Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Balls

A plate of chocolate cake balls covered in rich chocolate and decorated with festive red, white, and green sprinkles sits atop a “Happy Holidays” plate. One of the chocolate cake balls is bitten into, revealing its moist center.

These gluten-free chocolate cake balls are rich, chocolatey, and incredibly easy to make with just a box of gluten-free cake mix, frosting, and melted chocolate. They’re perfect for holidays, parties, or anytime you want a bite-sized dessert that looks impressive but takes minimal effort.

I make these all the time because you can mix and match cake and frosting flavors to create endless variations. If you want to turn them into cake pops, just insert lollipop sticks before dipping them in chocolate. Either way, they’re always a hit.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Only 4 ingredients. You need a box of gluten-free cake mix (plus whatever the box calls for), frosting, melting chocolate, and your choice of toppings. That’s it. No complicated techniques or special equipment required.
Perfect for parties and gifts. These cake balls look fancy and are easy to customize with different colors, sprinkles, or toppings. Make them for birthdays, holidays, or package them up as homemade gifts.
Make ahead friendly. You can bake the cake one day, shape the balls the next day, and dip them in chocolate whenever you’re ready. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.

Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Cake Mix: Use any brand of gluten-free chocolate cake mix you like. I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix or Bob’s Red Mill. Follow the package directions for baking and use whatever the box calls for (usually eggs, oil, and water or milk).
Frosting: Use store-bought chocolate frosting or vanilla frosting for this recipe. You can also use homemade Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting if you prefer. Start with less frosting and add more as needed – too much makes the balls greasy and soft.
Chocolate for Coating: Use chocolate candy melts or chocolate almond bark. These melt smoothly and harden quickly with a nice shell. You can also use chocolate chips with a tablespoon of coconut oil added to thin them out, but candy melts work better.
Toppings: Sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, mini chocolate chips, or leave them plain. Add toppings while the chocolate coating is still wet so they stick.
Lollipop Sticks (for Cake Pops): If you want to make cake pops instead of cake balls, you’ll need 4-inch lollipop sticks. Dip the tip of each stick in melted chocolate before inserting it into the cake ball – this acts like glue and keeps the ball from falling off.

Tip

Don’t add too much frosting. Start with about 3/4 of the can and mix it into the crumbled cake. Add more only if needed. The mixture should hold together when rolled into a ball but not feel greasy or overly wet.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?

Yes! You can use any flavor of gluten-free cake mix you like. Vanilla, yellow, red velvet, and funfetti all work great. We don’t get much variety in terms of gluten-free cake mixes at the grocery store, but mix and match cake and frosting flavors to create different combinations based on what you can find.

Why are my cake balls falling apart?

This usually means there’s not enough frosting to bind the cake crumbs together. Add more frosting 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together when squeezed into a ball.

Why are my cake balls falling off the stick?

For cake pops, always dip the tip of the stick in melted chocolate before inserting it into the cake ball. This acts as glue. Also make sure the balls are well chilled before dipping and don’t tap too hard to remove excess chocolate.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of candy melts?

Yes, but add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil per cup of chocolate chips to thin them out. Chocolate chips don’t melt as smoothly as candy melts and can be thicker and harder to work with.

Expert Tips

Let the cake cool completely before crumbling. Warm cake will make the mixture too wet and difficult to shape. I usually bake the cake the night before and let it sit uncovered at room temperature to cool and dry out slightly.
Use your hands to crumble the cake. Break the cake into small crumbs in a large bowl. You want fine crumbs with no large chunks. You can also use a food processor if you have one.
Chill the balls before dipping. Refrigerate the shaped balls for at least 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes. Cold cake balls are much easier to dip in chocolate and less likely to fall apart.
Use a tall container for melting chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a tall, narrow glass or measuring cup. This makes dipping much easier since you need less chocolate to get full coverage.

Storage instructions

Make Ahead: Bake the cake up to 1 day in advance and store at room temperature. Shape the cake balls up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to dip.

Room Temperature: Store dipped cake balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’re fine to sit out at parties for several hours.

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freezer: Freeze dipped cake balls in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Serving suggestions

These chocolate cake balls are perfect on their own, but they also make a great addition to a dessert spread. Serve them alongside Gluten-Free Brownies and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies for a chocolate lover’s dream table. They’re also great with Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies for color and variety at holiday parties.

More gluten-free cake recipes

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