Creamy Chocolate Popsicles (Dairy-free)
May 4, 2025
Rich and fudgy, these delicious chocolate popsicles taste like just chocolate ice cream on a stick! They're incredibly easy to make with no ice cream maker, no churning, and no dairy (but you won't be able to tell the difference). The secret to their thick pudding-like texture is cornstarch and a little heat. Enjoy them straight out of the mold, or add a chocolate drizzle and some nuts for an extra-special treat!
It's already getting hot in my part of the world, and these delicious homemade fudgesicles have been my go-to treat ever since my air conditioning started working overtime. They're creamy, cooling, and so chocolatey!
This recipe makes a creamy chocolate popsicle that tastes like ice cream, but without the need for churning. The secret is cornstarch, which creates a thick, pudding-like texture after it's heated.
Ingredients and Substitution Notes
Can I use more cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips? Is it okay to swap the sugar to make these popsicles refined sugar-free? If you're looking for information on ingredient substitutions or where to find a certain ingredient, this section is for you! If you don't see the information you're looking for, feel free to leave a comment, and I'll respond as soon as I can.
Coconut milk: Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk, not a "lite" version or a "coconut beverage." The creamy coconut milk is one of the keys to a rich ice cream-like texture.
Sugar: To keep these popsicles vegan, be sure to look for sugar marked "vegan" or "organic," if you're in the US. If you're avoiding refined sugar, my recommendation is to use 3 tablespoons of agave instead, but you can also use maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar, or any other substitute you like.
Cocoa powder: I used to think cocoa powders were mostly the same, but quality can actually vary quite a bit among brands. For the best taste, use a cocoa powder that contains 22 to 24% fat, like this Cacao Barry cocoa powder. High-fat varieties like this one contain more cocoa butter and contribute to a richer flavor.
Cornstarch: This is the key to creating the chocolate popsicles' pudding-like consistency. If you don't have cornstarch, arrowroot should also work, but I haven't tested it.
Salt: Just a little bit of salt enhances the flavor and makes everything more chocolatey. Don't skip it! I used sea salt, but table salt or pink salt would work as well.
Mini chocolate chips: As with the cocoa powder, quality is incredibly important for getting the best fudge-like flavor and texture. I like Cacao Barry chocolate drops (I used a version with 50% cacao content), but any high-quality chocolate will work. If you're making these refined sugar-free, be sure to use your favorite brand like Lakanto, Lily's, or ChocZero.
Making chocolate popsicles without chocolate chips: If you're using a high-quality cocoa powder, you can also make these popsicles with cocoa powder alone and no chocolate chips (for the popsicles only, without the chocolate coating). To make the substitution, use 1/3 cup of cocoa powder and increase the sugar to 1/3 cup. This will give you a rich, dark chocolate flavor instead of the milk chocolate flavor you'd get with chocolate chips.
Vanilla extract: Adding vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the popsicles. For the best flavor, I recommend real vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla) because its flavor is more complex.
Coconut oil: If you're making a chocolate coating, be sure to use refined (odor-free) coconut oil to minimize the coconut flavor. Coconut oil helps smooth out the chocolate as it melts, making it easier to get a thinner coating or drizzle.
Chopped nuts: These are optional, but if you'd like to add them, I recommend chopped almonds, peanuts, or hazelnuts.
Equipment
I used this silicone popsicle mold, which creates a classic popsicle shape and makes it easy to remove the popsicles. However, you can use any popsicle mold you like. You'll also need some popsicle sticks, a saucepan, and a baking tray to place the popsicles on.
Storing Chocolate Popsicles
I store my chocolate popsicles in a freezer bag in the freezer, stacked on top of and next to each other inside the same bag. They never last more than a few days in my house, but if you want to store them for up to 3 months, you may wish to wrap each popsicle individually in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and to keep odors from getting into your popsicles.
Tips for Ultra-Creamy Chocolate Popsicles
Freeze as quickly as possible. The more quickly your popsicles freeze, the creamier they'll be. To facilitate this process, start with a freezer that's turned to maximum strength. If your freezer has a quick freeze function, you can use this also. You can also space out your popsicles in the mold (if you have a 10-popsicle mold, only fill every other well). Note that your popsicle mold's material can affect your popsicles' freezing time (for example, metal molds will encourage quicker freezing, while silicone molds may not freeze as quickly).
