Creamy-Dreamy Banana Popsicles with Yogurt (5-Minute Prep!)

Bursting with flavor, these homemade banana popsicles require just 5 minutes of prep time before freezing. My version of banana popsicles blends plain whole milk yogurt (option to use plant-based yogurt!), ripe bananas, cinnamon and maple syrup for a creamy texture. A sweet frozen treat kids love! Yields 6 medium size popsicles.

Healthy Banana Popsicles

If you’re like me, the answer to the question of what to do with those ripe bananas on the counter has usually been either a) banana pancakes or b) banana muffins. But now we’ve got option c) banana popsicles!

Bananas are not only a great source of potassium and fiber, but when frozen and turned into popsicles, they make for a refreshing frozen treat that can be enjoyed guilt-free (I’m speaking from experience). I also like knowing that there’s no hidden ingredients in these healthy banana popsicles, like added sugars or artificial flavors.

If you are looking for an easy kid-favorite popsicle recipe that:

✔ you can make it in less than 5 minutes
✔ are naturally sweetened
✔ are quick source of hydration (I’m looking at my youngest kiddo that doesn’t drink enough water)
✔ can be easily customized with your favorite add-ins
✔ the kids to help make

Then this recipe is for you!

With simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes (seriously, peeling the bananas is probably the most labor-intensive part), you’ll have creamy, dare-I-say-dreamy, banana-flavored popsicles that everyone will love.

If you are looking for more easy and healthy frozen desserts for your little one, then be sure to check out these 15 Homemade Popsicle Recipes. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.

Ingredients

• Bananas: you’ll need 3 ripe bananas with lots of brown spots, or you can use frozen and thawed bananas.
• Maple Syrup: for this recipe, we are going to use maple syrup, but you can also use honey (for babies over 1), agave nectar, or simple syrup.
• Yogurt: plain whole milk yogurt, or a plant-based yogurt like coconut or almond. Whichever you choose, using yogurt with more fat will help make a creamier popsicle.
• Cinnamon: this flavor blends so well with the bananas and sweetener, but you can also add a dash of vanilla extract or cocoa powder

Health Benefits of Banana Popsicles: These popsicles are ripe with nutritious benefits. Bananas provide tons of potassium, important electrolytes, and fiber to help keep digestive systems regular. And yogurt makes these popsicles rich in calcium for healthy bones and protein and fats for growth and development.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Add-Ins

You can make these easy popsicles as-is, or you can add in one or two extra ingredients. Here are a couple of our favorite additions:

• chopped strawberries
• mini chocolate chips
• crushed graham crackers
• slices or chopped pieces of banana
• a swirl of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter
• blend with a handful of spinach
• mango
• dip half of the frozen popsicles in melted chocolate and roll in chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or sprinkles, for a sweet dessert for older kids

Cooking with Kids

This recipe is great for having your little ones help you with it.

Toddlers

• Toddlers can help measure and pour the ingredients into the blender.
• They can help put the lid on the blender and push start. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
• Once blended, toddlers can help pour the popsicle mixture into the popsicle molds. You may want to pour the popsicle mixture into a smaller measuring cup with a pour lip to make it easier on them.
• With help, they can place the popsicle molds into the freezer. My kids always spill the tray at this point, so just give them an extra hand.

Kids

• You can pretty much let older kids make this recipe by themselves.
• They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
• Kids can pour the popsicle mixture into the molds and place the popsicles into the freezer.

Best Popsicle Molds

If you’re looking for fun and colorful popsicle molds, check out my guide to 6 of the best kid-friendly popsicle molds. There are options for every age – babies, toddlers, and big kids (including adults).

Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

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