Summer is (almost, I mean, it might as well be) here with its abundance of beautiful seasonal fruits! One of my favorite, easy hot weather treats is a refreshing popsicle and today I’m sharing a recipe that makes the most of the glorious cherries we’re seeing now with these balsamic roasted cherry pops.
I’ve amped up the natural sweetness of the cherries by roasting them first, which concentrates the flavor of the cherries beautifully, especially when paired with a little zing from some balsamic vinegar. These deeper, richer notes in the roasted cherries are contrasted with the creaminess of coconut milk, making a sweet treat that is like eating whipped-cream-topped cherries in dairy free popsicle form!
I didn’t do it here, but I bet that these would be fabulous with some cocoa (not aip) or carob powder added, for a cherry “chocolate” kind of vibe.
Looking for more popsicles and frozen treats?
- Salted Mango Popsicles
- Watermelon Popsicles with Mint, Ginger & Lime
- Creamy Honeydew Popsicles
- Mini Nectarine & Ginger Popsicles
- 21 AIP popsicles!
Balsamic Roasted Cherry Pops
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
- 1 lb / 454 g pitted dark sweet cherries
- 3 tbsp / 45 ml balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp / 45 ml raw honey
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 2/3 cups / 400 ml coconut milk
- Unsweetened shredded coconut, to garnish
Instructions
- ROAST: Preheat the oven to 400F (205C). Place the cherries in a baking dish and drizzle them with the balsamic vinegar and honey, then sprinkle the sea salt over the top. Roast the fruit for 35 minutes, giving the pan a little shake halfway through the cooking time, until the cherries have released their juices and they have just begun to wrinkle a little.
- BLEND: Allow the cherries to cool slightly and check to make sure there are no cherry pits, then transfer the fruit to a blender, making sure to scrape up all the pan juices, too. Add the coconut milk and blend together. Taste and add additional honey or salt, if needed.
- ASSEMBLE: Divide the cherry mixture evenly between popsicle molds, using a skewer or chopstick to break up any air bubbles in the mixture, leaving a little gap at the top of each mold for the popsicles to expand in the freezer.
- FREEZE: Pop the molds into the freezer for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top of each mold with the shredded coconut, then slide popsicle sticks into each carefully. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid, about 3 hours. Run the popsicle mold under a little warm water to release the pops when you’re ready to eat them!
