Save to Pinterest My daughter pressed her nose against the kitchen window one December afternoon, watching the snow pile up outside, and suddenly announced she wanted snowmen in the house. I laughed, but then it hit me: cake pops shaped like tiny snowmen, complete with chocolate eyes and pretzel arms. That first batch was a bit of a mess—I overfilled the chocolate bowl and created a white pool on the counter—but something magical happened when we lined them up on a plate. They looked like a miniature army of winter friends, and she insisted on arranging them by height.
I made these for my neighbor's office party last year, and they arrived in a box lined with parchment paper that somehow stayed pristine the whole drive across town. When I opened that lid during the party setup, the room went quiet for a second—everyone just stared at the little snowmen like they'd walked out of a fairy tale. By the end of the night, the plate was completely empty, and someone asked for my recipe on the back of a napkin.
Ingredients
- 36 Oreo cookies (about 1 standard package): The heart of this—they dissolve into the filling and give you that signature cookies-and-cream flavor without any grittiness if you pulse them fine enough.
- 180 g (6 oz) cream cheese, softened: This is the glue that holds everything together; if it's cold from the fridge, your dough will be crumbly and frustrating, so let it sit out for 15 minutes first.
- 350 g (12 oz) white chocolate or candy melts: Candy melts are more forgiving for dipping because they stay thinner and set faster, but real white chocolate tastes better if you temper it properly.
- Mini chocolate chips or black decorating gel (for eyes and buttons): Gel stays in place better than chips if your coating is still warm, so plan the order of decorating accordingly.
- Orange sprinkle or colored icing (for nose): A tiny dot goes a long way; I've learned this the hard way after making snowmen that looked suspicious rather than cheerful.
- Pretzel sticks or colored fondant (for arms and scarves): Pretzels are easier and add a salty bite; fondant looks fancier if you have time to roll and cut it.
- Lollipop sticks: These are your skeleton; make sure they're sturdy enough to hold the weight without bending.
Instructions
- Crush the Oreos into crumbs:
- Pulse them in a food processor until they look like fine sand, not chunks. This usually takes three or four pulses; go too far and you'll have powder that won't bind properly.
- Mix the dough:
- Fold the crushed Oreos into room-temperature cream cheese using a spatula until you have a uniform, smooth mixture that holds together when you squeeze it. The darker specks should be evenly distributed.
- Roll the balls:
- Make 32 small balls (roughly grape-sized) and 16 larger ones (marble-sized) by rolling between your palms—this is meditative work, and your hands naturally warm the dough just enough to help them stick together. If the mixture gets sticky, chill it for 10 minutes.
- Build the snowmen:
- Stack one small ball on top of one large ball, pressing gently so they fuse slightly, then insert a lollipop stick through the center of both. Line them up on parchment paper like you're planting a tiny edible garden.
- Chill them solid:
- Freeze for 20–30 minutes; they need to be firm enough that the chocolate coating won't slide them off the stick, but not so frozen that they crack when you dip them. A quick test: poke one gently; it should barely give.
- Melt the chocolate:
- Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each one, until you have a smooth, pourable consistency. If it gets too thick, add a tiny bit of coconut oil to loosen it.
- Dip and coat:
- Dip each snowman into the melted chocolate, giving it a gentle quarter-turn, then lift it out and let the excess drip off for a few seconds before standing it upright in a styrofoam block to set. The white coating should be thin and smooth, like fresh snow.
- Decorate while tacky:
- As soon as the coating loses its wet shine but is still slightly sticky, press on chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, and add a tiny dab of orange icing for the nose. Wait too long and the chocolate hardens, and your decorations won't stick; rush it and everything slides.
- Add the finishing touches:
- Once the white coating is completely set, gently push pretzel stick arms into the sides or wrap tiny fondant scarves around the neck. This is where personality happens.
Save to Pinterest The moment I'll never forget is my son biting into one of these and pausing, just for a second, before his whole face lit up—like he'd discovered the intersection of dessert and playtime in one bite. From that day on, they stopped being just cake pops and started being a tradition.
Storage and Timing
These hold up beautifully in the refrigerator for up to five days, which means you can make them a day or two ahead if you're prepping for a party. Keep them in an airtight container so they don't absorb odors from whatever else is hiding in your fridge. If you need to transport them, pack them in a sturdy box with parchment paper between layers so they don't roll around and lose their dignity on the drive.
Customization Ideas
The beauty of this recipe is that it begs for personal touches. Tint the fondant scarves different colors using gel food coloring, or add a tiny hat cut from fondant if you're feeling ambitious. Some people swap the white chocolate for dark chocolate for variety, though the contrast of white-coated snowmen is part of the charm. I've also seen people use different decorations—sprinkles for hair, edible glitter for magic, even tiny fondant hats in different colors.
Troubleshooting and Shortcuts
If you don't have a food processor, crush the Oreos in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin—it's louder and slightly more cathartic than I expected. If your white chocolate gets too thick while dipping, add just a few drops of coconut oil to thin it back out without seizing it. If the dough feels too sticky after mixing, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes and it'll be much easier to handle.
- You can skip the lollipop sticks entirely and just serve them as flat-bottomed cake pop bites if you prefer, though they lose some of their charm.
- Candy melts are genuinely easier for beginners than real white chocolate, so don't feel bad choosing convenience over purity.
- Make a double batch if you have the patience—they freeze beautifully and you'll be grateful to find them waiting for the next party or craving.
Save to Pinterest These cake pops are proof that the most memorable desserts aren't always the most complicated ones. Make them once and they'll become part of your winter kitchen tradition.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do I crush the Oreos without a food processor?
Place the cookies in a sealed plastic bag and gently crush them using a rolling pin until finely broken.
- → Can I use different coatings instead of white chocolate?
Yes, candy melts or other melting chocolates can be substituted to achieve similar smooth coatings.
- → What is the best way to shape the snowmen securely?
Roll two sizes of dough balls and gently press one smaller ball atop a larger one, inserting a stick through both to hold them together firmly.
- → How long should the shaped figures be chilled before coating?
Freeze or chill the snowmen for 20 to 30 minutes until firm to ensure the coating adheres well.
- → What decorations work best for the eyes and buttons?
Mini chocolate chips or decorating gel create detailed eyes and buttons, adding personality to each figure.