My son and I made these for a Fourth of July party three years ago, and they have shown up at every summer gathering since. They look like they took all afternoon. They did not. Once the cake is baked and cooled, the actual assembly moves fast: crumble, mix with cream cheese frosting, roll, chill, dip in colored chocolate melts, add sprinkles.
The red, white, and blue come from the chocolate melts, not food coloring. Each pop gets dipped in one color. White sprinkles go on while the coating is still wet. Line them up on waxed paper and they look like a display from a bakery window, which is exactly the reaction you want at a cookout.
How to Make Patriotic Cake Pops
Rolling Even Balls
Roll the mixture into 2.5cm (1 inch) balls and set them on waxed paper. If the mixture feels too sticky, chill it for 15 minutes. Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted chocolate and insert it into a ball. This acts as glue. Chill for 10 minutes before the full dip. 
Dipping Without Dropping
Melt the chocolate melts according to the package directions. Submerge the entire ball in one motion, then lift straight up and let the excess drip off. Do not swirl or twist. Swirling loosens the ball from the stick. Add sprinkles while the coating is still wet.
Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Cake Pops
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Makes 24 1x
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Fun, festive cake pops perfect for the 4th of July or any patriotic celebration.
Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 box your favorite cake mix (plus ingredients needed as listed on the box) or your favorite from-scratch cake recipe
- 3/4 cup prepared cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz (227 g) white or blue chocolate melts
- 8 oz (227 g) red chocolate melts
- 1/3 cup white sprinkles
- 50 lollipop sticks
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake
- Bake the cake according to package directions or your recipe. Let it cool completely.
- Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl.
- Form the Cake Balls
- Add 3/4 of a can of cream cheese frosting to the cake crumbs and mix until well blended.
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on waxed paper.
- Insert Sticks
- Melt a small amount of chocolate melts according to package directions.
- Dip one end of a lollipop stick about ½ inch into the melted chocolate and insert it into the center of each cake ball.
- Place the cake pops in the freezer for about 10 minutes, or in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, to firm up.
- Dip the Cake Pops
- Melt the remaining chocolate melts according to package directions.
- Remove the cake pops from the fridge/freezer and dip each one into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off.
- For the “stars” pops, use blue candy melts and add white sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.
- For the “stripes” pops, use red candy melts. After the chocolate hardens, drizzle with white chocolate.
- Set the Pops
- Prop up the cake pops, cake side down, on waxed paper. Let the chocolate harden completely.
- Arrange the pops on a tray to create a Stars and Stripes pattern.
Notes
- To prevent the cake pops from cracking, ensure the cake is completely cool before mixing with the frosting.
- For a richer flavor, use homemade cake instead of a boxed mix.
- Store cake pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake pop
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead can I make cake pops?
Coated cake pops keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. The chocolate coating seals in moisture, so they stay soft inside. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Why do my cake pops keep falling off the stick?
The cake mixture is too wet, or the stick was not dipped in melted chocolate before inserting. Dip the stick tip in chocolate, push it halfway into the ball, and chill for at least 10 minutes before the full dip.
Can I use store-bought cake and frosting?
Yes, this recipe is designed for it. A box cake mix and prepared cream cheese frosting work well. Crumble the cooled cake, add frosting one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together when squeezed.
I made these for a school event and they were gone in minutes. Definitely making them again!
So cool, and it’s delicious, but mine certainly didn’t look as good!
So, I made this and it took me 4 hours of constant work. I wound up changing it a bit as I did not want to use dyed chocolates (which are not actual chocolates). I also made my own frosting as I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup. This was very difficult to make. I had a friend help me and the results are… well… I just hope that it tastes good. If you like I can send you a picture of what my attempt yielded. Also, the sum cost of ingredients for this was not kind on the wallet. Great idea, but not great for the novice.
Yeah, we made this recipe to be as easy as possible – so you wouldn’t have to slave for 4 hours – but I certainly applaud your dedication to the craft Kristi! Hope it tasted great!
I have a special pan I bought from Hobby lobby that makes round cake pops don’t have to crumble them like this, and it turned out super well!
Yum
I used 3/4 a can of frosting like the recipe said and that literally ruined the whole thing for me. They fells apart, there wasnt enough cake to make 50 pops, they were all very small. And since there wasnt enough frosting, the cake fell off the sticks into the chocolate. I had to throw all of it away. 2 hours of wasted time.
Mine turned out delicious! Made with these exact ingredients and it was just perfect!
Making these for Labor Day tomorrow! Can’t wait to share the delicious treats with my family!
I am by no means a person that cooks or bakes anything. NO JOKE. I was looking for something cute and easy and it looked like like this fit my needs. Thanks for the post. And hell yeah, it did!
Made these for an early 4th party last year. Everybody LOVED them! My nephew had a party to attend the following day. He called me later to ask for the recipe! Oh so cute and Yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Can you store these in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve?
Yes, you can store them in the fridge or the freezer – but make sure to bring them back to room temperature before serving.
2 very nice thank you
Unlike the previous replies, I am making these because they are cute and not because of “health” reasons!
Such a creative way to celebrate the 4th. My family loved them!
This is a very cute idea in theory. But with the abundance of summer berries, doesn’t it make more sense to present a recipe for a fun and patriotic red white and blue dessert using more natural ingredients and not all that food dye, especially on a site called “Honest” cooking?
Hi Jenni,
I agree with you about the abundance of summer berries and how they would make a very nice patriotic presentation. Cake pops are a thing of the present, a treat that is enjoyed by adults and kids alike at all sorts of events and get togethers. It would be such a shame not to treat your guest to something they would definitely enjoy.
To the trained pastry chef using chocolate melts is a crime higher then murder, and tempering chocolate (white chocolate in this case) would be as easy as pie. So go for it!
Geez karen, are you the cake pop police?!