Festive Christmas Tree Cake Dip

This Christmas Tree Cake Dip is a sweet, creamy, and incredibly festive no-bake dessert that tastes just like the iconic Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. This easy, 5-minute recipe transforms a few simple ingredients into a funfetti-style dip, swirled with green and topped with red sprinkles to mimic the classic holiday treat. It’s a fun, whimsical, and completely irresistible dip that will be the star of your holiday party.

Perfect for a last-minute holiday gathering, a kids’ Christmas party, or a sweet snack while watching holiday movies, this dip is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Serve it with a platter of your favorite dippers for a fun and interactive dessert experience that everyone will love.

this recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tastes Like the Real Thing: All the nostalgic flavor of a Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake in a fun, shareable dip.
• No-Bake & 5-Minute Prep: The easiest holiday dessert you’ll ever make, with no oven required.
• Perfect for Parties: A fun, colorful, and crowd-pleasing dip that’s perfect for any holiday event.
• Kid-Friendly: Kids love the sweet flavor, colorful swirls, and festive sprinkles.

Ingredients

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 8 oz Whipped Topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
• 1 1/2 cups White or Vanilla Cake Mix, heat-treated*
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3-4 tablespoons Milk
• Green Gel Food Coloring
• Red Sanding Sugar or festive red sprinkles
• For Serving: Vanilla wafers, graham crackers, pretzels, shortbread cookies, apple slices

*See Pro Tip in the “Tips & Variations” section for how to heat-treat raw flour.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat-Treat the Cake Mix: Spread the dry cake mix on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 1 minute and 15 seconds, or until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Let it cool completely.
2. Cream the Base: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Combine Ingredients: Beat in the powdered sugar and the cooled, heat-treated cake mix until well combined. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the dip is smooth and creamy.
4. Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping with a spatula until no streaks remain.
5. Create the Swirl: Transfer about one-third of the dip to a separate small bowl. Add a few drops of green gel food coloring and stir until you reach your desired shade of green. Dollop the green dip back on top of the white dip and use a knife to gently swirl it through a few times to create a marbled, tree-like effect.
6. Decorate and Serve: Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the red sanding sugar or sprinkles over the top to look like ornaments. Serve immediately with your favorite dippers.

Tips & Variations

• Pro Tip (Safety First!): It’s important to heat-treat the raw cake mix to kill any potential bacteria in the flour, making it safe to eat without baking. Don’t skip this step!
• Tree Shape: For a show-stopping presentation, use a spatula to shape the dip into a cone-like tree shape on your serving platter before adding the sprinkles.
• Different “Ornaments”: Use mini M&M’s or other festive sprinkles as the “ornaments” on your tree dip.
• Lighter Version: You can use an entire 16 oz container of whipped topping and omit the cream cheese and milk for a lighter, fluffier dip.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Why do I have to heat-treat the cake mix?
  • Raw flour can contain harmful bacteria. A quick blast of heat in the microwave or oven makes it safe to consume in no-bake recipes.
• How do I store this dip?
  • Store the dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It may firm up when chilled, so let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
• Can I make this ahead of time?
  • Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead party dessert! You can prepare it up to 3 days in advance. For the best look, add the sprinkles on top just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Create a fun and festive dessert board by serving this Christmas Tree Cake Dip in the center of a platter. Surround it with dippers like shortbread cookies, animal crackers, pretzels, and fresh fruit. For a truly meta experience, serve it with actual Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes for dipping!

Abby

Christmas Tree Cake Dip

This festive holiday dip combines Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes with cream cheese, whipped topping, and sprinkles for a creamy, sweet, and fun treat. Perfect for parties and holiday gatherings!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings: 15 people

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 250

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cartons Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes (vanilla)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 small container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• red & green sprinkles, for garnish
• cookies, pretzels, graham crackers, or fruit for dipping

Equipment

• Hand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Serving bowl

Method

 

1. Unwrap all the Christmas Tree Cakes, setting one aside for garnish. Roughly chop the rest into cubes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add chopped cakes, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
3. Using a spatula, fold in the thawed whipped topping until evenly combined.
4. Transfer dip to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.
5. Before serving, top with red & green sprinkles and garnish with the reserved cake. Serve with cookies, pretzels, graham crackers, or fruit.

Notes

You can swap in chocolate tree cakes for a fun flavor variation. Make sure to let cream cheese soften and whipped topping thaw before mixing. For extra cake flavor, add an extra half box of Christmas Tree Cakes.