The Classic Snack You Should Be Using For Edible Cake Pop Sticks

Cake pops are undoubtedly one of the most delicious ways to use up leftover cake. Each pop is filled with the perfect ratio of cake to frosting, plus you get that crunchy chocolate or candy melt coating on the outside to really seal the deal. Though, some of your attention should be focused not on the ball itself, but rather on the stick. The standard cake pop sits atop a plastic-coated lollipop stick. It's sturdy and serves its purpose, sure, but you have to awkwardly find a trash can for it afterward. The better solution would be to stick your cake pop on top of something edible — like a pretzel stick. 

Pretzel sticks are sturdy enough to support the weight of a top-heavy cake pop, and they offer a delectable crunch, too. To make these pops, roll your crushed cake and frosting together into a ball. Dip one end of the pretzel into the candy melt, as this will help the ball stick to the pretzel without it sliding off. Then, you can coat the entire thing in your melted candy of choice. Not only will this tip allow you to eat the entire cake pop, but it will also open up the opportunity to play with more sweet and savory combinations. 

The first suggestion that may come to mind when you think of "pretzel" and "cake" is something peanut butter-based. There's just some magical harmony between the salty stick and the equally salty nut butter. We like to make protein-packed cake pops, which include peanut butter alongside a base of protein powder-infused chocolate sponge. Both the cake and the peanut butter will be in good company with the salty, yet mildly flavored pretzel. 

If you want something less adventurous, you could also just stick to a double chocolate cake pop. The pretzel will offer a crunchy reprieve from the dark, heavy chocolate flavor. And if you want a good tie-in between the stick and the pop, consider adding a sprinkle of sea salt and chopped pretzel pieces as a topping. It's important to note that pretzels tend to stale fast, so you'll want to avoid making them ahead of time or letting the pops sit with the pretzels for several days. Luckily, they're so tasty that you probably won't have to worry about leftovers.