Description
These Grinchy Christmas Cake Bites are festive, bite-sized treats perfect for holiday celebrations. Made from crushed red velvet cookies mixed with cream cheese, then coated in vibrant green white chocolate and decorated with red heart sprinkles, these no-bake delights combine rich flavors with playful Christmas colors. They are easy to prepare, chilled to set, and decorated with a drizzle of green chocolate for an eye-catching finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 3 (9.6-oz.) packages Chips Ahoy Chewy Red Velvet cookies
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
Chocolate Coating and Decoration
- 3 (12-oz.) packages white chocolate chips, divided
- Green food coloring gel
- Red heart sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare Cookie Crumbs: Place a wire rack on a parchment-lined baking sheet. In a food processor, pulse the red velvet cookies until they become fine crumbs.
- Mix Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-high until smooth. Add the cookie crumbs and beat until fully combined forming a dough.
- Form Balls and Chill: Using a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the dough and roll it into 1 1/2-inch diameter balls. Arrange the balls on the prepared rack and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
- Melt Chocolate for Coating: Set a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (double boiler), ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Reserve one package of chocolate chips for later. Place the remaining two packages of white chocolate chips into the bowl and stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Color Chocolate: Add 1 drop of green food coloring gel to the melted white chocolate and stir. Add additional drops if needed until the desired green color is achieved.
- Coat Cake Bites: Using a fork, dip each chilled cake ball into the green chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return coated balls to the wire rack. Repeat for all balls. A second chocolate coating can be applied if a thicker layer is desired. Refrigerate coated balls for 30 minutes to set.
- Prepare Drizzle Chocolate: Clean the double boiler bowl and repeat heating the reserved package of white chocolate chips over simmering water until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Color and Thin Drizzle Chocolate: Add 1 drop of green food coloring gel to the melted white chocolate, stirring to incorporate. If the chocolate is too thick, add hot water from the pot one tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until it reaches a drizzling consistency. Transfer this chocolate to a plastic or piping bag and snip the tip to drizzle over the cake balls to create stripes.
- Decorate: Immediately after drizzling, top each cake bite with a red heart sprinkle before the drizzle sets. Chill until the drizzle is set and the treats are ready to serve.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing for smooth blending.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without thinning the chocolate.
- If white chocolate thickens during use, gently rewarm over the double boiler to maintain smooth consistency.
- Store finished cake bites in the refrigerator until serving to keep them firm.
- Double boiler setup prevents chocolate from burning by applying gentle indirect heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake bite
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
