Reason why my job is weird: I had to take a well placed bite out of a vegan fudgesicle first thing in the morning because the lighting was right for photography.
Reason why my job is awesome: I had to take a well placed bite out of a vegan fudgesicle first thing in the morning because the lighting was right for photography.
I mean really, what other excuse could I muster up for having a fudgesicle for breakfast? This was the perfect one!
You know how those traditional store-bought fudgesicles are unique in the popsicle world, as they have that amazing frozen creamy chewy fudge texture to them? Well I figured out exactly what the key is to get that unique texture: cornstarch.
What's that now? Yes, the key to the creamiest vegan fudgesicles with that classic bite, is to basically make chocolate milk, but then cornstarch is added to the mix which thickens the milk into a fudge sauce. When frozen, it doesn't freeze completely hard like a fruit juice popsicle would, but it instead has this amazing chewy creamy fudgeiness that will make you fall in love with every single delicious bite... even first thing in the morning.
Welcome to my new favourite treat of the summer!
To make The Creamiest Vegan Fudgesicles: in a medium sauce pan, whisk together the non-dairy milk, coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch over medium heat. The powders might float on top like this, but will come together as it heats up.
Bring to a simmer whisking often, and cook for 3 - 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture thickened into a fudge sauce. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Look at that fudgey deliciousness!!
Pour the fudge sauce into the molds and freeze overnight. I used a mold similar to this one, but any popsicle mold will do.
As with any homemade popsicle, if they are difficult to remove from the mold, you can run the mold under warm water for a minute to help release the fudgesicles.
The Creamiest Vegan Fudgesicles
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond milk)
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the non-dairy milk, coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch while cold. Put over medium heat and continue to whisk. It will come together as it heats up. Bring to a simmer whisking often, and cook for about 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture thickened into a fudge sauce. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the fudge sauce into the molds and freeze overnight.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
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Isabella says
Hi, can I use agar flakes or powder instead of cornstarch?
Mandy says
O.M.G. These are DEEELICIOUS, Sam! Just the right amount of "chewiness", not hard-packed ice as some store-bought ones can be. Thank you thank you thank you! Definitely will be a KEEPER and in constant Summer rotation. I haven't even given one to my bf yet and I know he will FREAK OUT about how good these are!!! Easy to make,too. I won't tell him THAT! Haha! I always have these ingredients on hand. I used cacao instead of cocoa,too BTW. Num num num!!!!
Amy says
Delicious and easy to make! The whole family loves them!
Abi Elvins says
So, so, soooo good and a doddle to make. These are flying out of the freezer! Yay!!! Thank you for yet another fantastic, totally reliable recipe, Sam!! It's so clear how hard you work on these recipes to make them perfect.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Abi, I really appreciate it 🙂
Jen says
I was out of cornstarch so I made these with arrowroot powder, and they turned out great. Also added a pinch of salt. This will be my go-to recipe for these! Will try the cornstarch next time.
Bianca says
I can tell I'll be making these on repeat.
Way cheaper than store bought vegan popsicle. And so creamy, so fundgy, so yummy...!
For the coconut haters: you can barely notice there's coconut milk in them. Just go for it!
Julie says
You must know that these popsicles and exploring seitan cooking with your recipes (the burgers and the chicken are incredible!) have been the food highlights of our quarantine. Thank you!
Beatrice Long says
These were delicious, and perfect for our recent hot, hot weather. I had quite a bit left over after filling my molds, so froze it in a bowl. Several days later, I scooped it into the blender, added some oat milk, whizzed it up, and we had the yummiest, creamiest milkshakes. Both are big hits. Thank you!
Ann Howell says
These are so good!!! Ended up having a little extra, which I just stuck in the fridge and ate like pudding 🙂 Perfect summer treat!
Kris says
Love this recipe! I’m thinking that this would make really yummy ice cream in my ice cream maker.
Marilyn CALHOUN says
Super Yummy. I put in blender for 30 sec. Then cooked in microwave for 4 minutes, stirring halfway. Make sure to use 2 qt bowl so it won't boil over. Cool and pour in molds. Super easy. I have shared recipe with family and bought molds for my adult kids to make for all grandkids.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!!
