Chocolate covered bananas might be one of the easiest popsicle recipes out there! There are lots of different ways to customize the flavors of these frozen banana treats, from a double peanut butter dip to a host of crunchy toppings. These are a summertime favorite.
Armed with the knowledge of how simple it is to make a homemade chocolate "shell" (thank you, Drumstick ice cream sundaes!), the proverbial lightbulb went off in a big way when I ran across frozen chocolate bananas in the freezer aisle.
I've never been someone who needs to make everything from scratch, but these popsicles seemed like they'd be quite a bit cheaper to make at home without taking up a lot of time or effort. What a win!
These chocolate dipped bananas have been in constant stock in our freezer this summer. I modeled them after the brand of pops I saw at the store and included steps on including a double-dip situation involving peanut butter underneath dark chocolate (!) but you can totally just use chocolate if you want.
Reasons to Love This Recipe
- They're tasty and refreshing - Banana and dark chocolate make a seriously delicious dessert. These banana popsicles are like ice cream bars, just with a banana in place of the ice cream.
- More flavors - There's a peanut butter option!
- Less expensive - While there are store-bought frozen bananas pops, it's much more cost effective to make them yourself.
- Easily dairy-free - It's a really easy dairy-free frozen dessert to make (use dairy-free chocolate).
Recipe Ingredients
- Bananas: For the best balance between sweetness and firmness, look to use bananas that are just turning ripe. They're no longer green and are starting to develop a few small dark spots.
- Chocolate: Use your favorite chocolate chips or chunks. I'm partial to dark chocolate!
- Peanut Butter: This is totally optional, but can be dipped as a layer underneath the chocolate for a fun flavor boost similar to the Diana's Bananas flavor. Smooth peanut butter keeps the appearance neat, and other nut butter, like almond, can be used, too.
- Coconut Oil: This melts seamlessly into the chocolate (or PB) shell to thin out and flash freeze the coating. I recommend using refined versus unrefined/virgin coconut oil as refined is flavorless.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare Bananas - Peel bananas and cut each in half. Insert a popsicle stick into the wide end before freezing solid.
- Peanut Butter Coating - If using, melt together peanut butter and coconut oil in a bowl, then whisk smooth. Dip each frozen banana into it and place on a sheet of parchment paper to freeze.
- Chocolate Coating - With either plain frozen bananas or ones with hardened peanut butter shell, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil, then dip.
- Decoration - If you want, scatter toppings of your choice to your frozen chocolate covered banana pops before they set. Lots can work:
- Chopped peanuts (salted for a sweet and salty combo)
- Colorful sprinkles
- Oreo cookie crumbs
- Strawberry powder (freeze-dried strawberries blitzed in the food processor)
- Coconut flakes
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Most important! Remember to insert the popsicle sticks into the bananas before freezing. It's too cumbersome to try and dip the bananas when you're holding onto them as the banana quickly starts to thaw where you're holding it.
- Dipping vessels. Narrow containers are optimal for dipping the chocolate covered bananas as you don't have to do much pouring, tilting, etc. I melt the shell coating in a heat-safe bowl then transfer to a small measuring cup or an 8-ounce jar for dunking.
- Decorate quickly. The melted chocolate coating will begin to harden immediately. Have any chopped peanuts, sprinkles, or whatever you'd like to scatter over top of the bananas ready to go right away once dipped.
Recipe FAQs
Place chocolate banana pops in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate or container and freeze until well hardened. At that point wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a few months. The risk at that point would be that they could become freezer burnt and develop ice crystals.
You can make smaller chocolate covered banana bites à la Trader Joe's Gone Bananas by slicing bananas in thick rounds and freezing, sans popsicle sticks. Prepare the shell(s) as the instructions show and dip each frozen banana bite into them by utilizing two forks, chopsticks, tongs, etc. Lay in a single layer on parchment until hardened.
While some recipes call for simply dunking bananas in melted chocolate, the addition of coconut oil produces a silkier smooth shell coating that hardens in a flash. Both attributes that benefit frozen banana pops. That said, you can make these pops without it, though you may run into a clumpier texture and longer hardening times.
More Banana Recipes
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Chocolate Covered Bananas
Equipment
- 8 Popsicle sticks
Ingredients
- 4 firm bananas just ripe with few brown spots
Peanut Butter Coating (optional)
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons refined coconut oil
Chocolate Shell
- 1 cup (150g) chopped dark chocolate
- 2 Tablespoons refined coconut oil
Garnishes
- Crushed peanuts optional
- Coconut flakes optional
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
Freeze Bananas
- Slice bananas in half and remove the peels. Slowly insert a popsicle stick into the base of each banana half, careful not to push it too far in as to come out the other side. Freeze on a sheet of parchment paper until solidly frozen, roughly 3-4 hours.
Peanut Butter Layer (optional)
- Continue on to the Chocolate Layer section if not using peanut butter. Add peanut butter and 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in spurts, stirring well after each go, until totally smooth and combined. Pour into a narrow glass. Set aside while preparing the chocolate.
- Holding each frozen banana pop by the popsicle stick, dunk each banana into the melted peanut butter shell mixture nearly all the way. Hold it above the glass for 30-45 seconds until solidified so that excess will drip back in. Double dip it if you'd like a thicker layer. Place the dipped bananas back on a parchment-lined plate to refreeze for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the melted chocolate shell.
Chocolate Layer
- Add chopped chocolate and 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in spurts, stirring well after each go, until totally smooth and combined. Pour into a narrow glass or jar.
- Dip each frozen banana (peanut butter-covered or not) into the melted chocolate to coat it nearly all the way. Immediately sprinkle garnishes over the banana before the chocolate hardens, otherwise hold the banana by the popsicle stick above the glass for 30-45 seconds as it freezes (and so excess melted chocolate can drip back in).
- Enjoy right away or, once hardened, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
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