This treat is hands down my new summer favorite. It is not the most photo-worthy recipe I’ve ever made.... okay ha ha, we've all had a laugh about the photo ;) but it is a cinch to make and is a fantastic option when you’re craving ice cream on a hot summer day.
I’ve made it completely sweetener-free as well as with up to 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and I think the sweet spot (ha!) is right around 1 teaspoon. However, it really is a good treat without any maple syrup, if you happen to be avoiding added sweeteners.
Chocolate Banana Popsicles
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes (freezer time of 2 hours – see step 2)
Ingredients
2 Bananas
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (this is my favorite brand and this is why)
1 t maple syrup (optional)
Sea Salt
4 popsicle sticks
Instructions
- Chop the bananas in half and put them onto the popsicle sticks.
- Place the bananas on a plate in the freezer, ideally for 2 hours or more.
- Melt the coconut oil and mix together with cocoa powder and maple syrup in a small bowl.
- Pour the mixture into a cup. Try to pick a cup that is tall and narrow – a regular pint glass works, but a narrower cup would be even better.
- Remove the bananas from the freezer and prepare to dip them. You want to have the sea salt ready in a dish, because you have to dip the banana and then sprinkle the salt on IMMEDIATELY before the chocolate hardens. It really does harden very quickly, so if possible, have one person dipping and one person ready with the salt in hand.
- Line a plate with parchment paper.
- Dip each banana popsicle into the chocolate mixture, rotating until it is fully covered in chocolate. Set it onto the parchment paper and IMMEDIATELY sprinkle the sea salt over it. I have also thought about mixing it up and adding shredded coconut or finely chopped nuts, but I like the sea salt so much I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
- You’ll likely have leftover chocolate mix – I like to drink this! :) If you omit the maple syrup, you can still drink it but prepare for a more bitter taste.
- Enjoy your popsicles right away, or put them back in the freezer for a day or two. They may expand in the freezer and split the chocolate coating, but they’ll still be delicious!