How To Add A Fun Crunch To Cake Pops Using A Simple Pantry Staple

The best bakers know cake pops are a great way to make use of leftover cake. But a lesser-known trick of the trade involves adding crunch and intrigue to your cake pop recipe using a staple you probably already have: cereal. Extruded breakfast cereals add textural depth to the crisp chocolate exterior of a cake pop, while also perfectly complementing the velvety soft interior made of cake crumbs and frosting. While sprinkles can be a bit one-dimensional, crushed cereal adds visual appeal, satisfying crunch, and taste all at once.

To add the best breakfast cereals to cake pops, simply dip them in melted chocolate before dunking each pop individually into a bowl of cereal bits — or opt to sprinkle the cereal pieces on directly. If you're working with larger cereal squares, loops, or puffs, crush them up first so the pieces fit comfortably atop each pop. You can do this by lightly pounding the cereal in a sealed bag with a rolling pin. Alternatively, for a finer coating for your pops — similar to the consistency of graham cracker crumbs — you can grind up cereal in a food processor or blender. If you're topping the treat with smaller cereal pieces like Fruity Pebbles, though, you can simply add them to cake pops as is. Just make sure to work quickly and apply the toppings soon after dipping the pops in chocolate, so the cereal adheres before the chocolate hardens.

Cake pops and a variety of your favorite breakfast cereals go together like fine wine and cheese — if you choose your pairings wisely. This means considering elements like complementary flavors, colors, and texture. For instance, you can replace decorative white nonpareil sprinkles with Rice Crispies atop pale blue or blush pink cake pops for a sweet baby shower treat. For a birthday party dessert, you can't go wrong with brightly-colored Fruit Loops to top cake pops that present both fruity flavor and crunch in every decadent bite. Add fun-shaped cereal like puffed cinnamon animals as a playful topping. 

Aside from visual elements, of course, you can choose your cereal based on your cake pop's flavor. Crush up flaky berry-flavored cereal to accentuate cake pops made with strawberry cake, vanilla frosting, and white chocolate coating. Choose a honey cluster cereal or cinnamon cereal to build upon a sweet vanilla or homemade pumpkin spice cake pops. Or amp up simple chocolate cake pops by covering them in nostalgic puffed cocoa or cookie-inspired cereals (looking at you, Oreo puffs). When preparing the pops, just make sure to avoid common cake pop mistakes like using the wrong chocolate, and instead employ cake pop pro-tips like using candy melts to get a nice shiny coating. From there, the cereal topping combinations are abundant — and far more interesting than your typical sprinkle topping.