Cookies & Cream Popsicles

I ventured into the world of popsicle making earlier this summer when I bought some traditional pop molds and made Mexican Chocolate Popsicles.  

Yesterday, my daughters gave me a Zoku Quick Pop Maker for my birthday.  After looking through the Zoku Quick Pops recipe book, my girls and I decided we had to make cookies & cream popsicles.  The problem was that the recipe in the book called for using ingredients like vanilla pudding, which didn't interest me, so I made up my own recipe after doing some research online.  

We were able to make 7 whole pops and a partial pop with the mix I put together tonight. 

I haven't had cookies & cream ice cream since my celiac diagnosis over six years ago, so these popsicles were a much welcomed treat.  I ended up eating two of them, and could have easily eaten three!

Cookies & Cream Popsicles (Zoku Version)

Ingredients

1 1/2 C half and half
4 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies
3 T sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a blender or NutriBullet, and blend until well combined.  Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Whisk the pop mixture before filling your pop molds.  If using a Zoku Quick Pop Maker, follow the directions included with the pop maker.

Recipe Notes

This recipe should make 4 to 8 popsicles, depending upon the size of your pop molds.

I used Gluten Free Joe-Joe's from Trader Joe's.

My Zoku Quick Pop Maker was purchased from Williams-Sonoma.  It took about 10 minutes to freeze the first batch of popsicles.  The other two batches took a minute or two longer.

August 26, 2014 Update

Today, I made cookies & cream popsicles in my 4 ounce traditional pop molds from Tovolo.  This recipe makes 6 popsicles.

Cookies & Cream Popsicles (Traditional Pop Molds Version)

Ingredients

2 C half & half
1/4 C heavy cream
6 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies
1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a blender or NutriBullet, and blend until well combined.  Fill your pop molds, and freeze your popsicles for at least 4 to 6 hours.

Recipe Notes

The first time I made cookies & cream popsicles in my traditional pop molds, I just used half & half, but they were a little bit icy, so I added some heavy cream to make them creamier like the pops I make quickly in my Zoku.

Linked to:  Gluten-Free Wednesdays

Mexican Chocolate Popsicles

I could tell my husband thought I was a little crazy when he opened the amazon box with my new Tovolo Groovy Pop Molds inside.  A recipe for creamy banana & brown sugar pops on Whole Foods' Facebook page got me thinking about making homemade popsicles.  Then I remembered the amazing Mexican chocolate Pop Craft pops we used to buy at the Fashion Square Mall Food Truck Bazaar.  They were so good, but sadly, the vendor who used to sell them has gone out of business.  

Less than 24 hours after receiving my pop molds, I was making my first batch of popsicles.  

My family loved batch one, which were made with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but decided that the popsicles needed to be a little bit sweeter.  

We sampled batch two today after lunch, and thought they were perfectly sweet now that I had added some milk chocolate chips.  

As you can probably see from the pictures, the pops are a little darker towards the stick.  I am going to have to do a little research about why they are separating a bit once they are put in the freezer. 

The darker layer is a little denser and less sweet, but still good.  My favorite thing about these popsicles is definitely that hint of cinnamon.  For batch one, I only added 1/4 teaspoon.  Batch two got a heaping 1/4 teaspoon.  Batch three got a 1/2 teaspoon, which was just right.

Mexican Chocolate Popsicles

Ingredients

2 1/4 C half & half
2 T light brown sugar - packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 oz milk chocolate chips

Directions

Heat the half & half in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, and whisk until dissolved. Add the chocolate, whisking until all the ingredients are well blended.

Chill the pop mixture for at least 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.  Whisk it before filling the pop molds, and freeze them for at least 5 to 6 hours.

Recipe Notes

I use Guittard chocolate chips.  They are made in a peanut and gluten free facility.  I purchase them at The Fresh Market.  

When I don't have enough half & half in the house to make these popsicles, I substitute equal parts of lowfat milk and heavy cream.  

I use my kitchen scale to weigh my chocolate chips.  

I am sure this will be the first of many popsicle recipes on my blog this summer.  Do you make homemade popsicles?  What are your favorite flavors and ingredients?  

Update - I have found that chilling the pop mixture for at least 30 minutes helps lessen the darker layer at the bottom of the popsicles, so I have updated the directions with that added step.  

With the ingredients I use, each popsicle is approximately 275 calories.  

Linked to: Gluten Free and DIY Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays