Little Cheesecake Snowman Treats

This is a cute seasonal variation on cheesecake pops – little snowmen and Christmas trees all decked out in red and green. None of the steps in the process are very difficult, but it does take a bit of time.

First you must make the cheesecake (no crust). In a stand mixer, beat 32 ounces of cream cheese until soft. Add 1 cup of sugar and beat for about a minute. Add four eggs, one at a time (until well blended), 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Beat for about 30 seconds. Pour into a 9×13 baking pan and cook at 300ºF for 75 minutes. Turn the oven off, crack the door, and let the cake sit for one hour. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When your cheesecake is fully chilled, scoop it out of the pan and into a large mixing bowl. Beat the cheesecake until it forms a thick paste (about 2 minutes).

Fit a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Put cheesecake into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.

Squeeze out one ball and pat the top to make a foundation for the next. Squeeze another, smaller ball on top and then a smaller one on top of that. Instant snowman.

With a star tip, you can make some Christmas trees to go with your snowmen. Start with a large dollop on the bottom and continue wiggling the tip and pulling upwards to form the tree shape.

Place the cheesecake figures in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Sometimes I use the microwave, but you want the chocolate to be as thin as possible so it will form to the shapes.

Holding the snowman by the head, dip the bottom of each snowman into the white chocolate and place back on parchment paper. After all the bottoms are done, go back and dip each head into the chocolate. There will be a slightly noticeable line where the chocolate meets. If you are super careful and dip right to the indentation between balls, the line is totally invisible! Dip the trees in the same manner – base first, then the tops. With the trees, use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to get the chocolate into the grooves and to make little whisps.

Using red candy melts, fit your snowman with a happy red scarf. Start about 1/3 of the way down his chest and work back up towards the neck, around his back and back to the front, overlapping the ends.

When all of the chocolate has set up, it’s time to decorate. A piping bag with a tiny bit snipped off the end can be used, or you can melt a little dark chocolate in a bowl and use a toothpick to dot on the eyes and mouth and make the hands.

For a quick hat, dab a bit of melted chocolate on the flat side of a chocolate chip and pop it on his head!