Healthy Cake Pops for Toddlers

Healthy Cake Pops Recipe! Are you a Starbucks cake pop lover and always thinking wow these would be so easy to make at home?! Me too! So I created a super easy homemade Starbucks cake pop recipe that requires NO sugar, NO flour, and NO baking!

This healthy cake pops recipe was inspired by our frequent Starbucks trips and wanting to make more treats at home from scratch without any gluten or sugar for my toddler!

So how can you have healthy cake pops with no sugar? You may be wondering... nature created these delicious delights that are naturally sweet called dates! I absolutely love using dates in my healthy desserts because they are a whole food and completely unrefined. Plus dates do not spike your blood glucose like other sweeteners do.

I made my cake pops with natural organic white chocolate to give them more of an authentic look. But the cake batter dough tastes just as delicious without any white chocolate at all! You can even roll them in some unsweetened coconut flakes for a fun coating.

If you love making healthy desserts at home, make sure to read my Ultimate Guide on Making Healthy Easy Dessert Recipes featuring healthy cookie dough bars.

WHAT IS A VANILLA CAKE POP MADE OF?

Did you ever pause to think about what a Starbucks cake pop is made of? This cute little treat is handed to you through the window or over the counter and most of us don't pause to wonder what's inside it. We assume that all the ingredients are safe to eat.

Let's look at what is in 1 vanilla cake pop:

CAKE [SUGAR, UNBLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SOYBEAN OIL, EGG WHITES, POWDERED SUGAR (SUGAR, CORNSTARCH), EGGS, PALM OIL, BUTTER, CORN SYRUP, INVERT SUGAR, BAKING POWDER, SALT, VANILLA EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVOUR, GUM BLEND (XANTHAN GUM, GUAR GUM), MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, POLYSORBATE 60, CITRIC ACID, BHT, NATURAL FLAVOUR, PALM OIL (SOY LECITHIN), ANNATTO EXTRACT, VEGETABLE JUICE], COATING [WHITE COATING (SUGAR, PALM KERNEL AND PALM OILS, WHEY POWDER, SKIM MILK POWDER, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVOUR, VANILLA FLAVOUR), PALM OIL (SOY LECITHIN), ANNATTO EXTRACT, VEGETABLE JUICE], CANDIES [SUGAR, CORN STARCH, CONFECTIONER'S GLAZE, CARNAUBA WAX].

Preservatives, "natural flavor" aka masks 1000's of hidden chemicals, GMO corn starch, GMO soy, palm oil, and more versions of sugar than I can count! These tiny cake pops pack a massive amount of junk.

(information taken from Starbucks website on their birthday cake pop)

HEALTHY CAKE POPS INGREDIENTS

My cake pop recipe makes about 12 cake pops so if you want more simply double this recipe!

• ¼ cup cashew butter (can also use almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
• ½ cup pitted dates (soaked overnight is best so they blend into the batter completely)
• 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pink sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• natural rainbow sprinkles to preference
• white chocolate

ABOUT THE HEALTHY INGREDIENTS IN MY CAKE POPS

A dessert that is good for your kids too?! No way. Yes way! While I still make classic treats with the regular sugar and flour from time to time, I typically try to make desserts that won't make me and my family feel blah and yet still satisfy all the sweet teeth.

• Cashew butter: Cashews are a good source of healthy fats.
• Dates: Dates contain natural sugars and fiber, which can promote a healthy gut by supporting the body's detoxification processes.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids that can help moisturize the skin and improve its overall hydration.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract contains antioxidants that can help protect the body from free radical damage.
• Sea salt: Sea salt contains an array of essential microminerals such as magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
• Coconut flour: Coconut flour is a good source of dietary fiber, which can support a healthy gut.
• Almond flour: Almonds are packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect the body from oxidative stress.

THE STORY BEHIND CREATING A HEALTHY STARBUCKS CAKE POP RECIPE

My daughter absolutely loves Starbucks cake pops and we always get her one when we're on a long road trip and we're all craving a little pick me up. But, they're not a healthy treat that I want to give my toddler all the time. So I wanted to create a Starbucks cake pop recipe at home that I felt good about giving my toddler.

