Dairy-Free Fudge Pops Are A Taste of Summer Bliss
If your summer bucket list includes “Make Homemade Fudge Popsicles” then you already know how the simple things in life help make every season special. If you don’t have a fudgesicle plan for your summer, then it’s never too late to add one! This recipe for dairy-free fudgesicles is simple and has a fudge ice-cream-like texture, but without any dairy, making it a pleasing treat recipe that everyone can enjoy. We tested it multiple times (not that we minded) to get the creamiest results and a fool-proof fudge pop recipe that you’ll enjoy right down to the last chocolaty drip!
Ingredients to Make Dairy-Free Fudgesicles
Check your pantry – you may already have everything it takes to freeze a batch of these quick homemade dairy-free fudge pops today.
Canned coconut milk – we use canned full-fat coconut milk, but you could also use light coconut milk. We tested the recipe with other non-dairy milk alternatives (ie: almond milk, soy milk), but they resulted in more ice crystals and less creamy pops, so we recommend using full-fat coconut milk Unsweetened cocoa powder – we recommend Dutch process cocoa powder because it will dissolve a little better into the liquid, but you can use natural or raw cocoa powder, too. Any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder will work here Honey – or use agave nectar or maple syrup to make these vegan fudge pops Cornstarch – this ingredient is optional, but it does make for a creamier consistency. You can sub in arrowroot powder. Vanilla – a touch of vanilla helps brighten and intensify the chocolate flavor
How to Make Dairy-Free Coconut Fudge Pops
It’s fantastically simple to make these dairy-free fudgesicles. Start by heating the coconut milk and honey in a saucepan to a simmer. Be sure to shake the cans of coconut milk really well before opening them since the fat solids and coconut water can separate (this is normal). If you already have the can open, just spoon it all into the saucepan and whisk it together. Add the cocoa powder and cornstarch and continue to heat and whisk until the powders are well incorporated and the mixture comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and easily coats the back of a spoon. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit aside for 15-30 minutes to cool slightly before stirring in the vanilla and pouring the mixture into popsicle molds.
Is Coconut Milk Good for You?
Though these dairy-free fudgesicles have a coconut milk base, the coconut doesn’t impart very much of the flavor. Instead, the rich chocolatey flavor reigns supreme, enhanced by a touch of vanilla extract, while the coconut provides a creamy backdrop. Coconut milk is made by mixing the finely grated white coconut “meat” from a coconut with water (about 50/50 coconut and water) resulting in a thick and creamy liquid. Coconut milk is high in fat and most of that fat is a type of saturated fat called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are metabolized differently than other fats making them a quick source of energy. There’s some evidence that the MCT fats in coconut milk may be a beneficial choice for weight loss and improved metabolism.
Tips for Freezing Dairy-Free Fudgesicles
To make super creamy fudgesicles, we recommend that you allow the heated cocoa mixture to cool at least 30 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) before pouring the mixture into molds. Not only will this help avoid ice crystals forming on the pops, but it will also avoid temporarily heating up the temperature of your freezer, which could compromise other frozen foods. After the popsicles are completely frozen in the mold, remove them and individually wrap each popsicle in plastic wrap. This helps avoid the bottoms of the popsicles becoming freezer burned. Once frozen, you could also place batches of popsicles in a larger freezer bag and pull them out one by one.
The Best Molds for Homemade Fudgesicles
You can use whatever popsicle mold you have on hand. We used this 10-cavity silicone mold that makes 3-ounce fudgesicles. We like these molds because the bendable silicone makes it easy to remove the fudge popsicles from each cavity, and it comes with a lid that helps hold the popsicle sticks in place in the freezer. No popsicle mold? No problem! You can also use small juice cups or paper cups. Top the cups with tin foil and poke the popsicle sticks through the foil so they will stand up until the popsicles are frozen. Since these dairy-free fudgesicles are a rich and creamy treat, they also portion out nicely in 2-ounce molds, like these. You would need two of these 8-portion 2-ounce molds to have enough molds for this dairy-free fudgesicle recipe. This recipe makes enough mixture to make 10 3-ounce fudgesicles or 15 2-ounce fudgesicles.
Other Cool Treats to Try:
Creamy Yogurt Popsicles with Berries Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie Pops Dairy-Free Almond Butter Banana Nice Cream Dairy-Free Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sweet & Salty Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Be sure to shake the cans of coconut milk really well before opening them since the fat solids and coconut water can separate (this is normal). If you already have the cans open, just use a spoon or whisk to mix it all together before pouring it into the saucepan. ** This recipe makes enough mixture to make ten 3-ounce fudgesicles or fifteen 2-ounce fudgesicles. For the photographs in this blog post, we used these 3-ounce molds. *** It’s not necessary to remove the fudge pops from the mold and individually wrap them, but this step does help prevent the ends of the pops from becoming freezer burned and they will last longer in the freezer. The Nutrition Analysis for 2-ounce pops is (per fudgesicle): 106 calories, 9 g total fat (7 g saturated fat), 18 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 g carb (0 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 1 G protein
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