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When I brought these into lab meeting last week I definitely called them cake pops so that I wouldn’t have to say balls in front of my boss.

And so that he wouldn’t giggle like a twelve year old boy.

And so that the entire rest of the lab, with our collective maturity of prepubescent children wouldn’t be compelled to make ball jokes for the next hour when we were supposed to be talking about science (or how some of us *ahem me* are completely unable to repeat other labs’ published findings).

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My baked goods are disruptive enough with everybody reaching over everyone else to grab one while some sad sorry soul is presenting their week’s worth of data.

We really don’t need to be adding ball jokes into the mix.

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Thankfully, you guys are totally mature enough to handle the word “balls” without breaking out into a total ridiculous uproar.

You know that they imply dense delicious little spheres of cake truffle deliciousness covered in some kind of chocolate that, upon looking at them, make you want to squeal with unbridled passion and delight.

(That’s what she said.)

(Okay, that last part was gratuitous, I know.  But I couldn’t write a post about balls and not throw in a “that’s what she said”.  Michael Scott would not be proud.)

And not anything to do with any sort of male genitalia.

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Alright, so maybe we’re not that mature around here.

But you shouldn’t let that stop you from making these cake…spheres…for Christmas or, more non-denominationally, for a random Friday night, perhaps.  Because they truly are delicious.

Since we’re already on the subject of science and data and such…let’s analyze: gingerbread mixed with cream cheese frosting and then covered in white chocolate.  I’m not even a huge fan of gingerbread (I actually truly do NOT love molasses. At all. In any way.) and even I could barely resist having just one.

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So if you’re still looking for that holiday dessert to wow your guests with. These are it.

Just, um.  Use your own discretion when deciding which name to go with.

And how many ball jokes you want to infiltrate your wholesome family dinner with.  Given how much tequila will be drunk at mine…I could call them “white chocolate gingerbread cake penises” and no one would notice.

And on that note.

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all of you!  I’ll see you back here on Monday with some super healthy detox food. But in the meantime, look below the recipe for some other holiday dessert suggestions in case you’re still searching for that perfect treat.  And remember, calories don’t count on Christmas or any of the nights of Hanukkah.  So eat up and eat well.

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Gingerbread Muffins
Makes 14-16, adapted from Confections of A Foodie Bride

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups AP flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp allspice (I omitted this because mine decided to go AWOL at the exact second that I needed it)
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
  • coarse sugar for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Line a muffin pan (or two) with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the mixer after each addition, until well mixed.
  6. Add the molasses and mix until well blended.
  7. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing on low only until just incorporated.  Add the yogurt, mixing until well distributed.  Add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing only until just incorporated.
  8. Scoop into the prepared muffin tins, until about 3/4 full (two large cookie scoops worth!) and sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops of the batter.
  9. Bake 5 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350.  Bake another 15 minutes until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs attached.
  10. Cool 5 minutes in the pan.  Turn out onto a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Balls
Makes ~22 from 7 muffins, an Eats Well With Others Original

Ingredients

  • 7 gingerbread muffins
  • 8 oz reduced fat Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 12 oz white chocolate (NOT chips)
  • red sanding sugar, for decoration (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, crumble the gingerbread muffins into small pieces.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Stir in the confectioner’s sugar until desired consistency is reached (something akin to frosting out of a jar).
  3. A half cup at a time, mix the cream cheese frosting into the gingerbread crumbs with your fingers. Add enough so that the gingerbread is moist and readily sticks together to form balls, a truffle-like consistency.
  4. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough into little balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once all dough is used up, place sheet in the fridge and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently.  Allow to cool for a minute or two and then dip each gingerbread ball in the white chocolate, turning to coat.  Place back on parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar as you go.  When all balls are dipped, place back in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until white chocolate is hardened.

I am submitting these to Bake with Bizzy!
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Some of my favorite holiday desserts!
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Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Apple Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Swirl Frosting
Chocolate Cake with Raspberry-Nutella Filling and Chocolate Ganache

155

Italian Rainbow Cookies
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Chocolate, Cranberry and Pecan Rugelach
White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Peppermint Cookies

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Grasshopper Bars (Creme de Menthe Bars)
Sweet and Salty Brownies
Cranberry Ginger Bars
Cookie Dough Truffles

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Cranberry Blueberry Pie
Caramel Pecan Hand Pies
Bailey’s Irish Creme and Vanilla Tiramisu

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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75 Responses to White Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Balls

  1. Amy says:

    I love gingerbread and those cake balls look fabulous! Plus, they are really cute!

  2. Ah I want 10 of these balls;-) They are so pretty and really do sound delish! I feel like I’d eat half the muffins before I made them into cake balls, though!

  3. Dawn says:

    I just bust out lauging at that one because it’s so true. I think that any time one says “balls”, no matter where you work, the jokes will immediately follow. Good call on calling them cake pops.

  4. OohLookBel says:

    I’ve always been hesitant to make cake ballz because I thought you had to use readymade frosting (erk!). Your version is much better, and the white chocolate coating, oh yum!

  5. Christine says:

    Yeah, “balls”…not a good choice no matter what the age group. How about cake “baubles”, like jewelry and also delicious.

    Holy cow, these look good! Up late due to eating 2 little (and I mean tiny) desserts at my knit group’s holiday pot luck and I’m wide awake. So with your post, it’s death by holiday dessert! Can’t wait for Monday…lol! All of the treats look heavenly but I can’t even think of sweets at the moment 🙂

  6. Even if you called them cake pops I am wondering if your boss and colleagues saw balls and giggled in their mind, non stop, for the duration of the presentation.
    Merry Xmas and all the best for 2012, hope it brings you lots of happiness, good health and prosperity.

  7. Johanna GGG says:

    oh these look amazing – I just want to go out and make them but it is just the wrong time to make more baking plans – maybe in January – already bookmarked!

    Have a great christmas – don’t let those turkeys sneak onto your plate 🙂 and most importantly enjoy your food and your time with your family

  8. Foodycat says:

    Your balls are pretty (tee hee!).

    I’ve seen so many articles about labs publishing falsified results, that I’d never assume there was a problem because you can’t get the same result!

  9. Wow, these cake balls look incredible!!! I am making a gingerbread cake for Christmas dinner this year… I wonder if anyone would mind if I just made these gingerbread cake balls instead? 😉

  10. I’ve been eyeing up different variations of these all week…still haven’t made them but this may just push me in the right direction 🙂 happy holidays, Joanne!

  11. Geni says:

    Joanne, you crack me up as usual. BTW—since we are talking balls…the last shot of them looks like it has a white chocolate sperm next to it. Was that intentional? ;)Your list of fabulous holiday desserts has sent me over the edge. I want to live in your kitchen! Have a very happy holiday! You are mentioned in my Favorite Things post! 🙂

  12. Elizabeth says:

    I’m not usually enticed by cake balls/truffles but GINGERBREAD, now these look good.

  13. The white chocolate coated cakes look so impressive!

  14. Cake balls are always such a great finger food for dessert!

  15. Jenna says:

    Hahaha! You’re amazing. Your writing cracks me up. And Merry Christmas! I’ll see you back ’round these parts after the New Year (yes, I’m trying to avoid the internet for over a week–wheeee!).

  16. OK, this post seriously makes me want to crumble the gingerbread loaf that I just made and mix it was cream cheese, roll it up and dip in frosting! I am also coveting those rainbow cookies!

  17. Ranjani says:

    I’ve never been tempted by cake…ahem…balls before. Until now! These look fabulous

    And don’t worry about your data – with years of experimental fails behind me, I can tell you that it will work out in the end =)

  18. Veronica says:

    Oh, Joanne, you put me to shame! I so meant to make gingerbread cake balls this year for Christmas and forgot! I definitely wasn’t planning on making the gingerbread from scratch, though, you go girl! I’ll have to get on it next year. Merry Christmas to you!

  19. Amy says:

    A day…er…hour…does not go by around here with some sort of penis or fart joke. So I can appreciate this post! The chocolate gingerbread balls are just a bonus. That’s what she said!

