Red Nosed Reindeer Cake Pops

Mini pretzels for antlers and red candies for noses are perfect for everyone’s favorite reindeer.

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/red-nosed-reindeer-cake-pops • Posted by Abrams

You will need

48 red peanut M&M's or red Lemonheads Toothpicks 96 miniature alphabet-shaped Pretzels or mini pretzel twists Styrofoam Block 48 Lollipop Sticks Deep, microwave-safe Plastic Bowl 48 oz (1.4 kg) chocolate Candy Coating 48 uncoated Cake Balls (please see separate recipe) 96 miniature white confetti Sprinkles Black Edible Ink pen

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

Instructions

1. Have the cake balls chilled and in the refrigerator.

2. Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave-safe bowl, following the instructions on the package. The coating should be about 3 in (7.5 cm) deep for easier dipping.

3. When you are ready to dip, remove a few cake balls at a time from the refrigerator, keeping the rest chilled.

4. One at a time, dip about 1⁄2 in (12 mm) of the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted candy coating and insert the dipped end straight into a cake ball, pushing it no more than halfway through. Dip the cake pop into the melted coating. Gently lift the pop out of the coating and tap off any excess: Hold it over the bowl in your left hand, and tap your left wrist gently with your right hand. If you use the hand holding the cake pop to shake off excess coating, the force of the movement will be too strong and could cause the cake ball to loosen or fly off the lollipop stick. Tapping the wrist holding the cake pop absorbs some of the impact. The excess coating will fall off, but you will need to rotate the lollipop stick so the coating doesn’t build up on one side, making it too heavy on that side. If too much coating starts to build up at the base of the stick, simply use your finger to wipe it off, spinning the lollipop stick at the same time. This can happen if the coating is too thin or too hot. It’s not as hard as it sounds; it just takes a little practice. Immediately attach 1 pretzel on each side of the reindeer head for antlers. Hold them in place until the candy coating sets like glue. Stand the pop firmly in a hole in the Styrofoam block. Repeat with the remaining cake balls. Let the pops dry completely.

5. Using a toothpick, dot a small amount of the melted candy coating in position for the nose and attach 1 red candy. Hold the nose in place until the coating sets. Use a clean toothpick to dot a small amount of coating in position for the eyes and attach 2 white miniature confetti sprinkles. Return to the Styrofoam block. Repeat with the rest of your reindeer. Using the edible-ink pen, draw on mouths and dot the eyes.

6. Let the cake pops dry completely.