Homemade coconut cream popsicles are SO easy to make and ready in just a few hours. It’s the perfect treat during the summer heat. Dairy-free & frugal! Don’t forget to check out my homemade ice pops (made with real fruit and no sugar) and homemade apple crumble ice cream.
In Georgia where I live, summer starts in May and usually lasts through the end of October. All six of those months are hot, but in July, August, and September, the heat and humidity are at their worst.
As in, race-to-the-car-before-your-makeup-melts hot. (Yes, we really do that!)
I sometimes have two or three different types of homemade popsicles in the freezer just to help us endure the summer heat.
I guess the benefit of making so many pops is that you come up with some real winners, like 3 – ingredient yogurt popsicles or irresistible cherry limeade popsicles. Both are healthy, cheap, and irresistible!
We even use homemade “Mombucus” immune syrup to make surprisingly delicious Elderberry Juice Pops to help fight off summer colds. It’s WAY cheaper than buying elderberry syrup from the store, and the pops taste great!
Coconut Cream Popsicles
But today, I’m sharing a recipe for my favorite homemade popsicle yet – Coconut Popsicles!
- If you like coconut, you’ll love these! They’re rich and creamy with flakes of real coconut swirled throughout, then dipped in lightly salted dark chocolate.
- The chocolate “magic shell”-type coating is optional, but dark chocolate and coconut? How could you not?
- As a bonus, these are soy and gluten-free, and can include a dairy-free option – hooray!
- Coconut cream popsicles are super easy and ready in just a few hours!
- Dairy-free option & frugal – just $1 each!
Here’s What You Need
- coconut milk (organic if possible to avoid additives)
- heavy cream (substitute with additional coconut milk for dairy-free)
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract (try my homemade recipe)
- pinch of sea salt
- shredded coconut, plus additional for sprinkling onto chocolate coating, if desired
- dark chocolate for coating (substitute Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips for dairy-free) (optional)
- coconut oil (if using less chocolate, reduce this accordingly) (optional)
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)
How to Make Coconut Cream Popsicles
Step 1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt, or more to taste.
Step 2. Stir in the shredded coconut.
Step 3. Ladle or pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for a few hours, or until set.
Step 4. With frozen pops still in the freezer, prepare the chocolate “shell” coating by melting chocolate and coconut oil in a small saucepot over low heat, stirring constantly until just melted (or in the microwave for 15-second intervals, stirring between each).
Step 5. Once melted, remove from heat immediately and stir in a pinch of salt.
Step 6. Remove pops from molds and place them on a cookie sheet or cutting board lined with wax paper. Place board and pops in the freezer.
Step 7. Removing one pop at a time from the freezer, hold it over the pot of melted chocolate, and use a small ladle to drizzle or pour the chocolate over the pop. Quickly transfer the pop back to the lined board in the freezer. Sprinkle with additional flaked coconut if desired.
Step 8. Repeat until all pops are coated and in the freezer to set.
Step 9. Store pops in the freezer until ready to eat (cover if storing longer than a few hours). Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving – just long enough for the creamy coconut to soften, but for the crispy chocolate, shell to remain frozen. Enjoy!
FAQs about Coconut Cream Popsicles
If you find that your coconut cream popsicles are not creamy, add a tablespoon of cornstarch! This will fix the problem!
Absolutely! Try this recipe and you will have delicious and frugal creamy coconut popsicles in no time! It’s the perfect summer treat.
Yes, you can!
Breakdown for Coconut Cream Popsicles
The only downside to these sweet treats is that they’re a little pricey – coming in at just over $1 for each chocolate-dipped bar, or just under $1 without chocolate.
- The sans-chocolate variety is similar in price to the premium line of organic “Coconut Bliss” bars sold at high-end grocers. The trouble with Coconut Bliss is that they’re sweetened with agave, something I try to steer clear of since agave is a highly refined product that is metabolized similarly to high fructose corn syrup.