  20. first off. Heck chyea to gingerbreads! these look stupendous.
    secondly i must tell you that the only reason i was watching walking dead at the gym was because i had run out of housewivez episodes to watch. SO that comment made me seriously grin. brainmates!

  21. Great looking round things. Ok, great looking balls, I bet they’re delicious 🙂
    Merry Christmas!

  22. MM says:

    totally mature enough to handle the word “balls”
    You don’t know me at all! I giggled my way through this entire post. Thanks for the laughs!

  23. Ashlee says:

    These look delicious! I’d love some of your gingerbread balls 🙂 And yeah, I totally am going to have to start blogging some detox, diety, January food because it’s been cookie-palooza here.

  24. Katerina says:

    Magical sweets perfect for this time of year! Merry Christmas Joanne with lots of love and joy for you!

  25. Mo 'Betta says:

    This post cracked me up & made me hungry. I happen to love molasses and all things gingerbread! And of course, who doesn’t love a few good jokes regarding the male anatomy. Much love and happiness in the New Year! Merry Christmas!

  26. Beth says:

    Your cake “balls” look great, but I must admit I’m won over by that apple spice cake. And your reference to Michael Scott completely made my day.

    Have a wonderful Christmas! Looking forward to that healthy post on Monday.

  27. They do remind me of an old skit on SNL which will be left unnamed 🙂 They look wonderful. Merry Christmas, Joanne!

  28. Gingerbread and cream cheese and white chocolate? Yes, please. Those balls look amazing. Of course I had to say balls. Happy Holidays to you!

  29. Kristen says:

    Ah, an entirely homemade version of cake *ahem* spheres, I am so pleased to see it!! Have a wonderful Christmas, Joanne!!!

  30. peachkins says:

    This got me mouthwatering….Merry Christmas!

  31. These look awesome! I love gingerbread and adore white chocolate, so I know I would like these cake balls, er pops. Oh, and I totally know what you mean about the name… I have a whole series of fruit & nut ball recipes that I endearingly call “truffles”. Haha.

  32. I think I died laughing at someone saying “balls” in one of Mike’s math videos (he makes me watch them…) just the other day. SO cake pops it is!

    These look amazing!

  33. Pam says:

    I’m afraid to say the word, but they look pretty great!

  34. I think I am in a sugar coma after reading this post. Everything looks luscious.

    Have a wonderful Christmas! 😉

  35. Lora says:

    I love gingerbread and white chocolate. Together = perfection. Happy Holidays adorable sporty med student. Wishing you the best next year and beyond.

  36. That Girl says:

    I asked my husband what he wanted for a holiday dessert and he chose a white cake with chocolate frosting. Your holiday desserts are so much more festive!

  37. Norma Chang says:

    Everything looks amazing delicious. I like them all.

  38. Hannah says:

    Mmm, that cake looks so dark and moist! Definitely the way gingerbread aught to be. I might opt to call these truffles, though; Truffles makes them instantly sound elegant/expensive. 😉

  39. Hi Joanna! They look soo cute I bet they taste awesome. Yes, eat up and eat well!! XD
    Merry Christmas to u too

  40. Sippity Sup says:

    merry Christmas Joanne. Meeting you was a highlight of 2011. I hope we repeat it in 2012. GREG

  41. Faith says:

    These are gorgeous, Joanne! I’m crazy for gingerbread so they are right up my alley. Lol, and it was probably for the best to avoid all ball jokes in lab! 🙂

    Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, my friend!

  42. Karen says:

    Bhahaha… you said balls!

  43. These are awesome and perfect for celebration! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…

  44. Mary says:

    Joanne, all your desserts look wonderful. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Blessings…Mary

  45. Julie says:

    In one of the pictures the frosting that landed on the paper looks like a giant sperm, so they must be balls. Looks delicious either way 🙂

  46. YUM! Being a huge fan of both gingerbread AND molasses, I wish I had a few of these BALLS in my hot little hands right now. (It really is impossible not to sound dirty saying balls, isn’t it?) Merry Christmas!

  47. Nicole, RD says:

    My blood sugar just went from 100 to 1,000 in reading this post. And I LOVE it!