Laura says
Greetings to you! I cannot use cornstarch. Do you know if I can substitute gelatin instead? I will prolly try it and I will check back. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
I would never recommend gelatin as it isn't vegan. Arrowroot powder would work perfectly as a substitute tho!
Sue says
Gelatin would make them not vegan as it is made from pig bones and/or skin.
Lindsay says
This recipe looks delicious! Do you think that using tapioca starch in place of corn starch would act the same way? I can’t see it being too far off, but I’m not sure if I would need to change my measurements at all?
Ranyiah says
Hi i was just wondering what can be a sub for cornstarch. I do not have it in the house and i can't find it in my local stores. Do you have any helpful tips and tricks.
Brenna says
If you are outside of the US it is called corn flour. Within the US, this is a basic baking ingredient and every grocery store carries it in the baking aisle, so I assume you aren’t in the states!
Red says
Unflavored gelatin powder works great!
Sam Turnbull says
Arrowroot powder should work 🙂
Brenna says
These were delicious! Thank you! I used the full can of coconut milk and then added soy milk to make up the total amount, blended it and then microwaved to thicken and added a bit of salt. So good, even better than any store bought ones you can find.
Karen says
AMAZING. so creamy. I used my immersion blender before putting in the stove. Everything blended amazing. Definitely making them again.
Laura G. says
I can't wait to try this recipe. I was wondering, what happens if I use lite coconut milk in the can instead of full fat? That's all I have in the pantry right now. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
I just won't be as creamy and might be a bit more icy. ENjoy!
CHELSEA says
is there anyway i can add spinach to this to get my son to have more veggies?
after the stove top could i blend with spinach or would it make it too frothy??
Bailey says
I actually messed up on this recipe and used 1 1/2 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of almond milk. They turned out absolutely creamy and delicious. I made them properly the second time, and I have to say I will probably revert to the messed up recipe from now on!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Glad you enjoyed Bailey 🙂
Elly Gibson says
These were perfect. Just what I needed on this hot summer day! Thanks for the recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! Thrilled you enjoyed them so much, Elly 🙂
Lindsey says
These are just so yummy. I just put some in the freezer. My boys (20 & 15) love them.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled they love them so much, Lindsey 🙂
Julia says
Hey Sam! I would like to try these fudgesticles, but I was wondering.. the kcal amount is for 1 fudgestickle?
I am getting a bit confused because it seems a lot for just one piece 🙁
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Julia, yes the calories are for 1 popsicle (or 1/6 of the full recipe).
Ivy says
It's cold and rainy in LA, but anytime is a good time for popsicles! These came out so good! Mine were icy towards the middle too with little beads of solidified cornstarch (not horrible, they were like mini boba). Even with these things they were darn tasty. I'm going to try the vitamix method too like another reviewer suggested. My husband said they're a million times better than store bought.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed! Try whisking the cornstarch into the milks while it is cold, then heating. Cornstarch will clump when it cooks if not mixed in properly 🙂
Jasmine says
Can you taste the coconut milk?
Sam Turnbull says
Yep and it's delicious!
Suzy says
Grandchildren approved! These were such a hit with them. And their parents! They are really delicious! I used small paper cups and yielded 8 "just-right-sized" treats! Thanks for this great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Love that everyone enjoyed them so much, Suzy! 😀
Rachel says
Can i substitute arrowroot for the corn starch?
Sam Turnbull says
Yep, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Suzy says
I did! I never have cornstarch in the house. I don't think of it as a substitution anymore.
Denise says
Thank you Sam! Looks so freaking good!! Can you suggest a substitute for the coconut milk? I am highly allergic.
Denise
Sam Turnbull says
You can make the heavenly heavy cream from my cookbook or you could substitute it with just more non-dairy milk. Enjoy!
Bobbi says
Can I use ALL full fat coconut milk for this recipe or must it be a combination? Have u ever done that?
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely you can! Enjoy 🙂
Val says
These came out creamy for the first half but then they were icy the last half. What am I doing wrong?
Sam Turnbull says
Hmm that's odd. Do you think that the cornstarch was mixed in fully? That's my only guess!
Clare Russell says
It could also be your freezer isn’t freezing equally.
