Red Velvet Cheesecake Balls (Printable version)
Bite-sized red velvet and cream cheese confections, chilled then coated in chocolate for festive, party-ready treats.
# What you need:
→ Red Velvet Cake Base
01 - 10.5 oz red velvet cake, fully baked and cooled
→ Cheesecake Filling
02 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1.4 oz powdered sugar
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Chocolate Coating
05 - 8.8 oz white chocolate (or dark/semisweet, as preferred)
06 - Red food coloring (optional, for coating)
→ Decoration
07 - Red velvet cake crumbs (optional)
08 - Sprinkles (optional)
# How To:
01 - Break the fully cooled red velvet cake into fine, even crumbs using your hands or a fork in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
03 - Add the cream cheese mixture to the cake crumbs and mix thoroughly until a soft, uniform dough-like consistency forms that holds together when pressed.
04 - Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out the mixture and roll into smooth, evenly sized balls. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
05 - Refrigerate the shaped balls for at least 1 hour until they are firm enough to handle without losing their shape during dipping.
06 - Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals stirring between each, or over a double boiler until completely smooth. Stir in red food coloring if desired for a vibrant coating.
07 - Dip each chilled ball into the melted chocolate, gently tapping off the excess, and return it to the parchment-lined tray.
08 - While the chocolate coating is still wet, immediately garnish with red velvet crumbs or sprinkles as desired.
09 - Allow the chocolate coating to fully harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Zero baking required if you grab a store bought cake, which means more time eating and less time waiting.
- The cream cheese center stays soft and tangy while the chocolate shell snaps between your teeth, and that contrast is genuinely addictive.
02 -
- If the dough feels too soft to hold its shape, chill it for fifteen extra minutes before rolling rather than adding more crumbs, which can make the centers dense and dry.
- Melting chocolate too quickly or at too high a heat causes it to seize into a grainy mess, so always go low and slow with frequent stirring.
03 -
- Use a small cookie scoop for uniform balls so they all dip and set at the same rate.
- Keep a damp paper towel nearby while rolling to wipe your hands between every few balls, because sticky palms make the work twice as hard.