The Story & Intro
Bonjour my friends! 👋 I’m Lacamorea, a 31-year-old French girl who traded the cobblestone streets of Paris for the cozy kitchens of America 🇫🇷➡️🇺🇸. Ever since I could reach the countertop, I’ve been whisking, stirring, and sneaking tastes of cake batter when no one was looking 🍰😋. Cooking isn’t just my passion it’s my love language, my therapy, and my favorite way to make people smile.
And oh la la… nothing makes people smile quite like classic peppermint chocolate cake pops.
My first winter in the U.S., I remember walking into a friend’s holiday party and spotting a tray of these adorable little treats. They looked like tiny snow-dusted ornaments glossy chocolate shells, little hints of peppermint sparkle. They reminded me of Christmases back in Paris, when my maman would crush candy canes with a rolling pin and sprinkle them over hot cocoa. When I bit into my first cake pop that night that fudgy center, that cool peppermint, that perfect chocolate snap it was instant nostalgia wrapped in holiday magic.
Since then, classic peppermint chocolate cake pops have become one of my annual traditions. I make them while singing along to Michael Bublé (don’t judge 😉), I gift them to neighbors, and I package them in cute little bags for teacher gifts. There’s something so joyful about them simple, messy fun that tastes like pure winter coziness.
So today, I’m sharing my go-to recipe for classic peppermint chocolate cake pops the version I’ve perfected over years of baking, gifting, nibbling, and yes… occasionally eating six in a row while “taste testing.” If the holidays had a spirit dessert, this would be it.
Let’s pop into baking, shall we? 🎄🍫✨
⏱️ Time
- Prep: 25 minutes
- Chill: 1 hour
- Assemble & Dip: 25 minutes
- Total: ~1 hour 50 minutes
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box)
- OR your favorite homemade chocolate cake
For the Filling
- 1 cup chocolate frosting (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the Coating
- 2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate melting wafers
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (optional, for smoother dipping)
Decorations
- Crushed candy canes
- White chocolate drizzle (optional)
- Holiday sprinkles
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Bake the Chocolate Cake
Prepare your chocolate cake according to the package directions. Once it’s baked, let it cool completely. This step is crucial warm cake crumbles turn mushy instead of tender.
2. Crumble the Cake
Break the cake into fine crumbs using your hands or a fork. You want a uniform texture no large chunks.
3. Mix in Frosting and Peppermint
Add the chocolate frosting and peppermint extract. Use your hands to mix until the texture resembles soft cookie dough. If it feels too dry, add an extra tablespoon of frosting. Too wet? Add a couple tablespoons of extra crumbs.
4. Shape the Cake Pops
Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. You should get about 24 cake pops.
5. Chill
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or freeze for 20 minutes). This helps them stay firm when dipping.
6. Insert Sticks
Melt a tablespoon of chocolate. Dip each cake pop stick into the chocolate, then poke it halfway into the chilled cake ball. This creates a secure anchor.
7. Dip in Chocolate
Melt the remaining chocolate with coconut oil until silky. Dip each pop straight down and lift straight up avoid swirling to prevent crumbs from loosening.
8. Decorate
While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle crushed candy canes or drizzle white chocolate over the top. Let them set upright in a Styrofoam block or cake-pop stand.
9. Enjoy or Gift!
Once the shell hardens, they’re ready to serve. These beauties stay fresh for 4–5 days in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions 🎄
- Arrange them in a festive mug filled with sugar to mimic snow.
- Wrap each pop in cellophane with a ribbon for holiday gifting.
- Serve alongside hot cocoa, peppermint mochas, or mulled wine.
- Use them as edible Christmas tree ornaments for a party display!
Recipe Card 🎀 (Printable Style)
Classic Peppermint Chocolate Cake Pops
⏱️ Total Time: ~1 hour 50 min
🍽️ Yield: 24 cake pops
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake, baked
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 cups chocolate melting wafers
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
- Crushed candy cane + sprinkles
👩🍳 Instructions
- Bake cake and cool completely.
- Crumble and mix with frosting + peppermint.
- Shape into balls and chill 1 hour.
- Insert sticks using melted chocolate.
- Dip in melted chocolate.
- Decorate with crushed candy canes.
- Let set and enjoy!
📝 Notes
- For stronger mint flavor, add 1–2 extra drops of peppermint extract.
- If cake pops crack after dipping, your mixture was too dry add frosting next time.
- White chocolate coating works beautifully too.
🍽️ Nutrition (per cake pop)
Approximate values:
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbs: 20 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Protein: 2 g
Conclusion
Classic holiday treats don’t need to be fancy they just need to make people feel loved. And these classic peppermint chocolate cake pops do exactly that. They’re nostalgic, joyful, easy to gift, and irresistibly festive. Every time I make them, my kitchen fills with the scent of chocolate and peppermint, and I’m instantly reminded of that first American Christmas where I fell in love with the magic of cake pops.
I hope you make these, share them, and create your own sweet traditions with them. From my French-American kitchen to yours joyeux Noël, mon ami. 🎄💖🍫