Banana Yogurt Popsicles
Whenever summer comes around, I get really nostalgic for my childhood. I know I’m probably not the only one to feel this way, but I feel like summer time was just so much more awesome when I was younger.
Of course, this may have something to do with the fact that it was at a time when I was still in elementary school (and thus on summer vacation), and also was too young to have a job (that has no summer vacation). Still, childhood summertime nostalgia is the best. Here are just a few memories that I have:
Back when Will Smith was still rapping (and also The Fresh Prince of Bel Air), he came out with a song called “Summertime”. Yes, I still listen to it now every summer. It’s a classic. It never gets old.
Please tell me there’s someone out there that remembers when this commercial used to come on The Disney Channel. It was back when The Disney Channel was actually good to watch.
I remember when Nick at Nite used to come on after Nickeldeon shows were over late at night. During the summer, there was this special marathon of shows that came on called the Nick at Nite Block Party Summer. Each night featured a different show; the Munsters were on Mondays, I Love Lucy was on Tuesdays, Bewitched was on Wednesdays, I Dream of Jeannie was on Thursdays (I didn’t watch Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie, but I still remember them), and Friday was for The Brady Bunch. It may have seemed weird for a 9 year old to like watching shows that old, but for some reason I was just addicted to the Nick at Nite Block Party Summer.
Summertime meant that my grandpa would go and buy watermelons from the grocery store at least once a week that we could all eat. I can’t even think of how much watermelon I used to eat. It was a lot, suffice to say.
I remember playing outside when it was hot. Me and my sisters would turn our frisbees upside down and fill them up with grass, weeds, dandelions and other yard waste. We chopped them up together and pretended we were cooking some kind of food dish (no, we didn’t eat it). Then when the sun set and it became cool, we caught fireflies and ate popsicles.
The popsicles I ate when I was younger were mostly the red, white, and blue Turbo Rocket ones that were mostly just made of sugar and water and turned your tongue and lips different colors. Now that I’m older, I find that my popsicle palate (if that’s even a real thing) has become somewhat more ‘refined’…or just pickier. I still get cravings for popsicles- I just want them to be a little more complex than the ones I was glad to settle for when I was younger.
I’d been meaning to buy popsicle molds for a while now, but they’re just one of those things that you continually walk past in the store telling yourself, “One of these days, I’ll getcha.”
And then you never do. Except this time, I did, if for nothing else, than to make me come up with recipes to use them for this summer. Today’s post is the first of what I hope will be a nice, delicious collection of popsicle recipes.
This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite recipes: Southern Banana Pudding. I hope to God you guys have had at least one good Southern Banana Pudding in your life. If you haven’t, then you’re really missing out and I really do feel sorry for you- cause it is that serious. Rest assured, I will be sharing my grandma’s banana pudding recipe on the blog, but for now let’s just stick with these popsicles.
I think that the one thing that turns me off about most standard issue popsicles today is just that they’re either really, really, really, sweet or just really, really, really watered down and bland. I wanted to alleviate both of these problems in my popsicles, especially given that they’re inspired by banana pudding, which shouldn’t be too sweet or watery in and of itself. The yogurt base really gives these a smooth, but robust and creamy taste that’s further enhanced by the mashed bananas. I added the vanilla wafers to the recipe to give them even more texture to compliment the smoothness of the yogurt base and to add to the banana pudding inspiration.
There is one way that this recipe differs from both regular popsicles and Southern Banana Pudding, and that’s that these popsicles are actually healthy so far as ingredients go. They make for a really light, cold and satisfying snack or dessert for the hot summer days that are upon most of us nowadays. They’e also my contribution to this week’s Fiesta Friday #22 hosted by Prudy@Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs and Elaine@foodbod. Enjoy , guys 🙂
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Banana Yogurt Popsicles
CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE VERSION
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 tsp banana extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers, plus 3 tbsp, divided
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except for 3 tbsp of crushed vanilla wafers in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 2 tsp of crushed wafers into the bottom of your popsicle molds.
3. Pour in yogurt and banana mix, leaving a little bit of space in the top of the molds. Sprinkle the remainder of the crushed wafers over the top of the molds. Insert popsicle sticks and cover each mold with aluminum foil.
4. Place in freezer until hardened, a few hours. Remove and enjoy!
(Tip to remove popsicles from plastic molds: run molds underneath hot water or place molds into a bowl of hot water for about a minute. Gently tug on popsicles sticks, the popsicles should come out.)
I love popsicles and this one sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it. And I’ve never had Southern Banana Pudding. I feel deprived. lol. Can’t wait to see your grandma’s recipe for that too =)
Thanks Andrea, if you like these popsicles the actual banana pudding will knock your socks off 😉
Can’t wait to see your recipe =)
Oh my gosh Jess! These look so good! What a great summer treat, and healthy too! I am going to make these soon for my son and I.
