If you love one-ingredient frozen banana “ice cream, you will swoon for these easy and healthy banana popsicles. They are made with a few simple and fresh ingredients, and you can really make them your own with a variety of mix-ins and flavorings.
The key to a delicious banana popsicle is using a ripe banana. As bananas ripen, an enzyme called amylase breaks down the starch in the fruit transforming them into sugars, making the bananas sweeter and sweeter as they sit on your countertop. Another enzyme called pectinase breaks down the cell walls in the fruit to make it soft. Therefore, when making banana popsicles, riper bananas will result in a sweeter, creamier frozen treat. You can even use a frozen, ripe banana in this recipe.
This recipe uses one banana to yield two popsicles, but you can easily double or triple the ingredients to make as many popsicles as you like.
“I think this would be a great way to use bananas that are just starting to turn—a unique treat! I love frozen banana pops, and I think you could even dip these in chocolate for a bonus treat.” —Tracy Wilk
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 medium ripe banana
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1/2 cup milk
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2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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In a blender or food processor, combine the banana, milk, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Pour the banana mixture into two popsicle molds.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Cover and place the popsicle molds on a rimmed sheet so the popsicles stay level in the freezer. Freeze until set, at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, unmold from the popsicle molds and enjoy.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
Tip
If you have popsicle molds on hand in your kitchen, they work great for making homemade banana popsicles. However, they can still be enjoyed without buying any special equipment.
- Pour the blended banana mixture into small paper cups.
- Cover each paper cup with aluminum foil and insert a wooden popsicle stick into the center (the aluminum foil will keep the popsicle sticks upright during freezing).
- Place the paper cups on a baking sheet to keep them level and freeze until set.
- Once you are ready to enjoy the banana popsicle, simply peel away the paper cup and you will have a delicious homemade banana popsicle on a stick.
Recipe Variations
This easy popsicle recipe can be jazzed up with a wide array of flavor variations:
- Tropical Banana Popsicles: Add 1/4 cup of diced mango to the blender and replace the vanilla extract with coconut extract.
- Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles: Add 2 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter.
- Chocolate Banana Popsicles: Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips into the popsicle mixture before freezing.
- Tutti Frutti Banana Popsicles: Add 1/4 cup of diced pineapple. Replace the vanilla extract with rum extract.
- Strawberry Banana Popsicles: Add 1/4 cup of sliced strawberries.
- Green Tea Banana Popsicles: Add 1 tablespoon of matcha green tea powder.
