Homemade Fudge Pops
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One of my goals for this summer, along with jumping on the canning bandwagon, was to start making homemade popsicles and other assorted frozen treats. I love homemade ice cream, but sometimes there is nothing better on a sweltering, 90-degree summer day than an ice-cold popsicle. Any time I get to enjoy a popsicle as an adult, it reminds me of summer days spent playing with my sister and our cousins at my grandma’s house. The neighborhood ice cream truck was a fixture there, and when we heard those bells, we were like Pavlov’s dogs. We ran for money and then ran to the truck. The decision about which frozen treat to feast on was newly agonizing each time the truck showed up. The red, white, and blue rocket? The creamsicle? The ice cream sandwich? A fudgsicle? The Drumstick? It’s a good thing the ice cream truck showed up frequently – it gave us ample opportunity to sample a variety of treats. I still get excited when I hear the jingle of an ice cream truck during the summer, but this year I’m looking forward to creating my own homemade versions – delicious, and I’ll know every single ingredient that’s in them!
When my Chief Culinary Consultant and I got down to Florida a couple of weeks ago, we quickly found out that his dad had been enjoying fudge pops. There was a constant stream of the health-food variety in the freezer. I had packed up a stack of cookbooks that I’d been meaning to read, figuring that I could go through them leisurely while we were relaxing. I got to On a Stick! (which is awesome – I think I bookmarked at least 60% of the book!) and discovered a recipe for homemade fudge pops. Score! Perfect timing. I set out to get the popsicle molds I had been meaning to buy for the summer and whipped these bad boys up.
They couldn’t have been easier to make and tasted incredible. While I’ve found most store-bought versions to taste like little more than chocolate-flavored ice milk, these are the polar opposite. They are rich, decadent, and bursting with chocolate flavor. You actually feel like you’re eating frozen fudge. That is the purpose of a fudge pop, right?! The recipe calls for semisweet chocolate, but you could definitely use milk or dark, based on your personal tastes.
Since the diet fudge pops in the freezer boasted that they were only 100 calories, I was curious about the homemade ones and calculated how many calories they contained. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they came in at 157 calories. Yes, that’s a bit more, but it’s not outrageous and totally worth it to me to eat something without any fake ingredients. Whole, natural ingredients always trump chemicals for me. These are definitely going to be a summer staple in my freezer!
What was your favorite ice cream truck treat?[/donotprint]
Homemade Fudge Pops
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅔ cups (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2½ cups (610 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 wooden popsicle sticks
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.
- Combine the melted chocolate, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and butter, and stir until well combined.
- Let the mixture cool slightly (it should still be warm but not hot to the touch), and then pour into 8 popsicle molds. Freeze for 30 minutes, and then insert sticks. Freeze completely before serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I added cornstarch, but it doesn’t seem to be thickening up? Should I add more cornstarch?
Also, what is the consistency you want before freezing?
Thank you
I have used this recipe for years and it is fantastic! I recently had to eliminate dairy from my diet. I have really been challenged converting some recipes. However, this worked so well with a dairy free milk. Thank you for working so hard to provide such great recipes:)
This is the worst recipe ever. DO NOT USE THIS RECIPE. It said my mixture would get thicker but it is now thinner than water. also i tried it before i added the vanilla and it was too sweet already. Do yourself a favor and don’t use this recipe
You may have left out the cornstarch which is the thickening agent.
Love this recipe. I ended up replacing the sugar with 1/3 cups of raw honey and it works really well.
Where do you find those molds for the popsicles?
Thanks
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, I linked to it at the bottom of the recipe, here it is again: http://amzn.to/2qzwgMx
Hi Michelle, bookmarked this recipe forever ago and just came across it it again today. I wanted to ask you what you think about the progressive international freezer pop maker, and do you still make use of it? Definalty going to make these and many more ice-lollies (that’s what we call them here in the UK) but I don’t want to invest in something that just isn’t that good.
Really would appreciate your input : )
Thankyou
Hi Faye, Yes, I still have it and use it!
This is definitely a keeper. Easy to make and I can pronounce every one of the ingredients in them unlike some you find in the grocery freezer case. Thank you for sharing.
Michelle,
I just made a batch of the fudge pops and then realized that I tossed my popsicle molds last summer. The mixture is chilling in the fridge overnight. Do you think it would work if I churned it in the morning in my Cuisinart ice cream maker? Do you think it would be scoopable? I don’t thing that’s a real word but you know what I mean! I made the fudge mixture using canned coconut milk because I wanted to keep it non-dairy and I tasted it when it was hot and it is quite yummy. Not an authentic flavor from my youth but a nice hint of flavor from the coconut.
I’ve never tried to churn a mixture like that, but you could try pouring in a loaf pan, scoring the mixture and inserting popsicle sticks!
I’ve been using this recipe now for three years. I figured it was about time I thanked you for it :-) It is PERFECTION. The taste, the texture… Everything. Thank you! I just put a batch in the freezer. First batch of the summer!
So yummy! The directions are very easy to follow!
Thank you for sharing, this is a keeper. My toddler boy looooves this and gets excited when I open the freezer, lolz
this recipe is the same as usimg a box of puddimg. just use the cooked variety, add the chips whem the cookimg is dome, & proceed as directed. you cam add flavorimgs like cocomut, mimt, oramge, or rum extracts at that time also. i have beem doimg this for years. depemdimg om the type om milk used, they are also fat free. good luck amd PLEASE forgive my haumted keyboard. thamks.
I tried this recipe today and am in love with the texture and flavor – so fudgey and decadent! The perfect thing for dessert on a hot summer day. The only issue I had was unmolding. This recipe is too soft for the Zoku instant pop maker but definitely waiting for with a traditional mold! Thanks so much for sharing!
