How To Make Cake Pops With Cookie Cutters

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! You know the commercial. The mom gleefully prances through the aisles in the Staples commercial as her kids sluggishly drag themselves behind her – supposedly dreading the return back to school. But with all the hustle of getting new supplies, outfits and registration, I have to wonder if this season is really that wonderful. I mean yeah, you finally get them out of the house and off of the couch (no more…. MOM, I’m bored) but with all the extra prep, who has time for anything much more rolling cake pops. Cue in Karen’s shortCUT to cake poppery (I’m using a fancy term I created – and you gotta love the pun).

If you don’t know by now, I’m always looking for a way to CUT corners (ok, I’ll stop now because it’s getting extremely cheesy). I’m always trying to find a way that’s easier for the busy mom (whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, you are just flat out always busy).

Take your cake pop dough and roll it into a palm-sized (large) ball. Try to roll it as smooth as possible, packing it in tight.  Next, flatten the ball. You can make your pop as thin or a thick as you want but just note that if it’s too thin, it won’t stay on the stick – if it’s too thick, you’ll probably have more of a challenge to get a cookie cutter through the dough as well as it may be too heavy for the stick and fall off. I aim for around ½ inch of thickness when creating these.

Christmas Pop Out Cookie Cutters

Cut out your cake pop shape(s). You can use cookie cutters or a simple paring knife and trace over something (like your kid’s toys lol) or you can cut out something freehand. Just remember to wash your kid’s toys thoroughly if you use them or be normal and use anything else.

Once your shape(s) is/are cut out, place in the fridge to firm up (not freeze). You can prepare beforehand (overnight or in advance) before dipping but just make sure they are not too cold before you dip otherwise the cold pop and hot chocolate will produce cracks in your final product.

As per cake pop norm, you can start dipping. Dip the tip of your stick into chocolate and insert into your shaped cake pop dough.

Valentine's Day Heart Shaped Cake Pops

This is really a step for any cake pop recipe but I’ll share it in this tutorial. Every so often when you insert you cake pop stick into your dough, you meet up with the inevitable crack. It happens to all of us but here’s a way to fix it. Take some melted chocolate and plaster/fill the crack with the chocolate. Make sure it is a smooth plastering. Let it dry and then you’ll be ready for your “full dip.”

You might want to make sure that whatever vessel you’re using to melt and dip your chocolate in, can accommodate the shape you’ve created – i.e., for wider shapes, use a wider bowl. Melt and stir your chocolate until smooth before dipping your shape. I can’t emphasize how much patience there is in “cake popp’n.” Take the time to make sure your chocolate is smooth. I’ve rushed it so many times on this step and the times that my chocolate is smoothest is when my pops turns out the best. Use paramount crystals or shortening to thin out your chocolate to help with the smooth consistency, if necessary.

So for this tutorial, I went with a Back-To-School theme for my pops but obviously you can decorate your pops anyway you want.

Cake Decor 10pcs Push Easy Mini Number Cookie Cutter Fondant Cutters

Crayon Pop – I cut out a narrow rectangle shape and cut two triangle pieces off the top to make a sharp point. I dipped it into chocolate, drew two black lines and a wide oval in the middle of them with black chocolate and voila! You can either draw the crayon features by piping the details with black chocolate or just use a toothpick to draw in the lines and oval.

Blackboard Pop – I cut out a rectangle and dipped it in black. Once dried, I took some brown chocolate to outline the border and took white chocolate for the letters.

Happy Face Pop – I cut out a circle and dipped it in yellow chocolate. Once dried, I added some candied eyes and black chocolate for a smile. This is a fun one to do with kids.

Cake Balls Recipe

The ideas for different cut out cake pops are really endless and if you’re super busy and haven’t figured this out yet, you can simply bake/buy a whole cake and just cut out shapes turning them into pop without the cake dough hoopla.

Thank you to our contributor Karen for this fun cake pops tutorial! Check out more of her cake pop creations on her Cake Bites by Karen Instagram page.I use a different technique than just rolling individual pops. For fun shapes, you can easily use small cookie cutters, like hearts.

If you want to explore other shapes, stick with cookie cutters that have a simple design. If you attempt anything too intricate, it will be difficult for the cake to maintain its shape.

Valentine Cake Pops + How To Make Cake Pops

You can say, as you’re handing this tiny treat to your beloved, that these hearts have literally been pierced by Cupid’s arrow – just like yours.

Be excessively sweet this year for Valentine’s Day, you little love bug. Go ahead and make this recipe below. And don’t forget to follow my Cooking by the Numbers section, to get all the details you need for your desserts to turn out perfectly.

Follow ’s step-by-step guidelines on how to make perfect cake pops: mix the cake with the icing until you achieve the right texture and density.

Heart Cake Pops

Prepare your work surface as the dough is chilling: place a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface, like a cutting board, table, or countertop.

Place the chilled dough on the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, evenly roll out the dough to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Don’t roll it out any thinner – you want the cake to be thick enough that you will be able to insert a lollipop stick without the dough falling apart or tearing.

With a small heart-shaped cookie cutter (I used one that was about 1 1/2 inches wide), cut heart shapes from the dough. Gently push the cake through to the other side of the cookie cutter to remove.

Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, And Recipes For More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats: Bakerella, Dudley, Angie: 9780811876377: Amazon.com: Books

Reshape and press together any cracks that have formed on either side. Set aside on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Melt a few chocolate wafers in the microwave. One at a time, dip the tip of each lollipop stick in the chocolate, and very carefully insert a stick through the pointy bottom of each heart, pushing through to about halfway up each heart.

Melt the chocolate coating and let cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Once it has cooled slightly, dip each one in the chocolate, swirling it to completely coat the surface.

Back To School Cake Pops Tutorial

Gently tap it on the side of the bowl to remove any excess, using your fingers or a toothpick if necessary to guide the excess melted coating back into the bowl. Keep tapping and swirling the stick until all excess chocolate is removed, and you have a smooth, even layer.

If the chocolate gets too thick or too cold to work with, re-warm in the microwave, and stir in a little vegetable shortening.

Apply any sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet and has not yet set. The chocolate will harden quickly, so you want to work fast to make sure the sprinkles stick.

The Best Sugar Cookies (like Ever)

If you want to apply a second layer of chocolate decorations, wait for at least 10 minutes for the base to harden and set. You don’t want the second layer to melt into the base layer!

Get as kitschy as possible for Valentine’s Day! Use all the fun, heart-shaped sprinkles, bows, red and pink nonpareils, and sanding sugars that you can find. Or, try making your own sprinkles, using my recipe for royal icing.

Place the pops back on the foam block to completely set, about 20 minutes. Once the chocolate has completely set, your bite-sized desserts can be eaten immediately, or they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How To Make Easy Cake Pops Using Donut Holes!

You can carefully wrap each individual treat in cellophane and store on a large platter. Or, you can keep them upright on the foam block, and gently cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

I’d skip the flowers this year, and turn on your oven instead for some homemade holiday baking. Imagine, arranging them in an adorable bouquet in a cute vase or box, surrounded by red, pink, and white decorations. What a sweet gift that would make – and edible, too!

What do you think of this heart-shaped idea? You can choose to make the round balls, as I have done in the past with my Halloween and Christmas ones, but I like the extra flair of the shaped option.

Barbie Cake Pops

Try it this year, and be