Welcome back, friends! We’ve returned to the magical land of chocolate + peanut butter (one of our favorite places). This timeless combo has won the day YET again, this time in the form of creamy, decadent, salty-sweet vegan ice cream bars!
They’re truly better than we ever could’ve imagined, and they just might replace your favorite store-bought bars. Just 7 pantry staple ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done!
These AMAZING homemade ice cream bars have a creamy vegan peanut butter center made with dairy-free milk (we used almond), dates, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
After blending up the ingredients and adjusting the sweetness to your personal taste, the mixture is ready to pour into popsicle molds and head into the freezer.
After about 6 hours, they will be frozen and looking like ice cream bars. We know..the waiting game is hard. But these bars are SO WORTH IT!
The final step is making the chocolate shell. Melt some chocolate chips and add a little coconut oil (to make the chocolate layer a little melty — YUM!). Then dip the peanut butter bars in the chocolate and freeze again. Don’t worry…this time ice cream bars are just 15-30 minutes away!
We can’t wait for you to try these ice cream bars! They’re:
Creamy
Chocolaty
Peanut buttery
Salty-sweet
Decadent
Refreshing
& Classic!
Make a batch now and you’ll be thanking yourself all summer long!
More Homemade Ice Cream Bars & Popsicles
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 8 (Bars)
Prevent your screen from going dark
- 1 ¼ cup dairy-free milk (plain, unsweetened // we used almond)
- 10 medjool dates (10 dates yield ~1 cup packed or 200 g), pitted
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (natural)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
CHOCOLATE SHELL
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (ensure vegan/dairy-free as needed)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
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If your dates are very firm/dry, add to a bowl and soak in boiling water for ~5 minutes. Drain before using.
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In a high-speed blender, combine the dairy-free milk, dates, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Blend on high until smooth and only small flecks of dates remain. Taste and adjust, adding maple syrup for additional sweetness (we added 1 Tbsp) or more salt for a more salty-sweet balance.
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Divide mixture between popsicle molds (we used these) and freeze for ~6 hours, or overnight. When you’re ready to add the chocolate shell, line a plate or baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and make sure there is room for it to fit in the freezer. Let the popsicles thaw slightly at room temperature while you prepare your chocolate shell.
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Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a pint-sized glass jar (or small heat-proof mixing bowl) and microwave in 30-second increments until fully melted and creamy, stirring occasionally to aid in the melting process. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler on the stovetop. We melted the chocolate in a jar for easy dipping/coating!
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Carefully remove the popsicles from the mold one at a time, running the mold(s) under warm water if needed to help loosen the popsicles. Working quickly, dip the popsicle in the jar of melted chocolate, tilting and rotating the jar as needed to evenly coat the popsicle. Lift the popsicle and let excess chocolate drip off before placing the popsicle onto the prepared plate/baking sheet. Repeat with remaining popsicles. You can also drizzle/pour the melted chocolate over the popsicle if not using a jar.
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Return the bars to the freezer for 15-30 minutes to refreeze slightly, then enjoy! Leftover bars will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer. We recommend storing them in a container with parchment paper in between bars to prevent sticking.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 ice cream bar Calories: 322 Carbohydrates: 36.3 g Protein: 5.7 g Fat: 19.6 g Saturated Fat: 9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 30 mg Potassium: 289 mg Fiber: 5.7 g Sugar: 29.1 g Vitamin A: 6 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 123 mg Iron: 2.2 mg