Fourth of July Star Pops (Printer-friendly)
Creamy star cheesecake pops dipped in colored chocolate and topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cheesecake Base
01 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
02 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
→ Coating & Decoration
05 - 7 ounces white chocolate or candy melts
06 - Red food coloring
07 - Blue food coloring
08 - Red, white, and blue sprinkles
→ Pops
09 - 16 lollipop sticks
# How-To Guide:
01 - In a mixing bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
02 - Fold graham cracker crumbs into the cream cheese mixture until evenly combined.
03 - Spread the mixture to a thickness of about 1/2 inch on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour until the mixture becomes firm.
04 - Cut stars from the chilled cheesecake mixture using a star-shaped cookie cutter. Arrange stars on a clean, parchment-lined tray.
05 - Gently insert a lollipop stick into each star. Transfer pops back to the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
06 - Melt the white chocolate or candy melts according to package directions. If desired, divide the melted coating into three bowls and tint one bowl red and another blue, leaving the third white.
07 - Dip each star pop into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately decorate with red, white, and blue sprinkles.
08 - Place decorated pops on parchment paper and leave at room temperature or refrigerate until chocolate is set and firm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This is the kind of festive treat that disappears faster than you expect—people can never resist having just one more.
- Even with zero baking, you get the creamy richness of cheesecake in bite-sized, celebration-ready form.
02 -
- Do not rush the freezing—impatience leads to stars falling apart and messier dipping.
- If the melted chocolate feels thick, a small spoonful of neutral oil makes dipping much smoother.
03 -
- Let pops set fully at room temperature before chilling—rushing to the fridge can make the coating streaky.
- Wipe your cookie cutter with a warm, damp cloth between cuts for cleaner star edges.