Creamy Coconut Popsicles (Vegan)
July 13, 2025
These coconut popsicles are creamy like ice cream, but it's not because they were churned in an ice cream maker. Their incredible texture comes courtesy of cornstarch and a little heat. They're also easy to make, with simple, real ingredients like coconut milk and agave. Enjoy them plain, or dress them up with a chocolate coating and toasted coconut shreds!
This summer, I've been getting plenty of use from my popsicle molds, making watermelon popsicles, mango popsicles, and creamy chocolate popsicles. Next, I'm sharing this recipe for creamy coconut popsicles, made with no dairy, no refined sugar, and no artificial ingredients.
They're the ideal cool summer treat with a slightly sweet taste that complements their coconut flavor. Finishing them with a crispy chocolate shell and fragrant toasted coconut shreds takes this dessert to the next level!
When you're short on time, these are the perfect sweets to make, because they'll take just 10 minutes to prep. Freeze them overnight, and you'll be enjoying these pops for days (if they last that long)!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
If you're looking for more information about a specific ingredient or you want to know whether you can substitute something else, check here first. You can also ask your question in the comments if you don't see the answer here!
coconut milk: Make sure you're using full-fat, canned coconut milk here (not lite coconut milk or coconut beverage). Also, look for pure coconut milk that hasn't been sweetened.
shredded coconut: To enhance the coconut flavor. You could also use other forms of coconut meat (i.e. grated), but I like the shape of shredded coconut for the decoration, too.
agave: I used agave because it has a neutral flavor that won't compete with the coconut and it's unrefined. You could also use granulated sugar if you prefer. Maple syrup would work, too, but it has a stronger flavor that you may notice.
cornstarch: This thickens the coconut batter when heated and helps prevent an icy texture from forming when it's freezing. You could skip it (and skip heating), but your texture won't be as creamy.
salt: Just a little bit of salt enhances the coconut flavor.
vanilla extract: For added flavor; you could leave this out if you prefer.
Optional Decoration Ingredients
mini chocolate chips: To keep the popsicles vegan, choose vegan chocolate chips. For refined sugar-free popsicles, choose a brand like Lakanto, Lily's, or ChocZero. Full-size chips work, too, but they'll take a little longer to melt. Be sure to use high-quality chocolate for a smooth and flavorful shell.
coconut oil: Adding coconut oil to the chocolate makes it easier to work with when coating the popsicles by creating a smoother texture.
toasted coconut shreds: Toasted coconut shreds are pretty, but they're also quite fragrant and add plenty of coconut flavor to your popsicles.
Tips for the Creamiest Coconut Popsicles
You don't need an ice cream maker to achieve maximum creaminess with these coconut popsicles. Just make sure you follow these tips to get the best results:
Blend well: To avoid chunks of coconut inside your popsicles, blend the mixture until it's completely smooth.
Choose your ingredients carefully: Make sure you're using full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest popsicles. Don't skip or reduce the agave, because sugar inhibits the formation of ice crystals.
Activate your cornstarch: Make sure you're heating the mixture until it thickens a bit. I've tested this recipe without heating it, and the cornstarch and heat make a big difference in the creaminess of the popsicles!
Freeze quickly: The faster your popsicles freeze, the creamier they'll be. To help them along, make sure your freezer is at its coldest setting. You can also use your freezer's quick-freeze function, if it has one. Using metal popsicle molds may also allow popsicles to freeze more quickly.
Serving and Storage Tips
If you're serving these popsicles straight from the freezer, I recommend letting them defrost for 5 to 15 minutes to soften before eating them. The time it takes to reach the perfect texture will vary depending on how warm your room is and how cold your freezer is.
Before storing your popsicles, make sure they're completely frozen, including the chocolate shell. To do that, you can place them on a parchment-lined baking tray and return them to the freezer to solidify. It should only take a few minutes if you're just freezing the chocolate shell.
