Description
These festive Grinchy Christmas Cake Bites are a delightful holiday treat featuring chewy red velvet cookie crumbs blended with creamy cream cheese, then coated in vibrant green white chocolate and decorated with charming red heart sprinkles. Perfect for holiday parties or gifting, these bite-sized desserts combine rich flavor with eye-catching color.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 3 (9.6-oz.) packages Chips Ahoy Chewy Red Velvet cookies
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
Chocolate Coating
- 3 (12-oz.) packages white chocolate chips, divided
- Green food coloring gel
Decoration
- Red heart sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare the crumbs: Place a wire rack on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a food processor to pulse the red velvet cookies until they form fine crumbs.
- Mix the base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the cookie crumbs and continue beating until fully combined.
- Form the cake balls: Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out portions of dough and roll them into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the balls evenly on the prepared wire rack and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm and cold.
- Melt the first batch of chocolate: Set a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Reserve one package of white chocolate chips. Place the remaining two packages in the bowl and stir constantly until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Color the coating: Add 1 drop of green food coloring gel to the melted white chocolate and stir well. Add more drops if needed until you achieve the desired green shade.
- Dip the cake balls: Using a fork, dip each chilled cake ball into the green chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Return dipped balls to the wire rack. For a thicker coating, dip a second time if desired. Refrigerate the coated balls for 30 minutes until the chocolate is set. Wipe out the melting bowl and keep the double boiler setup ready.
- Melt the second batch of chocolate: Returning to the double boiler setup, melt the reserved package of white chocolate chips by stirring until smooth and melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Color and drizzle: Add 1 drop of green food coloring to this melted chocolate and stir to color. If needed, add hot water from the pot, one tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously until the chocolate reaches a thin, drizzling consistency. Transfer this chocolate to a piping bag or plastic bag and snip off the end. Drizzle the chocolate over the cake balls to create stripes. Before the drizzle sets, top each cake bite with a red heart sprinkle for a festive finish.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to ensure smooth mixing.
- Chilling the cake balls before dipping helps them hold their shape and creates a smoother coating.
- Use gel-based food coloring for more vivid and vibrant colors without thinning the chocolate.
- If the chocolate thickens while working, gently rewarm it over the double boiler to maintain a smooth texture.
- Store finished cake bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake bite
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