Awesome Arl- I think you’ll like it 🙂
Oh and Southern Banana Pudding is the best! 🙂
wowww…this is super yummyy:-)
Thank you- I’d be inclined to agree with that assessment lol
😃😃
Wow! These are so cool looking! At first I thought the bottom part was a thick banana ganache! My hub would love these, he’s a banana freak!
Nope, the bottom is a vanilla wafer kind of ‘crust’. It’s one of my favorite parts of the popsicle. And if your husband is a banana freak, he will LOVE these! Thanks Sue 🙂
Yum!! We have been making Popsicles this summer too. Most are just with puréed fruits, sometimes yogurt too. Can’t go wrong with a base of banana pudding,yummy!
Nope, you sure can’t. Thanks!
Lovely Jess! These look so refreshing!
They really are, they’re a way to satisfy a sweet tooth while still feeling like you’re eating something light and even healthy. I’m proud of how they turned out- thanks Lori!
What wonderful memories from your childhood, Jess, lovely to read. And I LOVE ‘Summertime’ one of my all time favourite songs 😀 these Popsicles look great, I’d much rather give my son these than the commercially made ones. Thank you for joining us at this weeks party x
Thanks Elaine, glad to see someone else who loves one of the best 90s classic songs. I’m glad to bring these to this week’s FF- have a great weekend 🙂
Thank you, and you xx
This looks and sounds so yummy! 🙂
Thanks- I think they’re quite yummy if I can say so myself!
These do look fabulous Jess. And I am another who has not had the pleasure of a Southern Banana Pudding so please can you post one soon – I cannot bear to miss out on something so iconic!!! Thank you for that little peek into your early summers – how lovely to have such wonderful memories!
Thanks Selma- I didn’t realize how many people out there that had never had Banana Pudding before, so I will absolutely have to rectify the situation and share my recipe with everyone. Friends don’t let friends not try Southern Banana Pudding! lol
Oh your popsicles look sooooooo good, Jess! Thank you so much for bringing them to the party 🙂 I’ll take one, or maybe two 😉
Loved reading your childhood memories 🙂 (I love The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
Happy FF!
I was time travelling with your post 🙂 My favourite was definitely I Dream of Jeannie! And these banana popsicles are on the right way to becoming a favourite too 😀
Thanks Erika- glad to see I’m not the only one who loved Nick at Nite too 😉
Your Popsicle looks incredible 🙂
Thanks, I’m glad with how they turned out too 🙂
These popsicles look so perfect for the summer Jess! And I love the crushed vanilla wafers coating. Clever 😀
The vanilla wafers are the perfect compliment- thank you!
I love homemade popsicles- adding vanilla wafers is such a fabulous idea!! 🙂
Thanks Brooke- I knew I had to put the wafers in to make it a rendition of Banana pudding 😉
Yum Jess, these look amazing and delicious. Love that you brought them to the party!
Thanks Suzanne 🙂
What a great summer treat!
Thank you Nancy- I hope to make more popsicle recipes for the summer 😉
These popsicles are perfect for summer, Jess! I love the idea of the vanilla cracker crumbs – yum!! 😀
Thanks Jhuls!
Jessica! You did something great, has someone already told you??? Love the flavours you’ve mixed, and I really like the idea of adding some biscuits!
Thank you, I appreciate it 🙂
These sound wonderfully refreshing for a hot day like today! I love that you use almond milk. I discovered it about a year ago and I’m absolutely hooked now 🙂
Hey Heather! Thank you, I actually prefer almond milk over regular milk, it’s much sweeter, as well as healthier. Awesome stuff 🙂
Ooh I could eat about 5 of these right now! I’ve always meant to buy moulds too but never have, might have to get around to that!
I put off buying them myself Michelle, but I’m really glad that I finally broke down and did it. I think you will be too- thanks 🙂
Happy Fiesta Friday my love! I love reading your stories… they’re always so happy. I did the same thing not too long ago… I’d been thinking about my Aunt Sandi’s pudding pops that she used to make for us when we were really little…and back then, I was always amazed that she could freeze pudding. My little brain couldn’t wrap itself around the fact that pudding could be frozen. I don’t know why, but that’s what I remember! So, I finally decided that I was going to make more popsicles, and my Aunt Sandi’s pudding pops, and ordered myself some popsicle molds from Amazon!!
I am so happy that you brought these awesome banana pops to the table. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the banana pudding you talk about, but it sure does sound amazing. I look forward to your grandmas recipe…but in the meantime, I think I’m going to enjoy making your banana pops. Awesome post! <3
Great Prudy! They’re a worthy investment, and I’m glad I finally stopped being a Scrooge and just bought myself some.
….P.S., I made my Grandma’s Banana Pudding for this years 4th of July. I just finished taking the pictures and will be sharing on the blog soon <3
Ahhh, those were the days! Clever presentation.
Thanks Stacey 🙂