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My easy and delicious pumpkin cake pops make the BEST festive dessert. Just 4 ingredients and are so easy to make ahead.
Love pumpkin desserts? Try my pumpkin cake, pumpkin blondies, and pumpkin cookie dough next.
Confession- Me and my family are in complete pumpkin mode once fall comes around. Instead of buying the generic baked goods and seasonal treats, I’ve made it a point to make them myself and that includes my favorite pumpkin cake pops. They look fancy, but I promise you, they are one of the easiest desserts ever.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Only 4 ingredients. Cake, frosting, pumpkin, and chocolate.
- Quick. There is little prep work needed and the hard part is waiting for the chocolate to firm up!
- Works with any cake mix. I kept things simple with a yellow boxed cake mix, but any flavor works. you can even use leftover cake.
Ingredients needed
- Cake mix. Just like in my classic cake pops, the middle starts with any simple cake mix. I used a yellow cake for this recipe (to amp up the pumpkin color), but my vanilla cake will also work well.
- Pumpkin puree. Homemade pumpkin puree or store-bought pumpkin puree without any additives. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling, as it contains added sweeteners and spices.
- Frosting. Either vanilla or cream cheese frosting to mix with the dry cake mix to keep the cake part super moist and soft.
- White chocolate chips. Melted chocolate to dip the cake pops in for a white chocolate coating.
How to make pumpkin cake pops
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Prep the cake. Bake the cake as per the box instructions. Let the cake cool completely, then crumble it up. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Make the filling. Add the cake crumbs, pumpkin puree, and frosting to a large bowl and mix well.
Step 3- Shape and chill. Using lightly wet hands or using a cookie scoop, shape the mixture into bite-sized cake balls. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
Step 4 – Cover in chocolate. Melt the white chocolate. Add the cake pops to the cake pop sticks (lollipop sticks), and then dip each one in the melted candy melts until completely covered. Shake off any excess.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use room temperature cake mixture before crumbling it up. Otherwise, it will make a gritty mixture.
- If you want a more moist and soft cake pop, use half the intended cake mix.
- For a more pronounced pumpkin flavor, use my pumpkin spice cake as the cake mix.
Variations
- Use other flavored frostings, like strawberry, vanilla, or white chocolate.
- Use other candy coatings! Orange candy melts, almond bark, milk chocolate, or anything you like.
- Add flavor boosters to the cake mixture, like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nuts, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or nutmeg.
Storage instructions
To store: Store these chocolate-covered pumpkin cake pops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
To freeze: Place the cake pops in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
You can make these cake pops up to a week in advance.
More easy desserts to try
Pumpkin Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix sifted
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling*
- 2/3 cup vanilla frosting or cream cheese frosting
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the cake mix as per the box instructions. Let it cool completely, then crumble it up with a fork.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the crumbled cake mix, pumpkin puree, and vanilla frosting and mix well.
- Using your hands, shape into small balls and place them on a lined sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until they firm up.
- Once firm, add the cake pop sticks to each one. Melt the white chocolate, then dip each cake pop in it until fully coated.
- Let the cake pops set on a lined sheet until the white chocolate firms up.
Love these pops. They look perfect!
Thanks so much, Richa!
Definitely tonnes of judgment out there. And it’s funny because people are actually super bad at accurately gauging how much someone eats. I remember a post you did a while back about how different the same meal can look from different angles or on different plates. Everybody just needs to mind their own business…
Right? That was one of my favorite posts 🙂
I’m so pleasantly surprised that with so few ingredients you can doctor up something so cake-y and yummy-looking. Okay, are you hinting at something with all of these coconut flour recipes? 😛 JK.
Hahahaha come over and I’ll make you a coconut flour castle.
I love these pumpkin cake pops, and not time-consuming to make!
Right? Thanks so much Joanne! 🙂
I LOVE Pumpkin and I LOVE EASY recipes, so this is a MUST TRY for me!
Thanks so much, Natalie! 🙂
It’s weird, or not, I don’t ever get food judgment in my WIAW posts or any other really. Or maybe I do and it just goes right over my head. I suspect the former though. Maybe it’s a sign you guys have made IT, whatever that really is.
Haha I will judge you moving forward!
I’ve been reading your blog for about 6 months now (love it!) and after today’s post, I understand why. I enjoy it so much: A) You’re friends with a RD (I’m a RD, LDN) and B) I love, love love pumpkin!!! Seriously, your recipes are delicious and simple. I have suggested your blog to quite a few of my patients and have even food demo’d one for an example of a healthy recipe. I appreciate that you understand that RDs eat real food (we may just practice balance a bit more that the average person). You should plan on going to FNCE with Alexis (if she’s going) and meet a ton of RDs!! Keep up the great blogging; I appreciate it!
Oh wow! Thanks so much for this comment Julie 🙂 I really appreciate it and your sentiments! 🙂
Can’t wait to try these – pinning for later! I’m originally from Ohio (NE part of the state) – isn’t German Village fun? Speaking of Ohio – these gems of yours look fabulous and happen to be the team colors of the Browns (football) and would be a fun treat to serve at a get together 😉
Oh no way! I love German Village- So many good dining options!
Food judgement is not cool. We are all different, with different appetites and needs.
These cake pops, however look very cool.
Thanks heaps, buddy!
Can I be the taste tester next time puhhhhhhlease? Thanks. Also, food judgers should just stop–I can’t deal.
YES PLEASE!
These look AMAZING. I happen to have everything on hand. Coincidence? I think not. Off to bake!
YES!!! Thanks so much, Madeline! 🙂
You had me a three ingredients and pumpkin. And no complaints from me! Go forth and bring on allllll the pumpkin recipes.
😀 coming just for you!
I think when you’re in the business of talking about what you eat on a regular basis, you’re probably going to get judged regularly. All you can do is just ignore it, really – you know what you need and what you like to eat.
Not jumping on the pumpkin bandwagon yet, buuuut I’m sure it’s coming.
You shall stop eating now you’ve finished training. Grass on toast.
You could stack these and make pumpkin snow people if you strategically place the chocolate chips. 🙂 Or jack-o-lantern snow people for Halloween. 🙂 They look great, Arman. I really need to get some coconut flour so I can try these.
Hahahaha I love your ideas- Thanks Linda! 🙂
These look amazing. So much pumpkin! Yesssss.
Thanks so much, Erin!