    And a huge LOL to not wanting to say “balls” in front of your boss. I totally get it.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

  48. Debbie says:

    Nothing can top Italian Rainbow Cookies! My all time favorite and some day I will make them – when I am feeling extra ambitious! Merry Christmas Joanne!!!

  49. Everything is SO SO pretty – your rainbow cookie bar is my favourite as I make it too and know how special it is. Gorgeous photos and lots of love and fun in your kitchen this year, for sure! Merry Christmas, Joanne! There is definitely magic in the air! Best wishes for a prosperous and dream filled 2012!
    🙂
    XO
    valerie

  50. Miriam says:

    Everything looks awesome!! Happy Holidays!!

  51. Chris says:

    Happy Holidays, Joanne!

    Somewhere I hear Beavis or Butthead snickering and saying, “She said ‘balls'”

  52. Pam says:

    Happy Holidays Joanne!

  53. The lab I intern at goes crazy for baked foods, well, pretty much any food left alone in the lunch room 😛

    I wish someone brought in cake pops though D:

  54. Julie says:

    Happy Holidays!! These look amazing!

  55. Kim says:

    I’ve never seen a gingerbread cake ball before and I must say I love it! They look amazing.

    I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

  56. Oh, you are so funny, and you have great looking balls too! Love gingerbread, and love this idea.

    Hope you have a lovely Christmas xo

  57. Michele says:

    Well I think your cake “balls” look delicious! LOL

  58. Gloria says:

    Delicious Joanne:) Have a nice and delicious Christmas day:)

  59. Hahahahaha you are amazing. I am lucky enough to work in a vulgar office of dispatchers for a roadside assistance company and 50 potty-mouthed roadside techs, so there is no such filter for genitalia talk here, but I totally understand where you’re coming from. But, really, you don’t LOVE molasses?! Don’t you worry, girl. I love it enough for the two of us.
    Merry Christmas! xoxo

  60. Rachana says:

    Such a lovely collection of desserts. I hope you have a beautiful Christmas 🙂

  61. The cake balls with white chocolate coating look amazing!
    Wishing you and yours a blessed holiday season!
    Angie

  62. You know I usually don’t go for white chocolate but i’ll make an exception with these 😉

  63. sra says:

    This is funny.

    They look very good, though, totally innocent, like pure driven snow with some glitter on them.

  64. Catherine says:

    Dear Joanne, These desserts look wonderful!! Perfection is the only word to describe them. Blessings, Catherine xo

  65. grace says:

    cake balls are a lot of trouble and generally not worth the effort to me, but these are outstanding! so festive, so tasty–nice job!

  66. Yosha says:

    OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE gingerbread! Gingerbread and cake…I can’t wait to get home and try these!

  67. Erin says:

    These are almost too good to be true!

  68. Pierce says:

    Joanne, I totally get you about the comments when you say balls! We get the snort if anyone says rack, balls, “that’s pretty long” and well..you get the idea!!

  69. Deborah says:

    I’ve seen people calling them “truffles” a lot more – I think to avoid the whole “balls” thing! These look delicious!

  70. Don’t care what you call these, I want to eat them!! I love how you made muffins to use for the cake balls because the leftovers can be easy snacks. I used to hate molasses (though love ginger cookies). But now I eat blackstrap molasses in my oatmeal – mind you I am pretty good at eating things that I don’t like that I know are good for me so I eventually tolerate or like them.

  71. A belated merry Christmas, happy holidays and happy new year to you!!

  72. I loved that you used homemade gingerbread cake to make these tasty balls. Hehe. I took a shortcut and used a cake mix, but I think they turned out just as pretty!

    http://thekitchenkook.blogspot.com/2013/01/gingerbread-cake-balls.html

  73. Keely says:

    I’m making them at this very moment 🙂 I found that the muffin tops are harder to crumble and that i had large chunks mixed with the crumbs so I used a pie cutter to reduce them. It might have helped if I would have cut the muffin tops off first and them used the pie cutter on them before doing the bottom with my hands.

  74. Keely says:

    oops, I meant pastry cutter!

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