Chocolate peanut butter lovers rejoice! This vegan fudgesicle recipe takes just a few ingredients: coconut milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and vanilla. A hit of salt and chopped peanut butter cups take them over the top.
The Quest for a Healthier Homemade Fudgesicle Recipe
Full disclosure: Though I spent many childhood summers nomming strawberry, coconut, and lime fruit-only popsicles, as well as ice cream bars, Italian ices, and loads of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch ice cream, I can't remember ever having eaten a classic Fudgesicle. Nor do I have any desire to. So my version may or may not taste like the classic. But I can assure you, it tastes delicious. And it definitely does not taste vegan or naturally-sweetened.
Vegan Peanut Butter Fudgesicle Ingredients
This homemade fudgesicle recipe starts with a base of creamy coconut milk and natural peanut butter sweetened with maple syrup. The chocolate layer gets a whole lot of cocoa powder, plus a bit more maple syrup, and a little plant milk. Salt and vanilla enhance the flavors. Chopped chocolate peanut butter cups add textural interest, but you can leave them off if you don't have any on hand.
How to Make Fudgesicles with a Peanut Butter Swirl
These vegan fudgesicles come together in a few minutes with the help of a blender. Blitz together coconut milk, peanut butter, and maple with vanilla and salt until smooth. To make the pretty swirl, remove half of the peanut butter mixture and set aside. To the blender, add the cocoa, the remaining maple syrup, and plant milk to create a chocolate layer.
These layers swirl the best when thickened to the consistency of heavy cream. I usually store my peanut butter and maple in the fridge. These cold ingredients make for a thicker mixture when freshly blended. But if your ingredients are room temperature, just pop the chocolate and peanut butter layers in the fridge post-blending until thick.
Refined Sugar-Free Fudgesicles
Leave off the chocolate peanut butter cups and these fudgesicles will be free of refined sugar, getting all their sweetness from maple syrup. And if you want refined sugar-free peanut butter cups, make this recipe and trade in peanut butter for the pistachio.
These fudgesicles come together quickly and easily if you have a blender and a popsicle mold. Despite being made with vegan ingredients and natural sweetener, these fudgesicles still taste rich and decadent. The flavors of maple and coconut take a backseat to rich cocoa, peanut butter, vanilla, and a nice edge of salt. No one will ever guess that they're made with these ingredients.
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding
This popsicle mixture will also set up into a spoonable pudding if chilled for several hours. To make pudding, chill the mixtures until thick enough to swirl. Carefully layer the two into small mason jars. Chill until firm, several hours and up to several days. I like to top these with thick, creamy coconut yogurt and a sprinkle of flaky salt or chopped chocolate.
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make these vegan peanut butter fudgesicles, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Vegan Peanut Butter Fudgesicles
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Peanut Butter Layer:
- ½ cup (125 g) well-stirred natural creamy peanut butter (chilled)
- ½ cup (150 g) maple syrup (chilled)
- 1 (13.5 ounce / 398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste (I like Rodelle)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Chocolate Layer:
- ½ cup (45 g) dutch-process cocoa powder (I like Rodelle)
- ½ cup (135 ml) plant milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
To Finish:
- 5 ounces (140 g) dark chocolate peanut butter cups, chopped (1 cup) (I use Justin’s Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups)
Equipment
- Popsicle mold
Instructions
- In the bowl of a blender, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt. Blend to combine, starting on low and increasing to high.
- Pour roughly half of this mixture into a measuring pitcher (1 ½ cups) and set aside.
- To the remaining peanut butter mixture in the blender, add the cocoa powder, plant milk, and remaining maple syrup. Blend until smooth.
- The mixtures should be the consistency of heavy cream to swirl well. If they’re too runny, chill for 20-30 minutes or so to thicken them for the best swirling.
- Place a few pieces of chopped peanut butter cups in the bottom of your popsicle molds.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the molds, filling them a little more than halfway. Gently pour the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate mixture, leaving ½-inch of room at the top. Use a chopstick to swirl the mixture gently.
- Freeze until the tops of the popsicles are semi-firm, 10-20 minutes, then press the remaining peanut butter cups into the tops. Add the popsicle sticks, and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to several days.
Notes
Nutrition
Susan says
1. Chocolate + peanut butter? You are evil. ;)
2. This makes a pudding, too? Really, you are evil.
3. This made me think of those Danny's (or maybe they were Dannon?) srawberry yogurt bars on a stick, covered in chocolate. My mom used to buy them when I was little. I've always been drawn more to frozen yogurt/sorbet type frozen desserts than full-on ice cream . . . unless you're talking peanut butter. And chocolate. So, this is getting made this weekend (along with some strawberry jam.) I think my kitchen will be busy! I cannot wait to try these. Thanks for another terrific GF summer treat!
Alanna says
Aw thank you for the sweet note! Those strawberry bars sound amazing! I bet you could do a PBJ thing and swirl some jam into these bars if you wanted to. Save me one! ;)
Maja from Jernej Kitchen says
Gosh, I just love your photography so much! You present food so beautifully, it's truly inspiring. Also, love this recipe and I will make sure to make it soon, especially love the homemade butter cups. So good!
Alanna says
Aw thank you for the sweet words! I'm always inspired by your STUNNING photography as well. Let me know if you try these! <3
Talia says
I can't stop making these. They're just perfect! I don't add the crumbled peanut butter cups because I can't find vegan ones in my neighbourhood, and they're still perfect!
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad you're loving them! That makes me so happy. :)
Scarlet says
These vegan fudgesicles look so rich and creamy and delicious. I am pinning to make very soon!
Alanna says
Yay! Let me know how you like them when you give them a try. :)
Laura Downing says
AMAZING! These are sooooo good! Which mold do you use?
Heidi says
These turned out absolutely amazing! Defitnely a favorite of ours and I can't wait to try the Mint Chocolate & Blackberry Maple Cream ones
I had to refrigerate my mixtures for a while to get them to a thicker consistency before pouring into the molds, but it was no big deal. The results were fantastic, everyone loved them.
Alanna says
Ah thanks for the feedback! I'm so glad you loved these!!
Halle says
Is there any reason I can't blend the layers together? Also, is there a way to use chopped peanuts as a coating? Thanks!
Tina says
This looks so great but would it be okay to use a different plant-based milk in the peanut butter part? I'm vegan but coconut milk/cream aggravates my IBS and I am exhausted from so many of the frozen vegan treats being coconut based. Thanks for your help.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I feel you - IBS is no fun! I think any plant milk you tolerate well should work. They might just be a little less rich and more icy if you use a milk that's thinner than coconut milk. I bet almond or macadamia would work well and they're low FODMAP too. Let me know what you try!