Skip the Ice Cream Truck And Make These Cherry Banana Ice Pops

There’s nothing like an ice pop to cool you down in the summer heat, but many contain long lists of added sugar and artificial dyes. These cherry banana ice pops come together with just three ingredients—frozen fruit, more frozen fruit, and a can of our regeneratively grown organic coconut milk—for a creamy, naturally sweet treat you’ll feel good about handing to the whole crew.

The best part is that they’re totally customizable. Want a cold treat right away? Skip the molds and spoon it straight from the food processor, soft-serve “nice cream” style. Got a few hours? Mold the mixture into pops and you’ve got a wholesome dessert waiting in the freezer all week long. And once you’ve got the formula down, the flavor combinations are practically endless (we’ve got 10 to get you started below).

Why you’ll love them:

• Just 3 ingredients. Frozen banana, frozen cherries, and coconut milk—that’s the whole shopping list.
• No added sugar. Ripe fruit does all the sweetening, so there’s nothing artificial in sight.
• Dairy-free and vegan. Creamy coconut milk stands in for cream, so everyone at the table can dig in.
• Endlessly remixable. Keep the banana base and swap the rest for whatever fruit you’re craving.
• Ready when you are. Five minutes of blending now means a freezer full of treats later.

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Cherry Banana Ice Pops Recipe

Yield: 6 ice pops
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups frozen banana slices
1 ¼ cups frozen cherries
1 cup Thrive Market Regeneratively Grown Organic Coconut Milk (more as needed)

Instructions

Add the frozen banana slices and cherries to a food processor. Pour in the coconut milk and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

If the mixture is too thick to blend, pour in an extra splash of coconut milk and process again until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds and insert the sticks. Freeze for 4 to 6 hours, until solid.

To release, dip the molds in warm water a few times to loosen the pops, then gently pull them free. Enjoy!

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10 Ways to Mix Up Your Ice Pops

Because the frozen banana gives you that thick, creamy, soft-serve texture every time, you can mix up the rest of the ingredients to suit your fruity cravings. Keep the banana, keep the coconut milk, and swap in roughly 1 ¼ cups of whatever sounds good. A few of our favorite combos:

• Strawberry Banana. Trade the cherries for frozen strawberries and you’ve got a classic combo kids ask for on repeat.
• Mango Coconut. Frozen mango turns these into a tropical, sunshine-y treat that tastes like vacation.
• Mixed Berry. A frozen blueberry–raspberry-blackberry blend makes a deep-purple, antioxidant-rich ice pop.
• Chocolate Cherry. Add a spoonful of cacao powder to the original for a chocolate-covered-cherry dream.
• Piña Colada. Frozen pineapple plus an extra splash of coconut milk channels the poolside classic, no blender drink required.
• Peanut Butter Banana. Stir in a scoop of nut butter for a richer, more snack-like ice pop.
• Green Machine. Blend in a big handful of spinach. Kiddos won’t taste it, but you’ll sneak in a serving of greens.
• Berry Vanilla Swirl. Layer the cherry-banana base with a quick vanilla coconut blend for a marbled, almost-too-pretty pop.
• Tropical Sunrise. Mango on the bottom, cherry-banana on top, frozen in layers for a sunset effect.
• Cherry Limeade. A squeeze of fresh lime and a little zest brightens the cherries into something tart and refreshing.

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Tips for the Creamiest Ice Pops

• Start with very ripe bananas. The riper they are before freezing, the sweeter and creamier your pops turn out—no sweetener needed.
• Go easy on the liquid. Add coconut milk a splash at a time. Too much and your pops turn icy instead of creamy.
• Tap out the bubbles. Gently tap the filled molds on the counter before freezing to settle the mixture and avoid hollow spots.
• Give it the full freeze. Resist the urge to take them out of the molds too early; at least 4 to 6 hours gives you clean, solid ice pops that slide right out.
• Warm-water release. A quick dip in warm water is the easiest way to loosen the pops without bending the sticks.

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Make-Ahead & Storage

These are made for batch-prepping. Once the pops are frozen solid, slip them out of the molds and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag with a piece of parchment between layers. They’ll keep beautifully in the freezer for up to two months—just let them sit out for a minute or two before eating for the best texture. Pour any extra blended mixture into a loaf pan and freeze it for a scoopable “nice cream” you can dish up anytime.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these without a food processor? Yes—a high-speed blender works too. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice, and a small splash of extra coconut milk helps everything come together.

Do I have to use frozen fruit? Frozen fruit is what gives these pops their thick, creamy texture, so we recommend it. If you only have fresh, slice it and freeze it on a sheet pan for a few hours first.

Are these vegan and dairy-free? They are. With coconut milk as the base and no dairy or honey, the original recipe is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Do you need ice pop molds? Small paper cups with wooden sticks work in a pinch—or skip the molds entirely and enjoy the blended mixture as soft serve.