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Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls

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Celebrate all the patriotic holidays with these delicious treats. Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls are a tasty way to enjoy a red, white, and blue dessert. Decadent rich chocolate is the center of the cake pops. They are a simple dessert to make and they can easily be adjusted to work for other holidays as well.

Serve them for all occasions and they will always get eaten right up!

Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.

Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls

Do you have any big plans for the 4th of July yet? Andrew and I don’t have any concrete plans, but I know that food, fireworks, and cold drinks will be on the agenda. Surprisingly Peoria has the largest display of fireworks in the state of Illinois. If you do have plans for the 4th of July, you are going to want to make these cookies!

They look like cute little whoopie pies but with the crunch and crumble of a standard cookie. Blanketed in red, white, and blue sprinkles, these festive cookies are the perfect addition to your 4th of July BBQ.

When we celebrate birthday parties, anniversaries, and even baby showers we will make these cake bites. Typically we will just use different sprinkles depending on the event and they turn out great every time. I can’t wait for you to taste how great they are too. 

Can I Mix the Sprinkles Into the Cake Balls?

Sure, you can add sprinkles into the cake balls if you want to. Just add 1/2 cup or so to the batter. Additionally, you could add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped white chocolate, nuts or anything else you enjoy to the batter. This is a very versatile cake ball recipe, so feel free to make some adjustments as you see fit.

Do These Have to be Refrigerated?

You do not have to refrigerate the cake pops if you don’t want to, but they are extra delicious when cold. We usually keep them in the fridge and grab out what we want. However, they will last just fine on the counter. The important thing is that they are kept airtight. So make sure they are in a sealed container and they will be fine to eat cold or room temperature.

Ingredients

You’ll be smacking your lips after you state these cake balls. They are one of the best desserts I have made in a long time. They don’t require many ingredients either. Check it out:

For the Cookies:

  • Granulated sugar
  • Unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • Baking soda
  • Kosher salt
  • Butter, softened
  • Large egg
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Red, white, and blue sprinkles

For the Filling:

  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Blue and Red Icing Color

How to make Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls

You only need a handful of steps and you can be chowing down on these cake balls. Take them to parties and potlucks for a fun or playful dessert. 

First Step: Warm up the oven to 375°F. Then place parchment paper on two large cookie sheets and set aside. 

Second Step:  Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl then set aside.

Third Step: Beat the butter until creamy using a stand mixer for about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar mixture and continue to beat until well combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Pour in the flour mixture and combine until just incorporated.

Fourth Step: Put the sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Roll a level tablespoon of cake dough into a ball then roll the ball in sprinkles. Place the cake balls on the prepared baking sheet. Continue to repeat the process with the remaining dough. Be sure to space the balls about 2 inches apart (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet).

Fifth Step: Bake until the cake balls until they are set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 2 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Sixth Step: To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed. When almost incorporated, add vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

Seventh Step: Divide the filling into two separate bowls. Color one bowl of icing blue and the other red. Pipe or spread filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with the second cookie, forming a sandwich. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

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Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 12 sandwich cookies
Celebrate all the patriotic holidays with these delicious treats. Patriotic Chocolate Cake Balls are a tasty way to enjoy a red, white, and blue dessert. Decadent rich chocolate is the center of the cake pops. They are a simple dessert to make and they can easily be adjusted to work for other holidays as well.
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 10 ½ tablespoons 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup [red, white, and blue sprinkles]
  • 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the sugar mixture and beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
  • Place the sprinkles for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a level tablespoon of dough into a ball, roll the ball in sprinkles, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet).
  • Bake until the cookies are set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 2 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
  • To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed. When almost incorporated, add vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
  • Divide the filling into two separate bowls. Color one bowl of icing blue and the other red. Pipe or spread filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, forming a sandwich. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Source: adapted from The Decorated Cookie and Sprinkle Bakes
Author: Laura

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If you are in the mood for more tasty cookie recipes, then you are in luck. Here are a bunch of terrific cookies for you to try. 

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