It's pumpkin season! These pumpkin cake pops are a delightful fall treat that can surprisingly be prepared in under 30 minutes. They are very portable--making them perfect for fall-themed parties and packed lunches or you can serve them as a tasty snack at home.
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An Easy Bite-Size Fall-Themed Treat
These easy treats can be whipped up in a very short amount of time. Adults and kids alike are sure to enjoy these delicious bite-sized cakes.
With their seasonal autumn ingredients and flavors, they are perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.
If you love making your own cake pops, I also have recipes for maple bacon cake pops, how to use a cake pop mold and how to make cake pops with a cake pop maker that you might be interested in.
Ingredients
- pumpkin purée - This recipe calls for pure canned pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie mix. However, if that is what you have on hand, you can simply omit the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- cinnamon and nutmeg - For pumpkin spice flavor.
- vegetable oil - Can also use canola oil.
- eggs - I use large eggs.
- pecans - Optional. Can also use another nut such as walnuts or leave them out if there is a nut allergy, taking them to classrooms, etc.
- chocolate - To coat the cake pops with. For an alternative cake pop coating option, you can simply dust the cake pops with icing sugar or use orange candy melts instead of chocolate to match the color theme.
- coconut oil - Coconut oil is optional, to thin the chocolate coating.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Tools
You will need a cake pop maker for this recipe along with cake pop sticks and some sort of cake pop stand to set the cake pops in as the chocolate is setting. Some examples include:
- purpose built cake pop stand
- egg carton
- colander
- a jar filled with marbles
- a Styrofoam block
How to Make Pumpkin Cake Pops
Step 1. Mix dry ingredients. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2. Mix wet ingredients. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl.
Step 3. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in the nuts (optional).
Step 4. Transfer the batter. Plug in the cake pop maker and wait for it to heat up. Pour the batter into a piping bag or you can just use a teaspoon to add the batter to the cake pop maker.
Chef's Note: Careful not to overfill the cake pop cavities, but you don't want them too low either. Fill them with the batter just to the top of the cavity or about 1 mm under.
Step 5. Bake. Close the lid and bake them in the cake pop maker for 3 to 4 minutes per batch, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool for a few minutes.
Step 6. Add treat sticks. Melt the dark chocolate (or orange candy melts) in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring each time until fully melted. Insert the tips of the treat sticks into the melted chocolate, and then into the cake pops (about half-way into the cake pop). Place them on a tray or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 7. Coat. Dip the cake pops into the melted coating. Rotate the cake pop gently to coat completely and let excess chocolate drip off into the bowl.
Pro Tip: If the chocolate coating seems too thick, stir in 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil.
Step 8. Set. Top with orange candy sprinkles. Let the cake pop coating have time to set in a cake pop stand.
Step 9. Serve. Serve the pumpkin cake pops!
Joss' Serving Tips
- A side sauce is one way of really putting these pumpkin cake pops over the top. A sure winner is a salted caramel sauce. Add pumpkin pie spice to the sauce to perfectly compliment the cake flavors.
- For a creamier option, make a white chocolate ganache. Personally, I would make both! You could even make the ganache ahead of time and coat the cake pops in them, then leave them in the fridge to harden into a fudge-like consistency.
- You can also serve these as cake balls without the sticks.
- Plan ahead and find the perfect themed cake pop sticks online or at a specialty store. There are so many options to choose from.
How to Store Pumpkin Cake Pops
These are of course general guidelines; always inspect the cake pops to be sure they are still fresh. Keep in mind that frosted cake pops will stay fresher longer than unfrosted ones.
- Room Temperature: If you are planning to consume the pumpkin cake pops within one to two days, you will want to store them wrapped air-tight at room temperature.
- Fridge: For time periods of up to one week, store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freezer: For longer periods of time, store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.
More Cake Pop Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this Pumpkin Cake Pops Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Pop Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup pecans - chopped (optional)
Coating
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate - broken into pieces--or orange candy melts
- orange candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in the nuts (optional).
- Plug in the cake pop maker and wait for it to heat up (there should be an indicator light). Pour the batter into a piping bag or you can just use a teaspoon to add the batter to the cake pop maker. Fill the cake pop maker holes (just to the top of the cavity). Careful not to overfill.
- Close the lid and bake them in the cake pop maker for 3 to 4 minutes per batch, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Melt the dark chocolate (or orange candy melts) in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring each time until fully melted. Insert the tips of the treat sticks into the melted chocolate, and then into the cake pops (about half-way into the cake pop). Place them on a tray or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Dip the cake pops into the melted coating. Rotate the cake pop gently to coat completely and let excess chocolate drip off into the bowl.
- Top with orange sprinkles. Let the cake pop coating have time to set in a cake pop stand. Serve!
Notes
- To Thin the Coating: If the chocolate coating seems too thick, stir in 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil.
- Alternative Coating: For an alternative coating, you can simply dust the cake pops with icing sugar.
- Room Temperature Storage: If you are planning to use the cake pops within one to two days, you will want to store them wrapped air-tight at room temperature.
- Fridge Storage: For time periods of up to one week, store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freezer Storage: For longer periods of time, store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.
- Note on Storage: These are of course general guidelines; always inspect the cake pops to be sure they are still fresh. Keep in mind that frosted cake pops will stay fresher longer than unfrosted ones.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Hannah says
This was a very helpful recipe! Thank you so much!
Joss D says
No problem Hannah and thanks for the comment!