Frozen Bites Part 1: Simple Treats to Beat the Heat

My first son wore his toddler status like a badge of honor. He was into everything and anything as soon as he was mobile and I quickly had to figure out a few ways to keep him still more than five seconds. One of my favorite tactics was to plop him in his highchair and hand him a popsicle (usually frozen orange juice). It was always guaranteed to give me a sold twenty minutes to put dinner together or answer some emails.

Fast forward four years: I’m still making frozen treats, but now they are helpful to beat the heat and keep the peace between siblings. It is easy to remember that your brother is your best friend when you are both sitting on the back steps eating something lip-smackingly good.

Frozen treats are fun and delicious, no matter how old you are. This week we’ll be bringing you all sorts of simple ideas for frozen treats to make -and enjoy- with your kids.

Here’s to keeping cool!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dipped Banana Pops

Ingredients:

  • 3 bananas
  • 1 cup chocolate-chips
  • 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter

Materials:

  • 9 wooden popsicle sticks
  • parchment paper
  1. Peel bananas and cut into three sections. Gently insert a popsicle stick into the center.
  2. Place on a parchment paper lined tray and place in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.
  3. Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (power 6-7) until melted. Stir with a spatula until smooth.
  4. Pour melted chocolate into a tall, narrow glass or container. Remove bananas from freezer. Dip, one by one, into the chocolate, letting it ooze up the sides of the glass and coat the banana.
  5. Place bananas on tray again and sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Freeze until solid.

To enjoy: remove from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for about five minutes. Serve with a napkin.

Strawberry Jam Yogurt Pops

Ingredients:

Equipment:

  • ice cream machine
  • popsicle molds
  1. Whisk yogurt and honey together and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine*. Churn until stiff.
  2. Return to bowl and ‘ribbon’ jam into frozen yogurt.
  3. Spoon into ice cube tray or popsicle molds, push in a wooden skewer and freeze until solid.

*I use this Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker.

Berry-Smoothie Mini Cones

This is hardly a recipe as all it requires is blending frozen berries and cream until smooth and then freezing until firm enough to scoop. You can use a food processor or a blender, but either way, you will have to stop a few times to manipulate the fruit with a spatula and then restart the machine.

Feel free to omit the sugar entirely; raspberries are quite tart, and as this is intended to be a dessert, I added the sugar. Strawberries, however, do not need added sugar. Cream can also be upgraded to heavy cream (35 or 45%), or replaced with milk–as the chef wishes!

This recipe is also pictured at the top of the post.

Makes 1 pint.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Raspberries, frozen, or berries of your choice
  • 1/2 cup light cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
  • Mini cones

Equipment:

  • blender
  • spatula
  • ice cream scoop
  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times to get things moving. Blend until smooth. This will take a bit of time and it will look grainy, but continue until it is smooth.
  2. Taste and adjust sugar if needed.
  3. Transfer to a plastic container and freeze until quite firm. Scoop into mini-cones and serve.

There are no treats in the frozen food aisle better than the ones we can make at home. What are some of your favorites?

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47 Comments

  1. It all looks so yummy – now I just have to wait for summer here in Australia to try them!

  2. Mmmm…..love the sounds of the yogurt and jam pops. Great idea! We’ve been enjoying hot chocolate popsicles over the past few weeks and homemade vanilla ice cream as well. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this series.

  3. Love the sound of all of these! Definitely bookmarking this for later. Thanks, Aimee!

  4. I agree – I love the quiet that a yummy frozen treat allows me. Although, sometimes I wonder if the quiet is worth the clean up mess afterwards 😉
    These look delicious, especially the banana pop!

    1. That’s funny, Kirsten, I know exactly what you mean. Now I often take the children’s shirts off (they’re both boys!) before I hand them their treat. =)

  5. You know, that pesky Ice Cream Man went around my block 3 times one afternoon last week … I was thinking it was going to be a very long summer if I had to say “no” three times a day all summer long, but now … well, look out Ice Cream Man 😉

    Thanks!
    .-= Kara Fleck’s last blog: At the Craft Table with Rae Grant: Forever Blowing Bubbles =-.

