Donut Hole Cake Pops: Fun Bite-Sized Dessert Recipe

I’ll admit it—I can be a little lazy sometimes. Most days I work hard as a mom, but every now and then that lazy bone reappears. It shows up in little ways: spending five minutes hunting for a hat instead of wetting hair and combing it, using a hair dryer to smooth a wrinkled shirt instead of reaching for the iron, or kicking a few crumbs under the couch when I can’t be bothered to get the dust buster. Guilty as charged.

These Easy Donut Hole Cake Pops are for people like me who love shortcuts without sacrificing charm. They have all the appeal of cake pops—cute, bite-size, and fun to serve—without baking a cake, mixing in frosting, or rolling balls. If you need a quick, kid-friendly treat, these are perfect.

Start with cake-style donut holes from the bakery section—avoid yeast donut holes and choose the denser, cake variety. Melt candy coating or chocolate wafers in a double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally and keeping moisture away so the coating doesn’t seize. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick a little into the melted coating, then press it into the top of each donut hole to anchor the stick. If a donut hole is a bit misshapen, trim it with a paring knife for a neater look.

Place the prepared donut holes on a parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the initial coating. Once the base is firm, dip each donut hole fully into the melted candy coating, letting excess drip off. Use a spoon to gently remove extra coating from the bottom if needed. While the coating is still wet, add sprinkles for color and texture.

Return the dipped pops to the refrigerator to set completely. I like to let them harden standing upright with the stick pointing up—no special stand required—and finish the presentation in patterned mini cupcake liners for extra charm. A batch of two dozen took me about 25 minutes from start to finish.

These donut hole cake pops are ideal when you need treats quickly—school parties, Easter gatherings, or any time you want kid-friendly sweets without a lot of effort. They’re especially handy when you’d rather skip carrot cake or more complicated desserts for a crowd of kids.

I nearly didn’t share this shortcut because I didn’t want to admit how lazy I can be, but I realized shortcuts are useful and appreciated by many. If you come visit my house, though, please don’t look under the couch—some crumbs may be hiding there.

Easy Donut Hole Cake Pops

5 from 1 review

• Author: Julie
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 24
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American