Sally from our Kitchen Council is sharing a simple, kid-friendly cherry recipe with you that’s perfect for making on a hot summer day. Enjoy!

Does anything say ‘summer’ more than a sweet, drippy popsicle? It’s my boys’ favorite warm-weather treat, one that gets them running to the kitchen with excitement. It’s also a perfect dessert for backyard parties and cookouts, sure to please the little and big people around your table.

I like to make my own ice pops. Not only is it less expensive than buying a box, but I can also control what all goes in. So I know we won’t be getting any artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, or other ingredients I’m not wild about. In fact, I actually use homemade ice pops to add extra nutrition to our diets.

These Cherry Vanilla Cheesecake Popsicles look and taste indulgent but are packed with wholesome ingredients: lots of fresh whole, sweet Stemilt cherries, which are loaded with fiber, vitamin C and potassium plus low-fat yogurt and fat-free milk for bone-building calcium. As a bonus, they fill your craving for one of the best summer desserts and you don’t even have to whip up your favorite cherry cheesecake recipe!

A few notes about this recipe:

• I’ve kept some cherry chunks swirled throughout because I like fruit pops with big pieces of real fruit inside. But you can also puree all of the cherries to have a smoother consistency.
• I tested this recipe with both low-fat milk, yogurt, and cream cheese and full-fat versions, and it worked equally well. So feel free to use what you have on hand.
• To really wow your crowd, add a little graham cracker crust layer to the bottom of each pop (see recipe). Or simply leave it off.

Cherry Vanilla Cheesecake Popsicles

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh Stemilt cherries, rinsed and stems and pits removed
• 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• ½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• ½ cup fat-free milk
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Optional graham cracker crust*:

• 4 graham cracker squares
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Procedure:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cherries and sugar. Over medium-low heat, smash with a potato masher and cook for 10 minutes, mashing and stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
2. Combine cream cheese, yogurt, and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Add half the cherry mixture and puree until smooth. Combine mixture from blender with rest of cherries from saucepan and stir well.
3. Pour mixture into ice pop molds, add optional graham cracker crust to top of pops if desired, insert sticks, and freeze until firm.

*For optional graham cracker crust: Smash graham crackers by hand or in a food processor. Add melted butter and stir until blended. Place a spoonful of the graham cracker mixture on the top of each filled popsicle mold and press lightly, then insert stick and freeze until firm.

Nutrition Information:

Per pop without graham cracker crust (makes 6): Calories 110; Fat 3.1; Protein 3.6g; Carbohydrates 17.6g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 15.3g; Cholesterol 11.5mg; Potassium 238.6mg; Calcium: 94.3mg; Sodium 111.8mg.

Categorized in: Recipes