I know this recipe was posted almost 3 years ago but I feel compelled to let you know that these fudge pops are amazing. I made them exactly as written and they were perfect. I actually prefer using small Dixie cups instead of ice pop molds because it’s so much easier to peel the paper cup off the pop rather than slowly wiggling it out of the mold and hoping for the best (plus they froze a lot faster in the Dixie cups). I would imagine silicone molds would probably work great for this too. Anyway, thank you for sharing this recipe – this is my first time on your site and you definitely won me over already.
These came out great – good texture and chocolatey taste but in my opinion WAY too sugary. Of course my son loved them. Next time I will try cutting the sugar in half.
I followed this recipe exactly, and they were AMAZING! In fact, I am making more tomorrow!
Thanks a million for this recipe!
Delicious! So chocolatey and smooth! Thank you once again! I posted a pic on my Instagram @carols_got_cakes
I placed my molds in 24 hrs ago and they seem soft and not frozen. Did I do something wrong? They don’t have the consistency of a normal fudgesicle. So disappointed!
I just popped mine in the freezer! I can’t wait to try them :)
Hi! this might make the pops deformed looking but can I pour this in a cupcake tin instead?
Hi Sadie, Yes, I don’t see why not.
Just made these sugar free I’m excited
These are WAY to sweet for my taste. I tasted the mix as it was heating up and wound up adding another cup or so of milk, 1 more tbl of corn starch and more cocoa powder. If I make again, I will cut sugar in half then add more to taste if necessary. Aside from that, pops were a success and delicious!
Wow. I had actually been thinking about fudge pops and was wondering if there was an easy recipe. You must have read my mind!! I am so going to make these this summer. I am an absolute chocoholic and with the 100+ temp outside, these will hit the spot! You rock! Thanks!! :)
Thanks so much for this! I have grandkids now, and I love it so much I already bought the molds! Fudge pop making…my kitchen…all welcome. :-)
I just made this with whole milk and it is totally amazing!~ It tasted like you where eating a bar of rich chocolate……..so glad I made it~!
Hey, I just saw your question about 2% milk and thought I’d respond since I had the exact same question awhile back. I have made these with 2% milk and with whole milk and there wasn’t much of a difference. There was maybe less of a creamy taste with 2%. The ultimate taste-tester (and the one who insists I make these all the time), my boyfriend’s 5-year-old daughter, doesn’t detect any difference when I use 2% vs. whole milk.
Thanks! My taste testers are 5, 4 and 21 months – I am sure they will not see any difference! I will, hopefully, be making these tomorrow:)
Thanks Sarah! That was going to be my response!
Any idea how these would work with 2% milk? It is all I keep in the house and I was wondering if I really needed to grab some whole milk the next time I am at the store or if I could make them with what I’ve got on hand! Thanks!
Making the 3rd batch of these THIS WEEK! We are totally nuts over them. The texture and chocolate flavor is spot on. I even forgot the butter and vanilla in one batch and they were still great. THANK YOU! My babies would say the same, but our laundry would not. Holly mess chocolate faces!
mine are not coming out of the mold. froze them over night and the sticks pulled right out after a few minutes on the counter. HELP!!
Hi Kell, I’m not sure what type of popsicle mold you’re using, but if the stick pulled straight out, the popsicles were either too frozen when the sticks were inserted, the popsicles weren’t frozen long enough, or you pulled on them really hard. Usually you just need to run the plastic mold(s) under some water for a minute or two, then gently slide them out of the mold.
thanks so much for posting this :) I’m so excited to try it out.
I finally got around to making these and they were great! I used 2% milk instead of whole milk and I’m wondering if whole milk would be better (of course it would be!). LOL. They were very easy to make. My boyfriend’s 5-year-old daughter loved them too and asked if we could make them together next time. For anyone looking for good fudge pop holders, these worked well for me (although they are quite large). Thanks for the great recipe!
http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Groovy-Ice-Molds-Yellow/dp/B000G32H3Y/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
I have a daughter with a milk allergy, so I’m wondering if these can be made with almond milk??
Yes, definitely! Enjoy!
Made these the other day and they were wonderful. I love how rich they taste, better than the store-bought ones, and how much better they are for you!
i was just wondering what could be used instead of cornstarch..would love to try these but no cornstarch :(
Hi Eva-May, You could substitute a few different things. This website is a great resource for how to go about making the changes. I’m not sure what you have on hand, so I would check it out and go from there: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/substitute-cornstarch-for-baking.html
I only use arrowroot powder in my home. It’s a lot healthier, no talc in it.
I made these last night and we are enjoying them right now. They are so tasty on this 85 degree day! They have the right amount of chocolate, sweetness, and creaminess. Thanks for the recipe.
this is super tempting. thank you for the recipe!!
Thanks for the great fudgesicle recipe. My favorite of all time is a coconut bar. Sort of the consistency of a fudgesicle but with coconut milk and coconut and I can’t guess what the other ingredients are. They are smooth creamy and with the best coconut flavor ever.
oh wow, the ice cream truck brings back so many hilarious and wonderful memories. my younger brother and i would be playing out in the front yard and as soon as we heard the familiar tones of the truck about to come around the corner we would BURST into the house shrieking “mommy! mommy! the ice cream man! the ice cream man!” as we dove for the quarter stash that was kept under dad’s desk. my brother ALWAYS got the “bomb pop” – the red, white and blue popsicle shaped like a missile rocket, haha. i liked to change it up – but i remember fudge pops being a frequent choice. thanks for the recipe – i can’t wait to make these today!
Love these!!! I’ve been wanting to try making frozen treats for my boys..this would be perfect!
Awesome! There no other words that come to mind but awesome!!! :-)
I seriously cannot wait to make these. Adding those popsicle moulds to my list!!