These easy homemade fudgesicles are made with sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and yogurt for a delicious frozen treat. For an extra-fabulous dessert, add a little bourbon!
Who else absolutely adores fudgesicles?
It's not just me, right?
Fudgesicles are the perfect mix of popsicle and ice cream, and of course, they're my favorite flavor. Chocolate.
I've been trying to perfect my homemade fudgesicle recipes for a while now, because I prefer to make (not buy) my sweet treats.
The base for these homemade fudgesicles is similar to the ice cream base in my chocolate mint ice cream, and is made by thickening milk and chocolate with cornstarch. And then it's thickened again with (just a little bit) of yogurt.
Over the years, I've tried lots of different fudgesicle recipes, and this version is my favorite.
If you want to switch things up for your own customized fudgesicles, keep reading. I'll let you know what worked and what didn't.
Can I Get Rid of the Refined Sugar?
Possibly.
I've tried these with a few different sweeteners, and for this recipe, I decided to go with sugar.
Liquid sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup) taste amazing in these fudgesicles, but they will make the finished fudgesicle slightly less firm than when they're made with sugar.
And that would be totally fine, except that the alcohol in these fudgesicles also makes them less firm. Alcohol lowers the freezing point and gives you a softer frozen dessert.
If you plan on swapping the sugar for honey or maple syrup, I recommend skipping the bourbon.
Also, since honey and maple syrup are both sweeter than sugar, you'll want to use slightly less sweetener than the recipe calls for.
Can I Use 2% or Skim Milk?
You sure can!
Your finished fudgesicles probably won't be quite as rich and creamy.
Can I Used Low-Fat Coconut Milk?
Yes.
As with skim milk or 2%, your fudgesicles will be less rich and creamy than with whole milk or full-fat coconut milk.
Can I Skip the Milk and Just Use Yogurt?
You'll still need to use a little bit of milk, but you can swap out about half the milk for an equal amount of yogurt if you prefer.
This recipe already includes a small amount of plain yogurt, so if you want to use less milk and more yogurt, simply follow the recipe as directed with adjusted milk and yogurt quantities.
Personally, I don't care for the flavor of fudge frozen yogurt. There's something off-putting (to me) about the tart yogurt flavor mixed with the fudge.
That said, fudge frozen yogurt bars are a thing, so if you like it, you can definitely turn these into frozen yogurt bars.
Can I Skip the Cornstarch in These Homemade Fudgesicles?
Nope.
The cornstarch is what thickens the milk, so make sure not to skip it!
Can I Skip the Alcohol?
You definitely can!
These fudgesicles would also be delicious with a splash of vanilla extract or mint extract instead of bourbon.
I'm Out of Bourbon, Can I Swap It?
Absolutely!
Swap it for your favorite liquor or liqueur. These fudgesicles would also be delicious with rum, Kahlua, amaretto, or Grand Marnier.
Will the Alcohol "Cook Out" of Homemade Fudgesicles?
Nope. You're adding the bourbon (or other spirit) after you finish heating the fudgesicle base.
If you're serving these fudgesicles to kids, skip the alcohol.
How to Make Homemade Fudgesicles
Start by whisking sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch with milk.
Mix it until it's (pretty well) incorporated. It's okay if you can't get it completely blended.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, and whisk often. When the milk begins to simmer, keep simmering for another 2 minutes.
The milk will thicken and begin to look like chocolate pudding.
Turn off the heat, and add the bourbon.
Next, stir in the yogurt.
Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, and freeze.
Keep in mind that these will take longer to freeze than non-alcoholic popsicles. But good things are worth waiting for.
What If I Don't Have Popsicle Molds?
You could use a silicone ice cube tray and toothpicks as a stand-in, but if you plan on making popsicles on-the-regular, I recommend picking up a set of molds.
The Koji popsicle molds I have are discontinued, but these popsicle molds on Amazon have great reviews and are made similarly to the ones I have. Yes, I realize they're a different shape.
Enjoy these tasty treats, and then mix up another batch of homemade fudgesicles!
Homemade Fudgesicles
Equipment
- popsicle molds (6 cavity mold)
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar (white or brown)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (non-alkalized or Dutch process)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk or full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ½ ounces bourbon (optional) Or swap another whiskey or liqueur
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Instructions
- Add the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch to a medium pot. Begin slowly whisking in the milk, stirring until the powder is mostly absorbed.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking often until the milk begins simmering. Continue simmering for 2-3 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the bourbon and stir.
- Add the yogurt and whisk until incorporated.
- Freezing the Fudgesicles:Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then pour into popsicle molds. Make sure not to go above the mold's fill line, because the mixture will expand slightly while freezing.If your molds include popsicle sticks, add them now. If not, freeze until the fudgesicles are firm enough to insert the sticks, and then add them.Freeze fudgesicles for at least 7 hours, or overnight. (The alcohol makes these take longer to freeze than traditional popsicles.)
- Removing the Fudgesicles from the Molds:To remove the popsicles from the molds, run warm (or hot) water over the bottom of each mold, or dip the molds into a container filled with warm (or hot) water. The water temperature needed will depend on your molds.
- Making Multiple Batches of Fudgesicles:If using wooden popsicle sticks (or any stick that is not part of the popsicle mold), you can make multiple batches of fudgesicles and store them for later. To store the fudgesicles, remove them from the mold, wrap each fudgesicle in wax paper, and store in a freezer bag.
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