Once they're solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer. Since the popsicles only last a few days in my house, I stack the popsicles on top of each other inside a single bag. For longer storage (up to 3 months), I recommend wrapping the popsicles separately.
More Cool Vegan Treats
If you're looking for more ways to cool down this summer, try one of these delicious vegan recipes:
Creamy Coconut Popsicles (Vegan)
Yield4 to 5 popsicles
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time5 hours, 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 13.5 oz. canned coconut milk (full-fat)
- 3 tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tbsp. agave
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating and Toasted Coconut Shreds (optional)
- 1/4 cup vegan mini chocolate chips*
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil*
- unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
Add coconut milk, 3 tbsp. shredded coconut, agave, cornstarch, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth, without any coconut chunks remaining.
![Coconut popsicles mixture being blended in a blender.]()
Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. After the mixture comes to a slow boil, continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Using a funnel or a pitcher, pour the mixture into popsicle molds,* leaving about 1/8 inch (3 mm) of space at the top for the popsicles to expand as they freeze. Cover the popsicles and insert popsicle sticks 3/4 of the way into the popsicles.
![Popsicle molds with coconut popsicle mixture poured inside.]()
(Double batch shown)Freeze the popsicles until frozen all the way through, about 5 hours or overnight.
(Optional) To toast your shredded coconut for coating, place a few tablespoons of it in a pan and heat it over medium-low, stirring frequently. Watch the shreds carefully because they’ll turn color quickly and it’s easy to burn them. Once they have turned golden brown, transfer them to a plate to cool.
![Shredded coconut in a pan before and after toasting.]()
(Optional) To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the mini chocolate chips and coconut oil together. You can do this in a double boiler, stirring constantly, or in a microwave, stopping frequently to stir until completely melted and smooth. If you’re planning to dip the popsicles (coat them completely), transfer the chocolate mix to a tall glass that’s just a bit wider than your popsicles.
![Chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan, before and after melting.]()
To remove the popsicles from the molds, leave them out at room temperature for about 5 minutes before pulling them out.*
(Optional) Before you begin decorating the popsicles, line a baking tray with parchment paper. If you’re dipping the popsicles, submerge each popsicle in the glass with chocolate, then hold it over the baking tray and sprinkle toasted coconut shreds on the chocolate before it solidifies. Then, place the popsicles on the baking tray and put the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to completely solidify the chocolate. If you prefer to drizzle your chocolate coating, place a popsicle on the baking tray, then use a spoon or a squeeze bottle to drizzle the chocolate on one side of the popsicles. Add the coconut shreds quickly, before the chocolate solidifies. You may wish to place the baking tray with the popsicles in the freezer to ensure the chocolate completely solidifies before turning the popsicles over and drizzling the other side.
![Left: dipping a coconut popsicle in a glass with chocolate; center: using a spoon to drizzle chocolate over a coconut popsicle; right: coconut popsicle with drizzled chocolate and toasted coconut shreds on top.]()
Any popsicles that you won’t eat immediately can be stored in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer. If you’re just storing them for a few days, you can keep them in the same bag, but if you’re storing them longer (up to 3 months), I recommend wrapping each popsicle separately.
Notes & Hints
This recipe will make enough chocolate coating to drizzle over the front and back of the popsicles; for a full coating, double the chocolate chips and coconut oil.
I recommend a silicone or metal mold, so you can pour the warm mixture directly into the mold. If your mold isn't a heat-resistant material, let your batter cool a bit before pouring it.
For the creamiest popsicles, freeze them as quickly as possible by turning your freezer to its coldest setting and using the quick freeze function, if your freezer has it.
The exact freezing time will vary depending on your freezer settings and the material of your mold.
Depending on your popsicle mold, you may need to briefly immerse the mold in warm water to release the popsicles.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe; Calories: 292; Fat: 23 g.; Saturated Fat: 20 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 117 mg.; Carbohydrates: 20 g.; Fiber: 1 g.; Sugar: 16 g.; Protein: 2 g.; Vitamin A: 0 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 0 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 1 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 187 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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