Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles

Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles

Today we are making Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles! So these popsicles were inspired by Banana Cream Pie. Although they don’t have the whole banana-cream-graham-cracker-whipped-topping thing going on, the texture and flavor reminded me of eating a banana dessert, but in frozen popsicle form! These popsicles are made with whole foods and use simple ingredients. Being vegan, the good news is that you don’t have to skimp out on any of the delicious dessert flavors on a plant-based diet!

Banana Cream Pie Inspired

Did you know Banana Cream Pie Day is a thing? It’s on March 2nd. To observe this holiday, we make BANANA. CREAM. PIE! It is thought to have originated in the American Midwest – pies are pretty popular there, but bananas were an exotic fruit until the end of the 19th century, when transportation made them more accessible for everyone.

Then lo and behold, 1951 rolled around and the old American Midwest decided hey! Let’s add this yellow exotic-ness to the long list of pie flavors. So the Banana Cream Pie is a pie base of banana custard taking the spotlight, then the usual pie elements – graham cracker crust, appropriately sliced fruit (in this case, sliced bananas) and whipped cream on top. Kind of typical pie, right? But if you haven’t tried this, I do recommend.

Although this popsicle isn’t specifically a Banana Cream Pie, it is a banana pop that I think deserves the title of creamy. Ya know, not the “icy” popsicles that are usually made of fruit? Yeah, the one you just thought of. So try this out! The weather app has been telling me it feels like 37 degrees C outside most days, and it always helps to be able to walk to the freezer and pull out a freshly made treat!

Why You’ll Love These Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles

Creamy Without Dairy: These popsicles don’t use any dairy or animal products to get their creaminess. Instead, the secret ingredient to replace the dairy is coconut milk! Well, and almond butter (and many times, cashews provide creaminess too but this is a cashew-free recipe).

Both nut butter and milk are rich in healthy fats (providing a creamy texture). Also, bananas provide natural sweetness and have a low water content also make for an additional rich flavor!

Simple Recipe: With just four main ingredients and one blender, these fruity dessert popsicles are ready in a flash. Then you just have to pour it into popsicle molds and wait a few hours for a frozen treat!

Long Storage Time: These popsicles will last for quite a long time in the freezer, making them the perfect summer dessert to prepare ahead of time and keep for when it’s a hot day and you want a yummy snack.

Substitutions

Bananas: Use ripe bananas – not too spotty, not too underripe. They should not be frozen bananas, just room temperature. Using fresh fruits in recipes provide natural sweetness (which is an added bonus – the taste of fresh fruit desserts is already so good and the perfect way to get in a serving of fruit!). There’s also a minimal amount of added sugar from the maple syrup, due to the natural sugar content in the bananas.

Almond Butter: Use cashew butter, peanut butter or another nut butter. Sunflower seed butter or tahini (sesame seed paste) may also work for a nut-free option. Note that every nut has a different underlying taste, and using peanut butter will have a stronger taste than others.

Full-Fat, Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Use full-fat, canned coconut milk. This gives the best texture because it has the highest fat content. Specifically, using canned and full-fat. Not carton milk and not lite or low-fat versions. These different versions could be substitutes, but the original recipe would use the full-fat version. You can also substitute another plant-based milk like almond milk with lower fat, albeit providing a less creamy texture.

A can of coconut cream may also work, but it may make the recipe taste too rich. Having coconut milk (which is a mix of coconut water and coconut cream) dilutes it down a bit so it doesn’t have that stick-to-the-top-of-your-mouth-and-the-back-of-your-throat feel.

Maple Syrup: Substitute with another liquid sweetener, such as agave syrup. If using maple syrup, opt for pure maple syrup – not pancake syrup. There should be only one ingredient on the bottle label.

If you’re looking for a raw sweetener, you can try to substitute this with the same amount of pitted Medjool dates – make sure they’re super soft before blending though!

Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles Notes

• If using a scale, note that the weight information for the bananas in the recipe card was with the peel and the entire banana.
• Melt vegan dark chocolate chips and pour this in halfway while making the popsicles. Fill the molds up halfway with the banana mixture, pour melted chocolate in, then continue to fill the remaining space with the original mixture. Now you have a popsicle with a chocolate center!

More Tasty Treats You’ll Love

Creamy Strawberry Popsicles: It’s strawberry season! Grab all that fresh produce and put it to use in these bright, summer popsicles with fresh berries!

Frozen Hot Chocolate: Chocolate cravings? This Starbucks-inspired drink is the perfect treat to blend up and drink on a hot summer day.

Vegan Cheesecake (Lemon Raspberry): This sweet treat is a creamy cashew based cheesecake that’s tangy with lemons and raspberry, making the ultimate summer flavor dessert!

Mango Sago: Mango Sago recipe is a sweet, layered coconut and mango dessert with tapioca pearls that originated in Hong Kong.

Fruity Nice Cream Sorbets: If you’ve ever wondered how to make banana nice cream, this recipe will teach you all the basics, along with making a layered banana fruit sorbet.

Kiwi Strawberry Sorbet: This Sugar Free Sorbet Recipe uses frozen fruits (strawberries, kiwis and pineapples) for a sweet and tangy summer dessert.

Key Lime Pie Parfait: A vegan and gluten free Key Lime Pie Parfait that imitates the beloved American dessert with a high-protein lime filling and no-bake pie crust!

Neapolitan Vegan Ice Cream: Sugar free vegan ice cream recipe with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors make Neapolitan flavor!

Mango & Berry Vegan Yogurt: A Fruity Vegan Yogurt Recipe using summer fruits in between yogurt layers for a quick and healthy snack or breakfast.

If you make these Creamy Vegan Banana Popsicles, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!