These Peanut Butter & Jelly Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Pops turn a classic into a healthy treat! A fun recipe for kids to make, they’re a great gluten free dessert for hot summer days.
I know what you’re thinking – uh, Taryn? This looks kind of gross. But I promise it doesn’t taste gross. It tastes SO GOOD. And for if you have kiddos who are obsessed with PB&Js, then this bad boy is right up your alley.
Now if you want to leave the “jelly” (aka freeze dried strawberries) out of it, that’s totally fine! Just omit the free-dried strawberries. You can either cover the outside of the banana popsicle with just the chopped peanuts or leave it plain.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Banana Popsicles
To make these, you’re going to want to start with ripe bananas. Not so ripe that they’re complete mush, but the peel should have flecks of brown on the outside.
Gather all the props you’ll need – parchment paper, a large flat plate to lay the bananas on, and either popsicle sticks (if you have them) or if you don’t you can use bamboo skewers. You’ll want to use a pair of pliers or wire cutters to clip off the pointed end and then clip them in half, which is pretty easy to do (see pictures below).
Now you’ll want to cut the bananas in half (width wise, so there’s two shorter pieces) and insert one stick into each banana, about 1.5 to 2 inches up. Then place the bananas on the plate with the parchment paper to freeze. Depending on your fridge, this will take at least an hour, maybe more. This is important as if the bananas aren’t frozen all the way they’ll move around on the stick and be hard to get covered in chocolate and topping.
Next up you’ll make the chocolate mixture and the topping, but don’t start this until the bananas are frozen and you’re ready to do the dipping. Otherwise they’ll sit out on the counter and be subject to getting flies in them (ew).
First up is the topping. Measure out the amount of peanuts and place it in a food processor. You can also chop them up by hand with a cutting board and large sharp knife if you don’t have a food processor, but I’m lazy and prefer something else to do the chopping for me.
Chop them until they are in small pieces, but not a fine dust. Remove them from the processor put them on a small, flat plate – something that will be easy to roll the bananas on.
Next up do the same with the freeze-dried strawberries, chopping until the pieces are very small. This will likely results in most of the strawberries turning into a fine dust, which is okay. The dust will coat the peanuts and blend the flavors together more. Combine the chopped up strawberries with the peanuts and mix them all up, until they’re really well combined.
Now onto the chocolate mixture. Be sure and leave the bananas in the freezer when making the mixture and only take them out when ready to cover them, otherwise they’ll start to defrost and it will make dipping them more difficult.
Measure out the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil and place all three in a small microwavable bowl. Stick it in the microwave on high heat for 50 seconds to start. Use a spoon to mix everything together until they are well combined. The mixture should be thin and without any lumps.
If it’s not melted all the way, return the bowl to the microwave to heat again in 10 second increments. Be sure to check it after every 10 seconds to make sure the chocolate isn’t burning. The mixture should be fairly thin, which is what you want to coat the banana. Now take the bananas out of the freezer.
Take one and start to coat it in the chocolate mixture. This can be done by first swirling it around in the chocolate, then using the spoon to kind of ladle the mixture over the banana. Just do what you gotta do to get that bad boy slathered in chocolate.
Once the banana is covered, turn it upside down (the bottom of the handle will be facing up) to let any excess chocolate drip off. After the chocolate is mostly done dripping, roll the banana in the peanut/strawberry topping. If you’re not able to get all sides of the banana, grab some of the topping in your hand and sprinkle it on any bare spots.
Here’s a series of photos to guide you a bit through the process.
Set the banana down back on the plate with the parchment paper and repeat the process for the other three bananas.
After all of the bananas have the chocolate mixture and the topping, place them back in the freezer to harden for at least 30 minutes before eating.
What’s that you say? You want more treat recipes? Believe me, I’ve got you covered.
– Three Ingredient Raspberry Peach Nice Cream
– Crustless Banana Cream Pie Cups
– Cranberry Orange Dark Chocolate Bark
– White Chocolate Candied Lemon Slices
1) This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate. You could also use dark chocolate, but I would stay clear of milk chocolate. It’s likely going to be too sweet combined with the sugars from the ripe banana and peanut butter.
