days. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature a bit before enjoying so all the flavors shine.
Freezing
I’ve frozen these cake balls successfully by placing them in a freezer-friendly container separated with parchment. They last well for up to 2-4 months. You can eat them right from the freezer for a firmer pop or thaw overnight in the fridge to enjoy a softer bite. Keep in mind the chocolate may crack a bit from freezing.
Reheating
Since these are no-bake, I skip reheating. Instead, I just let them sit out for 15 minutes for the chocolate to soften slightly. If you want a warmer experience, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave can help, but watch closely to avoid melting the coating too much.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While the original recipe uses Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, you can experiment with chocolate, zebra, or any other moist cake for a different flavor profile. Just make sure the cake is fresh and moist, so the balls hold together well.
Make sure to use cream cheese at room temperature and mix it thoroughly with the crumbled cake. The cream cheese acts as the binder that holds everything together. Also, chilling the cake balls well before dipping helps them keep their shape during coating.
For gluten-free, you could substitute gluten-free cake options and ensure your coatings are gluten-free. For dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese alternatives and vegan candy melts. Keep in mind that texture and taste might differ slightly, but it's a great way to adapt for dietary needs.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they usually last about 5 to 7 days. You can also freeze them for up to 4 months, but the coating might crack upon thawing, which is purely aesthetic and doesn’t affect the taste.
Final Thoughts
I truly think this Christmas Tree Cake Balls Recipe is a holiday must-make. It brings out that joyful spirit through its festive look and delicious flavor, plus it’s easy enough to whip up between family gatherings. Give it a try—you might just find it becomes your new favorite Christmas tradition. I can’t wait to hear how you personalize yours!
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Christmas Tree Cake Balls Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cake balls
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Balls are a festive and delicious dessert, combining moist Christmas Tree Cakes with creamy cream cheese, coated in white almond bark, and decorated with green sanding sugar and red candy melt drizzle. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these bite-sized treats are easy to make and visually appealing.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 10 (two 5 count boxes) Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 16 ounces white almond bark
- 1 cup red candy melts
- Green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Cake to Mixture: Crumble the Christmas Tree Cakes into the bowl and beat again until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Shape Truffles: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out and roll 24 truffles from the cake mixture. If the truffles stick to your hands, lightly grease them with vegetable or canola oil.
- Chill Truffles: Place the formed truffles on the baking sheet and freeze them for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to firm up completely.
- Melt White Almond Bark: Once chilled, place the white almond bark in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until fully melted and smooth.
- Coat Truffles: Using two forks or a fork and wooden skewer, dip the truffles into the melted white almond bark. Scoop out with one fork, gently shaking off excess, and place them back onto the parchment-lined tray with the other fork or skewer.
- Decorate with Green Sugar: Immediately sprinkle green sanding sugar over the truffles while the white chocolate coating is still wet to allow it to adhere.
- Melt Red Candy Melts: In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the red candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until smooth and fully melted. If too thick, melt 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil separately and slowly stir it into the candy melts to reach desired consistency.
- Drizzle Red Candy: Transfer melted red candy melts into a storage bag, cut a very small corner, and drizzle the red candy back and forth over the coated truffles.
- Set Decoration: Let the red candy drizzle firm up at room temperature or place the truffles in the fridge for 10 minutes for quicker setting.
- Store: Store finished cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days.
Notes
- You can substitute the Christmas Tree Cakes with chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes or zebra cakes if preferred.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, place cake balls in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for 2-4 months. They can be eaten straight from the freezer or thawed overnight in the fridge.
- Note that the chocolate coating may crack slightly after freezing and thawing; this does not affect flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake ball
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
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