Peaches and Cream Popsicles

What to expect?

Classic peaches and cream is one of the quickest summer desserts you can make, I agree. Topping sliced ripe peaches with whipped cream is done in an instant. However, how about some icy summer treats that bring similar flavor but cool you down at the same time?

There are many recipes out there where you just blend heavy cream, peaches, and maple syrup together and be done with it. We wanted something different. Here is what you can expect when you try our peaches and cream popsicles:

• They have distinct layers of peachy and creamy.
• The fruity flavor comes through because the creamy part does not overpower it.
• This ice pop is lighter than other versions since we use milk instead of heavy cream.
• Turning milk into, essentially, a pudding will make the popsicles creamy instead of icy.

Ingredients

• Ripe peaches – We used classic yellow peaches, but yellow nectarines can be a great substitute. White peaches or donut peaches could be a great choice, but they may not have such a distinct color.
• Almond milk – Or any other milk of your choice.
• Sugar – We recommend granulated sugar to keep the creamy part as white as possible.
• Cornstarch – This is the not-so-secret ingredient to get creamy and not icy ice pops.
• Vanilla extract (optional)
• Lemon juice (optional)

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

Making peaches and cream popsicles

1. Make a slurry. Mix cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons of almond milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Add the remainder of the almond milk with the sugar to a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Not simmering or boiling. Stir regularly.

3. Add the slurry to the hot milk, stirring constantly.
4. Reduce the heat and stir until the milk thickens. To test it, drag the spatula through the middle. If the milk fills the gap slower in about a second, you are good to go.

5. Remove it from heat and cover it with plastic wrap. Press the wrap to the surface to avoid a skin on the top. Set aside to cool.
6. Wash and dry the peaches. Cut into slices. If I use yellow peaches with a fluffy peel, I peel them off. If I use nectarine, I leave the peel on.

7. Put peaches and lemon juice in a blender and pulse them into a smooth puree. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. 1-2 Tablespoons should be enough.

8. Pour 2 Tablespoons of peach purée into the base of each popsicle mold. Then add in 2 Tablespoons of milk pudding. Continue filling the molds with alternating layers until it is full. Leave a little bit of room for expansion.

9. Tap the mold on the table to remove any air bubbles. If you want, you can add swirls to have more gradient layers using a butter knife.

10. Place the cover on the popsicle mold, if it has one. Add a popsicle stick in the center of each mold. Leave about 1.5-inch to stick out of the purée. Freeze for at least 8 hours.

11. When ready to unmold, fill a pan with hot water. Place the tips of the popsicle mold in the hot water for 10 seconds. Pull them out using the end of the sticks.

Cool tips

• How to get a vibrant yellow color? For an even smoother purée that maintains a more yellow color, blanch and peel the peaches first. How to blanch them? Place them in boiling water for about 10 seconds until you see that the peel starts to separate from the flesh.
• How to keep the white color of the creamy part? You can certainly use honey, vegan honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or other dry sweeteners, but all of them will color the milk slightly brown.
• Don’t mix the two layers. While it would be tempting, you will get a creamy peach popsicle and not a proper peaches and cream popsicle.

Variations

• Frozen peaches: If you don’t have fresh ones, or previously frozen them, you can still make peaches and cream popsicles. If you have a high-power blender, you can puree the frozen peaches without thawing.
• Canned peaches are much sweeter than fresh ones since they are canned in sugar syrup. While we said lemon juice is optional for fresh peaches, I would add it to canned ones to balance out the sweetness.
• Substituting milk pudding: You can use yogurt, sweetened condensed milk, or heavy cream instead.
• Almond extract: Adding a ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the peach purée will give you a peach frangipane vibe.
• Cinnamon: I love this spice with almost any fruit. I serve panna cotta, rice pudding, and tapioca pudding with a cinnamon-y mixed berry sauce. Adding ¼ teaspoon of it to the peach purée will give you a surprising but delectable twist to your peaches and cream popsicle.
• Cover it in melted chocolate – Melt chocolate and pour it into a tall, but thin glass. Unmold your popsicles, and dip them one by one. Place them on parchment paper or stick them on top of the popsicle mold if you have one with a top cover.

Equipment

• Popsicle mold – What is the best popsicle mold? You can find plastic, silicone, and stainless steel options. I find silicone ones are the easiest to unmold.
• Blender – You can use an immersion blender to make the peach puree, although a high-power blender like Vitamix will give you a smoother result.

Storing tips

Store individually in sealed plastic bags (they are usually part of the popsicle mold kit) or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 month.

FAQs

More cold dessert recipes