Peanut butter isn’t just for toast or after-school snacks anymore. In fact, it’s about to become your go-to dessert. Enter the peanut butter popsicle, a creamy, protein-packed take on the family favorite frozen treat. Making peanut butter popsicles is surprisingly easy, and you only need a few pantry staples: peanut butter (obviously), yogurt (preferably a high-protein Greek yogurt), a banana, and a touch of maple syrup. Throw everything into a blender or food processor until smooth, then pour into popsicle molds. Don’t forget to leave a little room at the top of the mold — frozen mixtures expand!
Freeze the popsicles overnight or, better yet, give them a full 24 hours to firm up completely. You can enjoy then simply them as-is, or go full indulgent by dipping the popsicles into a quick homemade chocolate shell — just melt some dark chocolate in the microwave and dip each popsicle in, then top them with crushed peanuts for some extra texture. Alternatively, you can drizzle them with caramel sauce. For a dairy-free version, sub in canned coconut milk or plant-based yogurt.
Hacks for creating the perfect peanut butter popsicle
Getting the texture and flavor of your homemade peanut butter popsicles just right isn’t complicated, but there are some tricks to optimize your experience even more. First, make sure you find the best peanut butter to suit your tastes and goals, since you don’t want a brand that’s overly oily or sugary, and for popsicles you should ideally stick to smooth rather than crunchy. Next, really make sure that you blend all the ingredients together for at least a full minute, or even longer if you’re using a frozen banana or thick yogurt. This helps avoid icy chunks and gives your popsicles that creamy, smooth consistency. For a flavor twist, stir in a spoonful of vanilla extract instead of the maple syrup. If you want to go full sandwich inspired, swirl in a bit of strawberry jam before freezing.
Keep in mind too that, to finish with a chocolate shell, it will have to be added the day after freezing the peanut-butter pops. You can either mix some dark chocolate chips with butter to get a nice, creamy dip, or coconut oil if you want to keep your treats dairy-free. Pour the melted chocolate into a tall glass, then carefully dip and spin your popsicles inside it to get an even coating. Place them on a parchment-lined tray and freeze them again to set. This is luckily one of the dozens of treats you can make with frozen peanut butter, and one that’s ideal for either a hot day or just a night when you fancy a cool, creamy dessert.
