Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 4 bananas, ripe but firm
Chocolate Coating Option
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped or chips
- 15 g coconut oil
Yogurt Coating Option
- 250 g greek yogurt, plain or vanilla
- 30 g honey
Toppings
- 50 g chopped nuts, toasted
- 30 g desiccated coconut
- 15 g freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 324 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 14 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 403 mg
- Calcium
- 56 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 75 mg
- Phosphorus
- 107 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 71 g
- Caffeine
- 22 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the bananas and slice them in half crosswise. Insert a popsicle stick about halfway into the cut end of each banana half.
Place the skewered bananas on the lined baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes. This "flash freeze" ensures the bananas are cold enough to set the coating quickly but not frozen solid yet.
Prepare your chosen coating. For Chocolate: Combine chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth (approx 45°C/113°F). For Yogurt: Whisk yogurt and honey together in a small bowl.
Dip each chilled banana into the coating, tilting the glass to cover the fruit completely. Allow excess coating to drip off for a few seconds.
Immediately sprinkle your toppings of choice over the wet coating before it sets. If using chocolate, you must work quickly as the cold banana hardens the shell instantly.
Return the decorated pops to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 2 hours until completely solid.
Chef's Notes
- Ripe but firm bananas (yellow with no brown spots) work best; overripe bananas will be mushy when thawed slightly.
- Refined coconut oil is neutral in flavor, while unrefined will add a subtle tropical coconut taste.
- For the yogurt version, thicker Greek yogurt creates a better shell than regular yogurt, which may run off.
- These are sometimes called 'Monkey Tails' and make excellent meal-prep snacks for kids.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Store in an airtight container separated by parchment paper.
Troubleshooting
Banana slips off the stick while dipping
Cause: Banana was too soft or stick was not inserted deep enough
Fix: Use a spoon to pour coating over the banana instead of dipping
Prevention: Use firm-ripe bananas and freeze them for the full 20 minutes before dipping
Chocolate coating is too thick or clumpy
Cause: Chocolate seized from moisture or wasn't thinned enough
Fix: Stir in an extra teaspoon of coconut oil and gently reheat
Prevention: Ensure all bowls are bone-dry and do not skip the coconut oil
Cultural Context
A modern staple of healthy snacking, frozen bananas gained pop-culture fame in the US via the TV show 'Arrested Development', but they have long been a favorite summertime treat at boardwalks and fairs for offering a guilt-free alternative to ice cream.