When I made my first round of toddler friendly cake pops, I used about a cup and a half of almond flour. They were so-so. But something was off, especially if you know how mealy of a texture almond flour can sometimes create.

So next I tried making my cake pops with coconut flour instead of almond flour and they came out great! The texture was just like that delicious moist melt in your mouth texture of the real thing. Just one thing was off I wanted them to be a bit more cake-like so I added a couple tablespoons of almond flour to give a more cake like crumb texture.

During my Starbucks cake pop recipe testing I did use almond butter and not cashew butter once and they were super delicious! But, the color was super dark compared to the color of cashew butter so that might throw you off. If it doesn't, almond butter is a great substitute for the cashew butter in my cake pop recipe!

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CAKE POPS AT HOME THAT TASTE JUST LIKE STARBUCKS YOUR TODDLER WILL LOVE!

These delicious sugar free cake pops come together so quickly and taste just like the real thing!

STEP 1: SOAK DATES AND BLEND WET INGREDIENTS

Start off by soaking ½ cup of pitted dates in hot water for about 15 minutes. I love to soak dates for all my dessert recipes because it helps them blend into a smooth pureed texture. Plus, dates are a great sugar replacement for very low calorie Starbucks cake pops!

Once your dates are nice and soft, drain the water and add them to a blender along with:

• ¼ cup cashew butter
• 1 ½ tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Blend on medium speed until your wet cake pop ingredients are totally pureed and you don't see any big chunks of dates.

STEP 2: ADD WET INGREDIENTS TO A BOWL WITH DRY INGREDIENTS

Scoop the wet ingredients out of your blender into a bowl along with:

• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons almond flour

Stir well to combine and fold in the 3 tablespoons of natural rainbow sprinkles if you're using those.

These coconut and almond flour cake pops are so great for anyone who has gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance! If you want to use just coconut flour add about ½ tablespoon more coconut flour to your batter in place of the almond flour.

STEP 3: ROLL INTO BALLS AND DIP IN WHITE CHOCOLATE

Finally, roll your cake pop dough into 12 equal sized balls. Insert a cake pop stick into the top of each ball.

In a small bowl, melt:

• 1 cup white chocolate
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Dip each cake ball into the white chocolate, holding over the bowl a couple seconds to let the chocolate drain off. Set on a parchment lined plate to harden or insert into a cake pop stand.

Hope you enjoy!

MORE HEALTHY CAKE POP IDEAS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS

• Healthy Chocolate Cake Pops- Use 2 tablespoons pure cacao powder in place of the almond flour for a delightful chocolatey cake pop treat.
• Healthy Protein Cake Pops- Use 2 tablespoons protein powder in place of the almond flour for a higher protein cake pop!
• Banana Cake Pops- Want a tasty banana flavored cake pop? Use a couple drops of banana extract, or use 1 ultra ripe banana in place of the dates in this recipe.

FAQ's

Frequently asked questions about my Starbucks cake pop recipe.

HOW DO I MAKE VEGAN CAKE POPS?

For a vegan cake pop recipe, simply follow my instructions! All ingredients are vegan friendly as long as you are using vegan white chocolate.

HOW TO KEEP THE CAKE POP ON THE STICK?

Make sure to use dates in your healthy cake pop batter, dates help the cake pop batter stick together well. Also, use coconut oil in the white chocolate coating. If the coating is too thick it will weigh down the cake balls.

HOW TO KEEP THE CHOCOLATE FROM DRIPPING AND POOLING?

Make sure to let the excess melted chocolate drain off your cake pop before setting on the parchment paper or in the cake stand.

More Healthy No-Bake Dessert Recipes You're Going to Love!

• Strawberry Cheesecake Balls
• Birthday Cake Balls
• Red Velvet Balls
• Healthy Cannoli Balls
• Key Lime Pie Balls
• Almond Pulp Reese's Balls
• Almond Pulp Brownie Balls
• Chocolate Chip Oat Balls
• Pumpkin Spice Oat Balls
• Cashew Butter

If you try my Healthy Cake Pop Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!