The sun has finally broken through the Oregon winter clouds announcing that spring is here and summer isn’t far behind.  As the bright rays beam down from the sky and warm the earth, nothing sounds better than a nice cool refreshing treat from the freezer! fudgesicles Here’s a recipe to create your own rendition of a childhood classic, rich and creamy chocolate pops, none other than fudgesicles.

 

Unlike the store bought pops, the following recipe is made with creamy fruits, unrefined sugar and can be made dairy-free!  Add-ins let you customize you treat to be your very own!  Packed with vitamins and minerals, this one treat that you can feel good about eating!

 

Don’t let the avocado scare you, you can’t even taste it!  Avocados add to the creaminess of the dessert and pack it with healthy fats to keep your brain sharp and your skin smooth.  Look for avocados that are just ripe; they should be soft to the touch, but not mushy.  Getting them at just the right point means they are rich and creamy without a strong taste.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 just ripe avocado (should be soft to the touch, but not mushy); can be subbed out for more banana or Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 can coconut milk (lite or regular works fine)
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1/4 cup, or to taste, maple syrup or honey
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water, milk, or non-dairy milk, or as need to thin

 

**Kids—Be sure to ask an adult for help with the blender!  Those blades are sharp and very dangerous!**

 

Preparation:

  • Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. (You may need additional liquid, depending on how thick you want your fudgesicles to be.)
  • Taste, and adjust ingredients (maple syrup, cacao, etc) if necessary.
  • Pour into popsicle molds (small Dixi cups and popsicle sticks work well too!) and freeze until solid.

 

Variations:

  • Chocolate mint: add in 1/4 tsp of mint extract
  • Chocolate chips: after blending, hand mix in 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • Chocolate orange: add 1/4 tsp of orange extract, OR use orange juice in place of the liquid
  • Chocolate peanut butter: add 2-4 Tb peanut butter to blender (or any nut butter!)
  • Make up your own creation!  It’s fun to experiment in the kitchen!

 

Enjoy!