My son turns six this weekend and I’ll be preparing frozen chocolate bananas for his birthday treat. I’m not entirely opposed to eating sweets for special occasions, but I do believe that those treats should be homemade from healthy ingredients. These frozen chocolate bananas are so easy to prepare, and kids (and parents) absolutely adore them! They’re the perfect treat for a summer time celebration.
The chocolate for the frozen chocolate bananas must be cold in order to remain solid since the base is made from coconut oil which liquifies above 78*F. I’ve used the chocolate recipe for things like chocolate bark with dried fruit and nuts by pouring the chocolate onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkling my desired ingredients on top. The bark is frozen and then broken into pieces once solid. You can even use the chocolate for homemade peanut butter cups (hopefully I’ll be sharing a recipe soon).
Frozen chocolate bananas could also be modified into a class project for little folks by slicing the bananas into rounds, placing those rounds on toothpicks, freezing the rounds, and then creating a fondue-like project. I’ll let you know if I try it out with my son’s kindergarten class later this year.
You can add some versatility to your frozen chocolate bananas by dipping them first in the chocolate and then immediately into your favorite toppings like unsweetened shredded coconut or chopped nuts. I’ll likely have an assortment to present on Owen’s sixth birthday this year. Stay tuned for photos!
- 12 small bananas
- 24 popsicle sticks
- ½ cup (100 grams) coconut oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
- ⅔ cup (55 grams) cacao powder
- Slice the bananas in half and place a popsicle stick into each half. Place the bananas on a parchment paper-line baking sheet and freeze the bananas for about an hour or till mostly frozen.
- Prepare the chocolate by placing the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt into a small pot on low heat. You're just trying to melt the chocolate, not cook it. Whisk in the cacao once the mixture is warm. The melted chocolate is now ready for use.
- Pour the chocolate into a small mason jar or other narrow, shallow glass filling the glass about ½ - ¾ full.
- Dip each banana into the warm chocolate, remove it, and rotate it to allow the chocolate to set evenly before returning the banana to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat, refilling the glass as necessary till all bananas are dipped in chocolate. Return the pan to the freezer for at least 30 – 45 minutes before serving.
- These can be made days in advance, just be sure to serve the Chocolate Bananas immediately from the freezer or they’ll become mushy.
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