The very first time I made Christmas Tree Dip, my entire kitchen filled with the sweet, nostalgic smell of holiday snack cakes and creamy vanilla. I remember mixing everything together and realizing almost instantly why people go crazy for this dessert dip. It felt like taking the magic of Christmas morning and whipping it into a bowl. The texture was fluffy, the flavors were warm and familiar, and I knew right away this was going to be one of my go-to festive treats each year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this Christmas Tree Dip because it’s incredibly simple, unbelievably delicious, and tastes like a dessert straight out of a holiday bakery case. It has the nostalgic flavor of the Little Debbie cakes you grew up eating, but transformed into a fluffy dip perfect for parties. It’s one of those recipes that looks adorable on the table but also gets scraped clean long before the gathering is over. Plus, you don’t need any baking skills — just mix, fluff, and serve.
Ingredients
- 5 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz Cool Whip whipped topping
- ½ cup powdered sugar (optional for added sweetness)
- Holiday sprinkles for topping
You can absolutely adjust this recipe to suit your taste. If you like a sweeter dip, add the powdered sugar; if you prefer something more balanced, leave it out. The Christmas Tree Cakes are the star — they add flavor, texture, and that iconic holiday feeling — so don’t replace them unless you truly need to. But if they’re out of stock, any holiday snack cake will still work. The Cool Whip needs to be thawed gently in the fridge so it blends smoothly without deflating.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
- Measuring cup (for optional powdered sugar)
- Serving bowl
A hand mixer is incredibly helpful here because it breaks down the snack cakes quickly and helps everything fluff up into that light, cloudlike texture. You can mix by hand, but it takes more effort and won’t get quite as smooth. A rubber spatula is perfect for scraping the sides of the bowl and folding in the Cool Whip without knocking out too much air. And while any bowl will do, I love using a festive holiday serving dish because this dip just feels like it belongs in something cheerful.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I start this recipe, I always begin by letting the cream cheese soften on the counter. Cold cream cheese doesn’t blend well and leaves little lumps, so giving it time to warm makes all the difference. Once it’s ready, I place it in a mixing bowl and whip it until it’s creamy before adding anything else. This step alone helps create the dip’s signature smooth texture. Next, I crumble the Christmas Tree Cakes right into the bowl — frosting, sprinkles, and all — and watch the mixer transform them into a delicious, fragrant paste.
After the snack cakes and cream cheese blend together, I add the Cool Whip. This is my favorite part because the mixture suddenly turns light and airy as the whipped topping folds in. I use a spatula first to gently combine everything before turning on the mixer on low to finish the job. The whole bowl becomes this dreamy, fluffy holiday dip that smells like vanilla cookies and childhood. If I want a sweeter dip, this is when I sprinkle in a little powdered sugar and mix again.(See the next page below to continue…)