Srivani says
These are soooooo tasty... and of course, the 4-year-old LOVES them. The mixture was just like a decadent chocolate pudding - so of course, what didn't end up fitting in the popsicle holds went straight into my mouth! (Okay, I did give the girl a spoonful too, only because she was there! 😛 ... hahaha). Thank you, Sam, for your kitchen wizardry!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, you are most welcome, Srivani!! So happy they were enjoyed 🙂
Deni says
These are incredible. (And so easy!). I'm very proud of myself for not licking the pan. :). I love how economical these are to make, too. Vegan ice cream and frozen treats can get a little pricey. These will be a great go-to treat for summer.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! So happy you love them, Deni! 😀
Davilyn Eversz says
I put everything in the recipe but the cornstarch in the Vitamix (mix speed). I put in the cornstarch a TBS at a time as the Vitamix is mixing. Used 1/2 tsp Emperor's Herbologist "pure" stevia instead of sugar. Put in a double walled saucepan and using the robo-stir on high speed went about my business until it had thickened.
Excellent recipe - you could eat this stuff as pudding (okay, I did - LOL)
I am almost 70, a farmer, love to cook but don't always have the time to follow the time consuming aspects of a recipe. This is my lazy person's version of the recipe (smiles).
I have found that about 99% of recipes use a lot of energy - recipes are forgiving, they don't really care about finesse. Look at bread making - all these people making bread like an astronaut - I put it all the bowl, mix it, come back when I feel like it - could be 4 hours, could be 24. Stir it a few times, dump it in a pan, let it rise then cook it.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved the recipe, Davilyn! I love a good lazy kitchen recipe. My kinda cooking!
Adrienne says
These looks fab! Can't wait to try! I'm sure folks could just try using Xylitol in the place of sugar one for one.
But they are fudsicles so I think they are supposed to be sweet and creamy. I have been looking for a recipe like this for ages! They always come out "icy" instead of creamy! I will let you know how these turn out!
Thanks for the recipe 🙂 🙂 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I think you are going to be very happy with this recipe, not icy at all 🙂 Yes, exactly. I always try to make my recipes as simple and easy as possible so that anyone could make them. If it's too much sugar, anyone can feel free to adapt to their own preferences, I just don't want to require expensive or hard to find ingredients. 🙂
Adrienne says
Turned out great! Husband and son were fighting over them! LOL!
I wonder if you could do the same creamy base of the recipe and throw some blueberries or other fruit in there!?!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Love it! For sure you could, raspberry fudgesicles, banana fudgesicles... yum!!
Adrienne says
I forgot to ask last time...about how long do you let them cool before putting them in the molds?
Sam Turnbull says
I didn't let it cool, I just poured it straight it! But if you are worried the chocolate is too hot for your molds, you can let it cool as desired. Enjoy!
Campbell says
THESE WERE AMAZING! I even ate one for breakfast!!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Perfect 🙂
Sandy says
These were delicious!!! They taste just like the ones with dairy. I do think you can cut back on the sugar if it's too sweet but overall a great recipe. I would suggest using a strainer if you cannot get all the little corn starch lumps out. My husband and I loved these!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! So happy you and your husband loved them so much, Sandy 🙂 If you have a problem with lumps, you could set aside 1/2 cup of the non-dairy milk and mix it with the cornstarch separately, then pour it in. Hope that helps! 🙂
Sandy says
That is a great idea Sam!
Lynn Davis says
The Creamiest Vegan Fudgesicles look and sound wonderful, but with a sugar at 19.2 grams there is no way as a Diabetic that I can consider eating theses!
Marianne says
Lynn, Have you ever tried erythritol? I read about it in "How Not To Die..." by Michael Greger, M.D., and it does not give my diabetic husband any trouble with his blood sugar levels. I had to order it online and it was delivered to our local Walmart.
Sam Turnbull says
Maybe you could try a sugar substitute? I like to keep my recipes simple by using standard ingredients so they are easy for everyone to make, but you are always welcome to adapt to your own needs 🙂
Lynne says
sugar, sugar, sugar...oh dear.
Sam Turnbull says
Yep, it's a sweet treat, not a health food recipe. Haha 🙂
Debra Saricos says
To Lynne
Everything in moderation!
I use natural cane sugar always!
And thanks Sam for a wonderful summer treat!
Sam Turnbull says
My pleasure 🙂
Katherine says
They look awesome! Thank goodness I was on my way out the door to do some shopping. Now I know what else I need to pick up!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Perfect timing 🙂