- Cheaper coconut pops can certainly be found, but in my experience, they aren’t as creamy as these and aren’t chocolate-dipped either (a big drawback in my book!). Plus, you won’t find organic or non-GMO ingredients in the less expensive products.
What you almost certainly will find is plenty of refined sugar and other undesirable ingredients, like these found in the leading brand of frozen coconut bars:
- Skim Milk
- Sugar
- Coconut Cream
- Coconut
- Cream
- Natural Flavor (Contains Soy)
- Guar Gum
- Xanthan Gum
- Carrageenan
- Carob Bean Gum
- Natural Flavors
- Dextrose
Sometimes, splurging a little on a decadent treat you can feel good about eating and feeding your family is worth it, right?
- Easy Healthy Lemonade
- Cherry Limeade Popsicles
- Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- 3-Ingredient Yogurt Popsicle
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Homemade coconut cream popsicles are SO easy to make and ready in just a few hours. It’s the perfect treat during the summer heat. Dairy-free & frugal! Don’t forget to check out my homemade ice pops (made with real fruit and no sugar) and homemade apple crumble ice cream.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 5 popsicles 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Freezer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Popsicle Ingredients
- 6 oz coconut milk
- 6 oz heavy cream (substitute with additional coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (try my homemade recipe)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut, plus additional for sprinkling onto chocolate coating, if desired
Optional Ingredients
- 3 oz dark chocolate for coating, less if drizzling
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil (if using less chocolate, reduce this accordingly)
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt, or more to taste.
- Stir in the shredded coconut.
- Ladle or pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for a few hours, or until set.
- With frozen pops still in the freezer, prepare the chocolate “shell” coating by melting chocolate and coconut oil in a small saucepot over low heat, stirring constantly until just melted (or in the microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring between each).
- Once melted, remove from heat immediately and stir in a pinch of salt.
- Remove pops from molds and place them on a cookie sheet or cutting board lined with wax paper. Place board and pops in the freezer.
- Removing one pop at a time from the freezer, hold it over the pot of melted chocolate, and use a small ladle to drizzle or pour the chocolate over the pop. Quickly transfer the pop back to the lined board in the freezer. Sprinkle with additional flaked coconut if desired.
- Repeat until all pops are coated and in the freezer to set.
- Store pops in the freezer until ready to eat (cover if storing longer than a few hours). Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving – just long enough for the creamy coconut to soften, but for the crispy chocolate, shell to remain frozen. Enjoy!
Notes
- Coconut milk- Choose organic if possible to avoid additives.
- Maple syrup- Increase to 3 Tbsp if you want them sweeter, or are not dipping them in chocolate.
- Dark chocolate- Substitute Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips for dairy-free.
- Coconut oil – If using less chocolate, reduce this accordingly.
Nutrition
- Calories: 213
Am I able to use coconut cream instead of coconut milk? I have 2 tins for some reason and being in quarantine at the moment am looking to use up all the stuff in our house first!
Yes!
These all sound wonderful and the next time I’ll pick up the few items I don’t have at home. I love juice bars and have them in lieu of ice cream, being lactose intolerant. I don’t see a recipe for just line juice bars. Any suggestions on how to make them?
I meant LIME not line. Sorry about that! :-{
Hi Liv! A lime-only juice bar might be a bit too tart, but you could definitely blend it with maybe coconut milk or something else, just to mellow the flavor a teeny bit. I recommend following this recipe for ice pops: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/homemade-ice-pops/
They are delicious! I am dairy free for medical reasons and I loooove ice cream. It’s my Achilles heel… I was scouring the internet for a delicious alternative and found your recipe. I made them today. YUM! I didn’t have the enjoy chocolate chips on hand so I just added a little cocoa powder to the recipe for a hint of chocolate flavor. I put them in cups to eat with a spoon after they were frozen and man oh man…I could have easily eaten them all! So delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this.
You’re very welcome Amy!
