These Dairy-Free Fudgesicles are a fun summer treat! Smooth, creamy pops are filled with two kinds of chocolate and sweetened with honey. Plus they’re so easy to make you’ll be whipping them up all summer long.
And they’re also gluten-free, refined sugar-free and Paleo and can easily be made vegan.
Why this recipe works
It’s summer. It’s hot out. You want a cool treat but you also want chocolate. The solution? Fudgesicles.
These chocolate popsicles are so rich and thick they have a fudgy texture. Traditional recipes can do that a number of ways, such as using pudding mix, cornstarch, or other thickeners. They also use regular milk. So for those of us that are dairy-free, regular fudgesicles aren’t an option.
So I created this dairy-free fudgesicle recipe so those of us who are dairy-free can still enjoy this creamy, refreshing treat. Instead of regular milk, I find a combination of almond milk and coconut milk is the perfect alternative. If you just use almond milk, they’ll taste too almond-y. If you just use coconut, they’ll be too coconutty. If you use some of each, neither one is strong enough to taste them!
And because we want these to be as indulgent as possible, we’re using both cocoa powder and chocolate for the best of both worlds.
Instead of regular sugar, this recipe uses honey. You don’t need too much to make them sweet enough without overdoing it.
Finally, instead of cornstarch or pudding mix, we’re using a bit of arrowroot flour/starch. It helps thicken the mixture, giving these fudgesicles their characteristic creamy, fudgy texture.
But don’t worry, these homemade healthy fudgesicles don’t taste like health food. They tastes like pure, chocolate-y decadence.
What you need
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour/starch – This will help thicken the mixture, giving the fudgesicles their classic creamy, fudgy texture.
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk – The combination of this and the coconut milk means the pops won’t taste almond-y of coconutty.
- 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- ⅔ cup honey – This is just enough sweetness to make the pops both kid- and adult-friendly. If you want a darker, more sophisticated pop, cut the honey to ½ cup.
- 1 ounce unsweetened (baker’s) chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – This adds a subtle roundness to the flavor so it’s not too one-dimensional.
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt – You need just a small amount to bring out all the flavors.
Equipment:
- measuring spoons
- a measuring glass
- a small saucepan
- a whisk
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- popsicle molds
How to make Dairy-Free Fudgesicles
Step 1: In a measuring glass, add the almond milk and coconut milk (no need to stir them together).
Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa powder and arrowroot. Place the saucepan over medium heat and pour in about ½ cup of the milk mixture while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the milk, cocoa and arrowroot have combined into a paste, then whisk in the rest of the milk.
Step 3: Let the mixture come to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the mixture has slightly thickened.
Step 4: Add the honey, chocolate, vanilla and salt and whisk until completely combined and the chocolate has melted.
Step 5: Pour the mixture into a large measuring glass and let cool for at least 10-15 minutes.
Step 6: Give the mixture one last good whisk to blend in any skin that might’ve formed on the surface. Pour the mixture into the popsicle molds and freeze for at least 8 hours. To unmold, you might have to run the molds under hot water for about 5 seconds to release the pops.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You can use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder but keep in mind it can be a bit more bitter.
You can use all almond milk, but the pops won’t be as thick and might have a slightly almond taste.
You can use all coconut milk, but the pops will be a lot thicker and might have a slight coconut taste.
You can use maple syrup instead of honey, which would also make these pops vegan (but might also add a slightly maple flavor).
You can add almond extract in addition to or instead of the vanilla extract if you want an almond flavor.
That depends on how airtight your popsicle molds are, but these should be fine for at least 3 months in the freezer.
Use maple syrup in place of the honey but note that the pops might have a subtle maple flavor.
Yep. The recipe contains no ingredients with gluten but, as always, carefully read the ingredients information on any store-bought products.
Other recipes you might like:
- Mango Popsicles
- Mango Tajin Popsicles
- Cherry Mango Popsicles
- Red, White & Blue Popsicles
- Banana Popsicles
Dairy-Free Fudgesicles (gluten-free, Paleo)
Equipment
- Popsicle mold
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 oz. unsweetened (baker's) chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a measuring glass, add the almond milk and coconut milk (no need to stir them together).
- In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa powder and arrowroot. Place the saucepan over medium heat and pour in about ½ cup of the milk mixture while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the milk, cocoa and arrowroot have combined into a paste, then whisk in the rest of the milk.
- Let the mixture come to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the mixture has slightly thickened.
- Add the honey, chocolate, vanilla and salt and whisk until completely combined and the chocolate has melted.
- Pour the mixture into a large measuring glass and let cool for at least 10-15 minutes.
- Give the mixture one last good whisk to blend in any skin that might've formed on the surface. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 8 hours. To unmold, you might have to run the molds under hot water for about 5 seconds to release the pops.
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