  6. Those all look so delicious! I may have to try the Chocolate peanut butter dipped banana pops but will be substituting macadamia nut or almond butter for peanut butter. 🙂

    It’s always fun to have a nice treat on hand during the summer months!

  7. Good grief are these easy! I jumped right up and made some banana pops as soon as I read this. And I’m going to the store to buy more yogurt to make yogurt pops this afternoon. So glad to have a freezer full of options that I feel good about giving to my family.

  8. I try to have a “no extra cooking gadgets” rule in my kitchen – but with 4 little ones and growing frustration in finding ice cream with simple, safe ingredients, I think I will be ordering the Cuisinart today. Love the banana pops, how did I forget those from my own childhood? Love this post. My littles will be very very happy!

    1. Michelle, you will love it…and your kids will love (and appreciate) it. I love my cuisinart ice cream maker!
      .-= Melissa’s last blog: It’s been that kind of morning…(Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake) =-.

  9. These are great ideas, I’m so tempted to get myself an ice cream maker!

    You know you can make banana “ice cream” by just throwing some frozen bananas (freeze for a couple of hours) in the food processor? My 2 year old loves it!
    .-= Satakieli’s last blog: Knitted Floor Cushion =-.

  10. Yum! These came just in time for the very hot weather I’ve been experiencing. I think I need an ice cream maker now… 🙂

  11. These are great ideas. My kids love chocolate covered bananas. We have been making those for years. We leave out the peanut butter and sometimes roll it in candies or you can roll it in nuts.

  12. Aimee, I don’t know what it is but it seems like you are always reading my mind! I was going to make chocolate dipped bananas tonight!

    I usually have homemade icecream, sorbet or gelato in the freezer. As summertime rolls around I find myself making alot of popsicles!
    .-= Melissa’s last blog: It’s been that kind of morning…(Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake) =-.

  13. We have definitely hit the point of the year where we need lots of ideas for frozen treats! These look delicious!

  14. I can’t wait to see the rest of this series. I find that store-bought ice-creams and such often make me sick to my stomach, while homemade versions don’t.

    I don’t have an ice cream maker yet so I especially can’t wait to try the Berry Smoothie Mini Cones. Such a gorgeous color! Max is going to love me. 🙂
    .-= Cheri’s last blog: Baby Blue Monday =-.

  15. I love cooling off with a frozen treat. I posted gelato today:) I will have to try popsicles soon!
    .-= Maria’s last blog: 2peas3-0 =-.

  16. It’s been blazing here already and school doesn’t even get out for 3 days! LOooove all of your ideas! can’t wait to see the rest of the series!

  17. I love to keep frozen treats on hand for my grandson! I have lots of strawberries right now, so I’ll probably make the frozen berry smoothies with them. I’ve made chocolate covered bananas before, but not with peanut butter. They sound delicious. Thanks for sharing your ideas for these treats!

  18. We never had store bought popsicles when I was growing up. My mom made yogurt popsicles which are so quick and easy. Plus they are so refreshing!!

    Her recipe: 1 pint plain yogurt, 6 T. frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 t. vanilla
    Mix together and pour into popsicle molds.

    They are a great combo of sweet and tart! Mmmmm…my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Good thing I have some in the freezer!

  19. My kids are totally into smoothies, from the youngest to the oldest (I have 4 kids). The berrie-smoothie cone is a great idea, especially because it makes them “feel” like they’re eating an ice-cream. Thanks for the recipe…it looks yummy…

    Angelica

  20. I was just thinking that our garage freezer is finally looking a little empty, as we’ve eaten through all the frozen casserole and other “winter foods.” Time to fill that space with frozen treats for summer!

    Added bonus: these are so easy, the kids can help make them.

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  22. That banana/chocolate idea is awesome! I think even Nutella would work, I used to just freeze tablespoons with Nutella on them for the summer… on a banana it will be that much better!

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  24. I made the bananas when this first was posted, and now I’ve got the ice cream maker going for the first time all summer… but not the last! What fun.

  25. The sorbet with sweet, end-of-season blueberries is delightful! It is in the freezer and I have just tasted the leftovers in the blender. Creamy and sweet and so colorful!