These Circus Animal Cookie Pops will make you feel like a kid again! Transform the classic pink and white sugar cookies into easy no-bake truffle balls using simple ingredients for a sweet sprinkle-coated treat.
Remember circus animal cookies? Animal crackers covered in pretty pink frosting are a childhood staple. But they’re also so much fun to add to desserts! I’ve tossed them into no-bake recipes like these animal cookie rice krispie treats and these light, refreshing cookie dream bars.
Using circus animals in cookie pops was the next obvious step! I love that these are even easier to make than cake pops. There’s no baking required in this easy dessert recipe. It takes just 31 minutes from start to finish. What could be better? Oh yeah. . . .they’re PINK!
My circus animal cookie pops ended up looking a lot like the Starbucks birthday cake pops. They have the same fun rosy pink color and I couldn’t resist topping them with sprinkles. Unlike birthday cake pops, these cookies pops are made with crushed cookies.
I mixed the circus cookies with cream cheese, then coated them with melted pink and white chocolate. Dust them with sprinkles and voila! Perfect cookie pops!
Here’s everything I used to make these cookie cake pops.
Frosted circus animal cookies are sweet enough without needing to add confectioners sugar, like many recipes. If you want less sweetness, you can use regular animal crackers instead, and they’ll still be super delicious.
For a smooth coating, make sure to use white chocolate that’s designed for melting. Find white chocolate melting wafers or packages labeled “candy melt” in the baking aisle. If you can’t find pink chocolate melting wafers, you can use the white ones with a drop of pink food gel mixed in.
To make the circus animal truffles into pops, you will also need a lollipop stick or cake pop stick for each of them. I used the 6 inch ones in my batch.
Making this cookie pop recipe couldn’t be easier.
Making them as gifts? This reuseable Cake Pop Set comes with everything you need including silicone molds, lollipop sticks, bags and twist ties!
We’ve all been there. You find the perfect Pinterest-worthy cake pop recipe, only to have your turn out looking like a failed preschool art project.
Making pro quality cookie pops and cake pops is easier than you think. You just need a few expert tips. Here’s what I’ve learned from many years of making oreo truffles and other kinds of homemade pops.
You can use buttercream frosting in place of the cream cheese in this recipe. The cream cheese adds a tanginess that complements the sweet cookies and chocolate. Vanilla frosting makes these sweeter and richer, more like a birthday cake flavor.
Yes, you can use white chocolate chips as a substitution. Place the chips into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and then heat again in 10 second increments, stirring in between until completely smooth and melted. Be VERY careful not to overheat as the white chocolate can seize easily (harden) and there’s no going back.
If the consistency is too thick, add a teaspoon at a time of coconut oil until you reach the right consistency.
When I’m feeling fancy, I like to thin melted chocolate with Paramount Crystals. It’s what professional confectionary makers use to create velvety smooth chocolate shells. It’s harder to get a hold of than coconut oil and I never seem to remember to buy them ahead of time. That’s why I went with coconut oil in this recipe!
When using the Paramount Crystals, use 1 teaspoon for every 2 cups of the coating. So, you’ll need one teaspoon each for both the white chocolate and the pink chocolate.
If you don’t have coconut oil or Paramount Crystals, a bit of vegetable or canola oil will work instead.
I serve my cookie pops with circus animal cookies immediately. You can also cover them tightly and place them in the fridge until ready to eat. Due to the cream cheese in the recipe, the cookie pops shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than a couple of hours.
Wondering if you can freeze circus animal cookie pops? You can, but the quality may not be the best after freezing and thawing. I find my candy coating tends to crack or break due to the changes in water content.
A better choice would be to freeze the cookie ball dough before dipping it into the melted chocolate. You can prep the balls up to a month in advance and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to dip in chocolate and serve.
The nostalgic, whimsical taste of pink and white animal cookies is hard to resist and are a great dessert idea for a birthday party. Using store-bought cookies is one of my hacks for whipping up crowd-pleasing desserts without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Try a few of my other favorite cookie-based dessert recipes for your next perfect treat.
Need more inspiration? From ultra decadent to light and fruity, I have a no-bake dessert recipe for every craving.
Use frosted animal cookies to make these Circus Animal Cookie Balls for a super sweet day and reminisce with some childhood favorites!
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