So glad to hear this, Amy! 🙂
Can I substitute almond milk for the coconut milk?
I wouldn’t Kathy – you need the fat from the coconut milk to make these creamy.
These sound amazing!
If you were to buy something similar it would be closer to $2 each. I think it’s possible to make it less expensive if you have a high power blender and make your own coconut milk.
Ooh, great point about the savings from DIY coconut milk – thanks for throwing that into the discussion, Tammy!
These look lovely! I don’t have pop holders so I’ll use my mini ice cube trays. I don’t have maple syrup on hand so I’ll use coconut sugar, Instead of coating with chocolate, to save time I’ll drop in some chocolate chips and we’ll see what happens, yum! Thanks!
Thanks, Chetana! Great ideas for substitutions – I’d love to hear how they turn out! 🙂
This looks deliciuos! We are currently on the Daniel Fast (which is how I came across the Crmbs and I love it!) I think this will do great for a sweet treat and my girls will really love them as well! I get fresh cocinara here si I was wondering if you can tell me how to substitute the fresh, kind of mushy cocunut instead of shreded? Could I make the coconut milk from this also?thanks so much!
Hi Rosa. It’s wonderful that you’re using fresh coconut! I think you could probably substitute use the same amount of the fresh (“mushy”) coconut as is called for in the recipe (1/3 cup). It might even give the pops a little creamier texture!
I’ve never made coconut milk from fresh coconut myself, but Nourished Kitchen has a great tutorial here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/how-to-make-coconut-milk/.
Hi Rosa! I’ll let Dena answer the part about substituting the coconut, but you can make coconut milk from the mushy coconut instead of shredded. The process is the same, and you can find that tutorial here:
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2013/09/dairy-alternative-homemade-coconut-milk/
PS – I’m so glad you found Crumbs! Welcome!!
I’m looking forward to trying these as we head into summer (australia here!) – have you tried adding things like banana, pineapple or mango? They would go beautifully for a tropical style treat 😀
Actually, I did make a version with chopped pineapple stirred into the coconut mix and it was really good. In fact, that was my husband’s favorite. I think banana or mango would also be great additions – I’d love to hear how those varieties turn out if you make any of them, Naomi! 🙂
Well, I don’t mind making a more expensive treat if it means my boys will feel like their sweet tooth is satisfied without sugar and junk! Plus I am sure we can find things on sale to lower the price!!
Such a positive outlook Jasmine! I hope your boys enjoy the treat! 🙂
I agree – sometimes “value” outweighs price alone. I hope your boys enjoy the pops, Jasmine! 🙂
Could I use honey or something other than maple syrup? I just don’t like it…
You certainly could, Melanie! Honey has a stronger flavor than maple, so you might try starting with just 1-2 Tbsp, and adding the third only if it suits your taste.
So sorry to have misspelled your name in my original reply, Melany. My sister in law is “Melanie” so I just typed her spelling out of habit. :-/
These look delicious! I’m avoiding dairy for the present (I LOVE DAIRY. Hopefully not permanent!) and these seem like a nice creamy way to satisfy the craving, especially since, as you said, even ‘healthy’ frozen treats are loaded with thickeners and preservatives – especially the dairy-free ones. My toddler will love them as well 🙂
I’m so glad this can satisfy your currently dairy-free sweet tooth, Cait! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
“The only down side to these sweet treats is that they’re a little pricey – coming in at just over $1 for each chocolate dipped bar, or just under $1 without chocolate.”
They may be a bit pricey, but they look absolutely amazing!
I’m glad you think so, Stacy. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a teensy bit nervous about serving up a not-so-frugal treat as a guest poster on such a wonderfully helpful and budget-friendly blog….but I was glad Tiffany indulged me – they’re definitely worth the splurge! 😉
Those look SO delish! Thank you Dena for posting this recipe, I’ll have to give it a try 🙂
Aw, thank you, Mary Katherine – I’d love to hear what you think if you do try them! 🙂