Circus Animal Cake Pops (Or Circus Animal Cookie Truffles)
Reimagine the nostalgic Circus Animal Cookies and make these super fun and colorful Circus Animal Cake Pops. You can even make Circus Animal Cookie Truffles if wanted! Bright pink chocolate covered balls of crushed up circus animal cookies and topped with colorful rainbow sprinkles.
Servings 24
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 6-inch cake pop sticks (if making cake pops)
- 1 bag (9 oz) circus animal cookies
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 12 ounces white melting wafers OR white candy melts
- 12 ounces pink candy melts
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil divided
- non-pareil rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Prep : Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside.
- Place the entire bag of circus animal cookies into a food processor, or you can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and mix them until they're in small crumbs.1 bag (9 oz) circus animal cookies
- Add in the cream cheese and mix until a smooth and combined paste forms. About 2 minutes of mixing or blending in the food processor.4 ounces cream cheese
- Use a medium cookie scoop, or 1.5 tablespoons of dough, to scoop the dough out and roll it into a ball. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet. * It helps to press and smush the dough between your fingers before rolling it, this helps smooth out the dough of lumps and makes it easier to roll into a ball.
- Melt Chocolate : Use separate bowls for each color. Add the candy melts or melting wafers into a microwave-safe glass bowl or measuring cup (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup) and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil per color. Cook in 30-second increments, stirring well after each one, until it's completely melted and smooth.12 ounces white melting wafers OR white candy melts, 12 ounces pink candy melts, 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Dip the end of the cake pop stick into the melted chocolate and insert it about 2/3 of the way into the balls. Place them back onto the baking sheet.24 6-inch cake pop sticks
- Place the balls into the fridge for 5 minutes so the stick can set inside the cake pop.
- Dip Cake Pops : Dip each cake pop into the melted chocolate, dipping half of the cake pops into the pink and the other half into the white chocolate, allow the excess chocolate to drain off. * I recommend swirling the cake pop in a circular pattern (over the melted chocolate cup) to allow the excess chocolate to drain off and to keep that smooth round patter.
- Immediately add some sprinkles and then place the cake pop on it's side on the baking sheet or in a cake pop stand. Repeat the process with the other cake pops.non-pareil rainbow sprinkles
- Let the cake pops set at room temperature for 15-30 minutes or until the chocolate is set and hardened. Enjoy!
- To Make Circus Animal Cookie Truffles : Omit the cake pop stick step, instead roll the dough into the balls (medium cookie scoop) and place them on the baking sheet. Refrigerate the truffle balls for 10 minutes so the balls can chill and harden a bit. Working one truffle at a time, drop it into the melted chocolate and make sure it's well coated. Use a plastic fork, with the middle prong removed, to lift it out and tap the fork against the jar or cup to remove the excess chocolate from the truffle. Use a toothpick to help gently nudge the truffle off of the fork and onto the baking sheet. Immediately add sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining truffles.Allow them to set at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
Notes
Melting Chocolate : Use candy melts for the pink because the candy melts come in all different colors and you can either use white candy melts or white melting wafers (from the Ghiradelli brand found in the baking aisle). I have also successfully made these cake pops using only one bag of pink candy melts (12 ounces) and it was enough to cover all the cake pops. If only using one color of chocolate, you will only need 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. For every bag (10-12 oz) of candy melts or melting wafers that you use, you will need to add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to it.