Because summers here are preciously short, the city truly comes to life and residents, myself included, strive to maximize every single day. I recently attended a street festival, and the longest line of dozens of food trucks was at a homemade ice pop stand. After enjoying my pop (worth the wait!), I realized that my own pop mold had been sitting sadly in our storeroom since last year. I resurrected it to make these chocolate pudding pops, and they were sweet reminder of why I love homemade ice pops so much. They’re easy, endlessly customizable, healthy, and absolutely delicious! If you have been debating buying an ice pop mold, please do so no longer. For less than you would pay for two boxes of some store bought pops, you can make an endless supply of homemade Fudgsicles that a) taste better and b) are made with real ingredients and better for you. Last year, I got hooked on fruit and yogurt pops, but this summer so far has been all about the chocolate…and chocolate dipped in more chocolate. With sprinkles. Definitely sprinkles.

Why I Love These Homemade Fudgsicles

One of the best aspects of making your own fudge pops is that you control the ingredients. I wanted to keep my chocolate pudding pops on the healthy side, so I used chocolate almond milk, which tastes ultra rich and decadent, but is only 100 calories per serving. These chocolate Fudgsicles might be my most deceptively, deliciously healthy creation yet. To give the chocolate pudding pops their characteristic creamy fudge texture, instead of heavy cream, packaged pudding mix, or corn syrup, I used chia seeds, which are loaded with nutrients and fiber and have the delightful characteristic of plumping into a pudding-like consistency when soaked in liquid. The chia seeds, combined with the chocolate almond milk, transformed into the perfect chocolate pudding base. While these chocolate Fudgsicles taste plenty sweet on their own, I couldn’t resist dunking them in a little extra chocolate—OK, a lot of extra chocolate—then showering them with a rainbow of sprinkles. I see them as a sweet treat at your next outdoor gathering, a cool reward on a summer evening that you’ll feel great eating, and another outstanding reason to buy that ice pop mold you’ve been eyeing.

Recipe Adaptations

For those with dietary restrictions, these homemade Fudgsicles are naturally gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and sweetened with agave nectar, so all can partake.Pudding Pops with Nuts. Add crushed peanuts, pecans, cashews, or almonds to your pops.Pudding Pops with Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. Some crushed chocolate sandwich cookies would be a delicious topping.Pudding Pops with Peanut Butter Cups. Smash a few peanut butter cups and add them to your pudding pops.Pudding Pops with Fruit. Freeze dried raspberries or strawberries would make tasty toppings too.

More Kid-Friendly Treats

S’mores Brownie BitesHalloween Banana PopsiclesChocolate Chip Cookie CakeThe Very Best Monster Cookies

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Pop MoldMini Whisk

Take it from we summer-loving souls up north: the season goes quickly, so take as many bites (and licks) as you can before it ends!

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