Equipment
Ingredients
Paleta Base
- 3 bananas, overripe and peeled
- 150 ml whole milk, cold
- 100 g sweetened condensed milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 124 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 97 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 8 mg
- Potassium
- 306 mg
- Calcium
- 82 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 76 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 71 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Peel the overripe bananas and break them into large chunks.
Combine the banana chunks, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt in a blender.
Blend the mixture on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, ensuring no banana lumps remain.
Pour the blended mixture evenly into paleta or popsicle molds, leaving a small gap at the top to allow the mixture to expand as it freezes.
Place the molds in the freezer for about 1 hour until partially set, then insert the popsicle sticks straight into the center of each mold.
Return the molds to the freezer and freeze until completely solid, which will take at least 5 more hours.
To unmold, briefly dip the outside of the molds in warm tap water for 10 to 15 seconds before gently pulling the paletas out by their sticks.
Chef's Notes
- For an authentic touch, dip the top half of the unmolded paleta into melted dark chocolate and immediately sprinkle with crushed pecans or toasted coconut.
- The ripeness of the banana is crucial. The skin should be heavily speckled or almost black. This provides the natural pectins and sugars required for a smooth, non-icy texture.
- Mexican vanilla extract has a distinctively woody, creamy flavor profile that elevates this simple base. If using standard vanilla, consider adding a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg alongside the cinnamon.
- You can substitute whole milk with canned full-fat coconut milk to make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, replacing the condensed milk with an equal weight of agave syrup or maple syrup.
Storage
Freezer: 2 months — Store unmolded paletas in an airtight container or individual sealed bags to prevent freezer burn.
Troubleshooting
Paletas are icy rather than creamy
Cause: Bananas were not ripe enough or milk fat content was too low
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use bananas heavily spotted with brown and whole milk to ensure a creamy emulsion
Sticks fall out or are crooked
Cause: Sticks were inserted too early while the mixture was entirely liquid
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Wait until the mixture is partially frozen before inserting sticks
Paletas will not release from the mold
Cause: The base is frozen too solidly to the plastic or silicone
Fix: Run warm tap water carefully over the outside of the mold for exactly 15 seconds to gently release the edges
Prevention: Avoid over-soaking in warm water which melts the treat too quickly
Cultural Context
Paletas are iconic Mexican frozen treats, fundamentally different from standard ice pops. They are traditionally made with fresh fruit and minimal processing, falling into two main categories: paletas de agua (water-based) and paletas de leche (milk-based). This banana variation pays homage to the paletas de leche, offering a rich, comforting flavor profile often found in neighborhood paleterias across Mexico.