A little heat perfects this cool treat. Don't skip heating the popsicle mixture! This activates the cornstarch to thicken the mixture into a rich, creamy, pudding-like texture without the need to churn.
Select your ingredients carefully. Be sure you're using full-fat coconut milk and high-quality chocolate chips and cocoa powder. The fat in these ingredients is incredibly important in creating a texture that's soft instead of icy.
More Sweet Summer Treats
If you're looking for more refreshing ways to beat the heat this summer, try some of these sweet ideas:
Creamy Chocolate Popsicles (Dairy-free)
Yield5 popsicles
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time6 hours, 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 13.5-oz can canned coconut milk (full-fat)
- 1/4 cup vegan granulated sugar*
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder*
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup vegan mini chocolate chips*
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Drizzle and Nuts (Optional)
- 1/4 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp. refined (odor-free) coconut oil
- hazelnuts, almonds, or peanuts, chopped
Instructions
In a small saucepan (no heat), add coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt, then whisk to combine well, ensuring there are no clumps of cornstarch.
![Coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan before (left) and after (right) whisking.]()
Heat the saucepan over medium-low to medium heat, whisking continuously. After the mixture comes to a slow boil, continue whisking and heating for 1 minute, until the mixture is slightly thickened and becomes a darker color.
![Ingredients in a saucepan after heating.]()
Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Keep stirring until the chocolate chips have melted completely and the entire mixture is well-combined.
![Chocolate popsicle ingredients, before (left) and after (right) melting and mixing in the chocolate chips.]()
Using a funnel or a pitcher, pour the mixture into the popsicle molds, leaving about 1/8 inch (3 mm) of space at the top for the popsicles to expand as they freeze.
![Pouring chocolate popsicle batter into popsicle molds (left) and filled popsicle molds (right).]()
Cover the popsicles and insert popsicle sticks about 3/4 of the way into the popsicles.
![Popsicle mold, filled, covered, and with popsicle sticks inserted]()
(Double batch of recipe shown).Freeze the popsicles in the freezer until frozen all the way through, about 6 hours or overnight.
(Optional) Before taking the popsicles out of the freezer, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil for the chocolate drizzle, either in a double boiler, stirring constantly, or in a microwave, stopping regularly to stir. Once the mixture is melted and smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
![Chocolate coating ingredients, before (left) and after (right) melting the chocolate.]()
Prepare a baking tray (you can line it with parchment for easy clean up). Set the popsicles in their mold on the counter at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Then carefully pull them out of the mold and set them on the baking tray.*
(Optional) Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate coating on top of the popsicles, or dip the popsicles into the coating. If you’re adding chopped nuts, add them quickly to ensure they stick to the chocolate. Return the popsicles to the baking tray and place the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to solidify.
![Left: using a spoon to drizzle the chocolate coating on a popsicle; right: a popsicle coated with drizzled chocolate and chopped almonds.]()
Transfer the popsicles to a freezer-safe bag to store in the freezer (or enjoy right away)!
Notes & Hints
To make these popsicles refined sugar-free, use 3 tablespoons of agave instead of sugar and be sure to use refined sugar-free chocolate chips.
Since chocolate chips can vary in their sugar content, you may wish to adjust the amount of sugar you use in this recipe to taste.
For the best taste, use high-quality cocoa powder and chocolate chips. See the post for my recommendations.
The chocolate drizzle makes enough to drizzle on the front and back of one batch of popsicles. If you want to fully coat your popsicles, you should double the chocolate drizzle recipe.
Popsicle molds vary, so the best removal method for your mold may be different. Some molds may need to be briefly run under warm water. With my silicone molds, I pull the edges away from the popsicles, then push the popsicles up from the bottom.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe; Calories: 336; Fat: 25 g.; Saturated Fat: 20 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 116 mg.; Carbohydrates: 26 g.; Fiber: 2 g.; Sugar: 20 g.; Protein: 3 g.; Vitamin A: 0 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 0 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 9 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 236 mg.; Zinc: 0 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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