2) You can use popsicle sticks, or those white lollipop sticks you find at craft stores, but you don’t have to. I just take bamboo skewers I have lying around and cut the tips off, then clip them in half. They’re a great size and work well.
3) You (and your kids) are going to need a little bit of patience with this. You really do have to freeze the bananas completely before dipping them in the chocolate and topping. Otherwise they’re likely to slide off the banana or the stick might poke a hole through the banana. And that would be seriously disappointing.
If you’ve tried this PB&J Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Pop recipe (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. Seriously, I love hearing from you!
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Recipe for Peanut Butter & Jelly Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Pops
Peanut Butter & Jelly Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Pops
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ cup salted peanuts
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries
Instructions
Items Needed:
- A large flat plate
- A piece of parchment paper (to cover the plate)
- Four popsicle sticks (or two 10-inch bamboo skewers and pair of pliers)
- A knife
- A cutting board
- Measuring cups
- A food processor (or large sharp knife and cutting board)
- A small flat plate or board
- A small spoon
- A small, microwavable bowl
- A measuring spoon
Directions:
- Take out a large, flat plate. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit over the entire plate and set aside.
- If using popsicle sticks, get them out now. If using bamboo skewers, take a pair of pliers and clip off the pointed end. Then clip the skewer in half, making two piece of equal length. Do the same with the second skewer.
- Peel the bananas and discard the peels. Using a knife and cutting board, cut them in half width-wise so there are two shorter pieces.
- Take one stick and slide it into the center of the bottom flat (cut) part of the banana. Don’t insert so far that the stick comes out on the other end, but 1.5 to 2 inches in should be enough. Repeat with the other three banana pieces.
- Place each banana piece with their sticks on the plate so they’re not touching and place in the freezer for at least one hour. This may take longer depending on the temperature of your freezer and where you’re able to fit them in. They need to be completely frozen solid before coating them in the chocolate mixture.
- Once bananas are completely frozen, begin by making the outer coating. Measure out the amount of peanuts with a measuring cup and place it in a food processor. You can also chop them up by hand with a cutting board and large sharp knife if you don’t have a food processor. Chop them until they are in small pieces, but not a fine dust. Remove them from the processor (or cutting board) when done and place on a small, flat plate or board.
- Next measure out the freeze-dried strawberries and place them in a food processor. Chop until the pieces are very small. This will likely results in most of the strawberries turning into a fine dust, which is okay. The dust will coat the peanuts and blend the flavors together more. Once done, remove from the processor and combine with the peanuts on small plate, making during to mix them together well. This part can also be done by chopping the strawberries on a cutting board with a sharp knife then, if necessary, grinding them a bit with your fingers to get some of the fine dust and make larger pieces smaller.
- Now make the chocolate mixture. Be sure and leave the bananas in the freezer when making the mixture and only take them out when ready to cover them, otherwise they’ll start to defrost and it will make dipping them more difficult.
- With measuring cups and spoons, measure out the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil and place all three in a small microwavable bowl.
- Heat the bowl on high for 50 seconds to start. Using a spoon, mix together the ingredients until they are well combined. The mixture should be thin and without any lumps. If necessary, return the bowl to the microwave to heat again in 10 second increments, checking after each to make sure the chocolate isn’t burning.
- Now take the bananas out of the freezer. Take one and start to coat it in the chocolate mixture. This can be done by first swirling it around in the chocolate, then using the spoon to ladle the mixture over the banana.
- Once the banana is covered in chocolate, turn it upside down (the bottom of the handle will be facing up) to let the excess chocolate drip off. After the chocolate is mostly done dripping, roll the banana in the peanut/strawberry topping. If you’re not able to get all sides of the banana, grab some of the topping in your hand and sprinkle it on any bare spots.
- Set the banana down back on the plate with the parchment paper and repeat the process for the other three bananas.
- After all of the bananas have the chocolate mixture and the topping, place them back in the freezer to harden for at least 30 minutes before eating. Again, this may take longer depending on the temperature of your freezer and if your bananas softened a bit during the dipping process.
Barbara Curry
I love this idea!
Taryn Solie
Thanks, it’s a fun one!