There is no baking involved and no cake to cool. The truffles come together quickly, they hold their shape on a holiday party platter, and they travel well enough to sit on a cookie tray or in a small gift box without falling apart.
If you have ever wanted a holiday candy that looks fussy but is not, this is the one to put at the top of your list.
I first ran into this idea as a viral TikTok recipe a couple of years back, and I saved it before I even finished reading the caption.
Easy no bake truffles built on a cake or cookie base are exactly my kind of December project, when the oven is occupied and the counter is already dusted with flour from something else.
The one real obstacle is finding the snack cakes. Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes sell out fast once the season starts, and my usual store is often picked clean by the second week of December.
Last year I finally tracked them down at a Walmart about 30 minutes away, placed a drive up order, and came home with three boxes. That drive was worth every minute, and I would do it again without complaining.
This year the cake balls are heading into holiday treat boxes alongside Grinch Truffles, Gingerbread Truffles, and Sugar Cookie Truffles. They earn their spot because they are easy to make and they hold up well for gifting, which matters when you are handing boxes to neighbors, teachers, and coworkers.
One more thing worth knowing before you start. This is a small batch recipe by nature, so if you need two trays for two different gatherings, buy double the snack cakes and plan on dipping in two sessions. The mixture stays workable, but the coating step moves faster when you are not rushing it.
Ingredients
Every item on this short list has a job, and the balance between them is what makes the truffles set up properly.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are the base of the truffle mixture. The cake and the cream filling both go in, so do not scrape anything out.
Cream cheese binds the crushed cake and adds moisture, which keeps the centers soft instead of dry and crumbly.
Vanilla almond bark coats each ball and hardens into a smooth shell with a clean snap.
Green sugar sprinkles bring color and a little crunch on top while the coating is still tacky.
Red candy melts are melted for a decorative drizzle that finishes the holiday look.
The full measured list, including amounts, appears further down in the recipe card section.
How to Make the Christmas Cake Balls
The whole process comes down to mixing, chilling, and dipping. Set out a large mixing bowl, an electric mixer, a one tablespoon scoop, a fork, and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper before you begin, and the assembly moves quickly.
Unwrap the Christmas Tree Cakes and break them into pieces in a large mixing bowl.
Add the softened cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
Scoop with a one tablespoon measure, roll the portions into balls, and set them on the parchment lined baking sheet.
Freeze the balls for 30 to 60 minutes, until they hold their shape.
Melt the vanilla almond bark following the package directions.
Spear each ball with a fork and lower it into the melted bark. Let the extra coating drip back into the bowl, then return the ball to the parchment.
While the coating is still wet, scatter green sugar sprinkles over the top.
Melt the red candy melts according to the package directions and drizzle them over the finished truffles.
Let the coating harden completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before you serve or pack them.
Two small habits make the dipping stage easier. Work close to the bowl so the bark does not run down your fingers, and tap each truffle gently against the rim to shed the excess before it lands on the parchment.
If a ball slips off the fork, fish it out, let it drain, and set it back down. A small dent disappears under sprinkles.
Variations and Substitutions
The recipe is deliberately simple, so there is not a long list of swaps to work through. The one change worth trying is using the chocolate version of the snack cakes and coating the finished balls in chocolate almond bark instead of vanilla.
That single switch makes the truffle noticeably richer and gives you a second flavor on the same tray without learning a second technique.
Tips for Success
Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature first. Cold cream cheese stays in lumps no matter how long you beat it.
Use an electric beater to work the cream cheese into the cake until the mixture is smooth. That even texture is what produces clean, round balls.
Chill the balls before dipping. Firm centers are easier to coat and the candy shell sets more evenly.
Dip in batches and keep half the truffles in the freezer while you work on the rest, so they do not soften on the counter.
Add the sprinkles the moment a truffle comes out of the bark. Once the coating skins over, nothing will stick.
Give the coating real time to harden before you stack anything. Warm bark smears fast inside a treat box.
If the coating thickens while you dip, set the bowl over warm water for a few seconds and stir. Keep the water out of the bark.
