Every year, I host the VegNews Vegan Yoga Retreat to Mexico, and every year, I count the days until I have the world-famous, chocolate-dipped bananas at ChocoBanana in the coastal town of Sayulita. A visit to ChocoBanana is a VegNews tradition, and there’s nothing like their frozen bananas dipped in warm chocolate and rolled in freshly toasted coconut. Since I don’t want to wait an entire year for my next chocolate-dipped banana, I came up with this easy recipe for making them at home. You can even make chocolate-dipped banana bites and keep a stash in the freezer for a healthy treat anytime you please.
Makes 8 banana pops
What you need:
- 4 large bananas
- 1½ cups vegan chocolate chips
- 8 popsicle sticks
Toppings:
- ¼ cup peanut butter or almond butter (the thinner the better for drizzling)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted
- ⅓ cup chopped raw peanuts, lightly toasted
What you do:
- Peel bananas and slice in half widthwise. Into cut ends of each banana, insert popsicle stick. Place bananas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze for at least two hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare toppings. Make sure the peanut butter or almond butter is a thinner consistency for drizzling. Place toasted coconut and peanuts on plates.
- Once bananas have been in freezer for at least two hours, melt chocolate. Over a double-boiler, add chocolate chips and melt until smooth.
- Transfer chocolate to a cup, allowing for easy dipping. Dip each banana into chocolate, holding over cup for a few seconds to allow excess chocolate to drip off.
- If drizzling over almond butter or peanut butter, first place chocolate-dipped banana on parchment-lined baking sheet to set before drizzling nut butter.
- If using coconut and peanuts, roll chocolate-dipped bananas into either one (or both!), and then place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining pops, and place in freezer for 1 hour, or until frozen.
Healthy hints:
- >> It’s best to use bananas that are just ripe but not too soft.
>> Kids loves these banana pops (both making them and eating them!). And the pops are a healthy, affordable treat.
>> Get creative with the toppings (Oreos, macadamia nuts, candy canes)—the possibilities are endless!