If ice cream and a popsicle had a baby- these bars would be born. AKA ice cream popsicles. I’m a firm believer that in July and August you should have an ice cream treat weekly. Daily would be even better. Maybe that’s my new goal for the summer?! These Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream Bars are not going to last long in my freezer if I want to accomplish this new goal. I’ll have to make a few batches all at once. No complaints over here though. These coconut milk ice cream bars are creamy and naturally sweetened, with a thin chocolate coating on top. Talk about a dreamy bar.
Why You’ll Love These Bars
- When you bite into these dairy free ice cream bars, the texture reminds mimics that of a dilly bar from good old Dairy Queen. They used to be my favourite thing to get, so when you bite into them and the chocolate cracks and then melts in your mouth.
- You only need 6 ingredients to make these ice cream bars. Talk about a minimalist recipe.
- These coconut milk ice cream bars are naturally sweetened with dates. They are topped with chocolate but you could always just dip the top of the bars in the chocolate if you are watching your sugar intake.
How To Make Healthy Ice Cream
I don’t know if there is such thing as “healthy ice cream” but there are definitely ways to lower the sugar content without skimping on the taste. I am a firm believer that ice cream is meant to be enjoyed and not necessarily restricted. That being said, if my body takes in too much sugar, the result is bloating and feeling lethargic. So to lower the sugar intake of these coconut milk ice cream bars, I used dates to sweeten them! They add a slight caramel flavour without overloading the base recipe with too much sweet stuff. It’s key to have the dates soft before blending them so they blend easier. Simply blend the dates (pits removed), coconut milk (I highly recommend using the Thai Kitchen brand as some other brands are very grainy), cashews and vanilla in a high-speed blender and then your base is ready to freeze.
You will need a popsicle mold to create these vegan popsicles. Blend the ingredients. Then add them to the mold and freeze them for roughly 6 hours. Then make the chocolate coating. All you need is chocolate and coconut oil. make sure to keep the temperature very low so to not burn it.
Once the dairy free ice cream bars are ready for the chocolate, decided if you want to just dip the tops, drizzle chocolate over them or coat them completely. All are equally delicious!
For More Dairy Free Ice Cream, Try These Recipes:
Why pay for the $5-10 ice cream cones you get from your local ice cream store when you can have these homemade coconut milk ice cream treats in your freezer at ALL TIMES?! OK, maybe you should still support your local ice cream parlours but it is always nice to have your own dreamy coconut ice cream bars within reach. The creamy velvety ice cream paired with a crackly and smooth chocolate exterior will have your mouth watering and perhaps reaching into the freezer for a second. These dairy free ice cream bars can be enjoyed all summer long!
Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream Bars
Ingredients
Ice Cream
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (400mL) (Thai Kitchen brand)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least one hour)
- 7 medjool dates (soft and gooey + pits removed)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Coating
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 200 g dark chocolate
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes.
- Add the cashews, coconut milk, dates (pits removed) and vanilla to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.
- Divide the ice cream mixture into 6 popsicle molds and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours (overnight is best).
- Once the ice cream is frozen, prepare the chocolate coating. Melt the coconut oil and chocolate over low heat in a sauce pan until smooth.
- Prepare a baking sheet with six square cutouts of parchment paper. The parchment cutouts are where the dipped bars will be placed to go back into the freezer to set. Remove the ice cream bars from the freezer and run them under hot water to loosen them from the molds.
- Dip each bar in the melted chocolate, or take a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the bars. Option to place toasted nuts and a pinch of sea salt on each bar before the chocolate sets. Once coated, place the ice cream bar on a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Once all six bars are coated, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Take the bars out of the freezer and let thaw for a few minutes before enjoying.
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Ice cream weekly? If they’re as good as your recipe, I’d be eating these hourly! Looks fantastic…
hourly sounds WAY BETTER then weekly 🙂
I am so on the summer ice cream train! I need to buy a popsicle mold and then get busy freezing… I love how there are dates in these!
the date lovers are defs going to love these!
These bars are phenomenal! Far better than anything I’ve tried commercially made. They would even be good without the chocolate coating when a little less sweetness is preferred. (Perhaps I should try unsweetened rather than semi sweet chocolate.) Now I need to buy a mini popsicle mold, though, because I found the full size way too filling.
I sprinkled sea salt on some, made some plain and dropped a handful of GF Rice Krispies into the chocolate before coating the last two bars. Nice variety.
One question: why does the recipe say it makes 4 bars? I got 8 and even those are a bit big.
So glad you enjoyed them Mary Beth, love what you did with the toppings 🙂 I may have to retest the recipe to answer your question, but when I’ve made them in the past I got 4-5 bars- could depend on the mould you are using. 🙂
The Rice Krispies are my favourite in the chocolate. As I said, the full size are very filling. My molds hold about a half cup of liquid. The mini molds hold less than 1/4 cup and those, when coated with chocolate, are the perfect size for me AND my friends. They have been a huge hit with everyone I have served them to. So grateful for the recipe. As a matter of fact, I am just preparing another batch right now! 😁😋
So great to hear Mary Beth!! Thanks for the love! ENJOY!! 🙂
Hi Bobby, I can’t wait to make these. What brand of popsicle molds are you using in your fantastic video? I’d like to get them or your reco. Thanks!
yes, the onyx pop004 is what i have! LOVE IT!!!
As to popsicle makers, I read that stainless steel is highly recommended, especially Onyx POP004. What’s your experience? Thanks Bobby!
it’s a really good mold. way better than the plastic ones at the store. and they are super easy to clean! xx