Easy No Bake Treats for Gifting
If you like building a treat box without turning on the oven, a few other no bake projects pair well with these cake balls. Chocolate Covered Pretzel Reindeer, Cool Whip Candy, and Snow Globe Oreo Cookies all come together quickly, and together they fill a tray with enough variety that nobody notices you never baked a thing.
Ingredients
This measured list makes 32 cake balls.
2 boxes of 5 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes each, 10 snack cakes total
8 ounces brick style cream cheese, softened
1 pound vanilla almond bark
Green sugar sprinkles
1/2 cup red candy melts
Instructions
Crumble the unwrapped Christmas Tree Cakes into a large mixing bowl.
Add the softened cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fully combined.
Portion the mixture with a one tablespoon scoop, roll into balls, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Freeze the balls for 30 to 60 minutes, until firm.
Melt the vanilla almond bark according to the package directions.
Dip each truffle in the melted bark using a fork, let the excess drip off, and return it to the parchment.
Top immediately with green sugar sprinkles before the coating sets.
Melt the red candy melts per the package directions and drizzle them over the coated truffles.
Let the coating harden fully at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving or storing.
The full yield is 32 cake balls, which works out to a generous platter for a party or about eight small gift boxes with four truffles each.
Notes
These cake balls can also be made with the chocolate version of the snack cakes and coated in chocolate almond bark. It is the same method with a deeper flavor.
Store the finished cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they keep for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
If you plan to give them as gifts, chill them first so the coating is firm before the box gets jostled on the way out the door.
Recipe details
Detail
Value
Prep time
30 minutes
Chill time
30 minutes
Total time
1 hour
Servings
32 cake balls
Per the source nutrition, one cake ball provides about 132 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, 6 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 15 grams of sugar, 70 milligrams of sodium, and 1 milligram of cholesterol.
FAQs
What are Christmas tree cake balls made of?
Christmas tree cake balls are made with just five ingredients. You need two 5-count boxes of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, 8 ounces of softened brick-style cream cheese, 1 pound of vanilla almond bark, green sugar sprinkles, and 1/2 cup of red candy melts.
How do you make Christmas tree cake balls?
First, crumble the snack cakes into a bowl and mix with softened cream cheese until smooth. Roll the mixture into 1-tablespoon balls and freeze for 30 to 60 minutes. Dip each ball in melted vanilla almond bark, add green sprinkles immediately, then drizzle with melted red candy melts. Let the coating harden before serving.
Can you freeze Christmas tree cake balls?
Yes, you can freeze Christmas tree cake balls for up to 3 months. Place the fully set truffles in a single layer in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
How long do Christmas tree cake balls last?
Store Christmas tree cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months for longer storage. Always thaw frozen truffles in the fridge before serving.
Christmas Tree Cake Balls Christmas Tree Cake Balls turn a boxed holiday snack cake into a bite sized truffle that looks like it came from a candy shop. The base is Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, so the soft vanilla cake and its creamy filling are already doing most of the work.
Total Time:60 min
Yield:32 Cake Balls 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients 2 (5-count) boxes Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 pound vanilla almond bark green sugar sprinkles 1/2 cup red candy melts
Instructions
Instructions 1-Unwrap the Christmas Tree Cakes and break: Unwrap the Christmas Tree Cakes and break them into pieces in a large mixing bowl. 2-Add the softened cream cheese and mix: Add the softened cream cheese and mix with an electric beater until smooth and fully combined. 3-Use a one-tablespoon scoop to portion the: Use a one-tablespoon scoop to portion the mixture, then roll into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 4-Freeze the balls for 30-60 minutes until: Freeze the balls for 30-60 minutes until firm. 5-Melt the vanilla almond bark according to: Melt the vanilla almond bark according to the package directions. 6-Dip each truffle into the melted bark: Dip each truffle into the melted bark using a fork, let the excess drip off, then return to the parchment. 7-Immediately top with green sugar sprinkles before: Immediately top with green sugar sprinkles before the coating sets. 8-Melt the red candy melts according to: Melt the red candy melts according to the package directions and drizzle over the coated truffles. 9-Let the coating fully harden at room: Let the coating fully harden at room temperature or in the fridge before serving or storing.
Last Step:
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