Gluten Free Peach Popsicles

Gluten Free Peach Popsicles may just become your new summer obsession. Brown Sugar Roasted Peaches are folded into a creamy Greek yogurt base, creating a delightful blend of sweet and tangy flavors that are as refreshing as they are indulgent. These Peaches & Cream Popsicles come together in no time, making them perfect whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or simply lounging by the pool. Get ready to elevate your summer snacking game with these dreamy peach popsicles!

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Peaches: Look for fresh peaches that are ripe and sweet. Ripe peaches should have a sweet, fragrant aroma. If they lack fragrance, they may not be fully ripe. I prefer working with freestone peaches because the pit separates easily from the flesh, making them easier to prepare.

Greek Yogurt: Full Fat Greek yogurt is ideal for making popsicles because it provides a rich, creamy texture that prevents the popsicles from becoming icy. The fat enhances the flavor, making the popsicles taste richer and more satisfying. Its thicker consistency helps the popsicles hold together better, resulting in a more uniform texture. Additionally, full-fat Greek yogurt contains beneficial nutrients like calcium and protein. Often, it has less added sugar compared to low-fat versions, contributing to a healthier treat. I use unsweetened greek yogurt.

Heavy Cream: Adding heavy cream to popsicles enhances their texture and flavor by making them creamier, smoother, and less icy. The fat in the cream improves the overall taste and provides a more luxurious mouthfeel. It also helps stabilize the popsicles, reducing the formation of ice crystals.

Maple Syrup: A little bit of maple syrup is added to the greek yogurt popsicle base for sweetness and to balance out the flavors. You can also use honey or agave syrup.

Lemon: Adding a little lemon juice to Greek yogurt popsicles adds a bright, tangy flavor that balances the richness of yogurt and cream, enhancing freshness and texture. I also use a little lemon juice to roast the peaches to bring out their flavors.

Recommended Tools

To successfully make these roasted peach popsicles you need a few kitchen tools. Most of them are available on Amazon and are linked in the post, but you probably already have them in your kitchen.

Popsicle Molds: This recipe is the easiest to make with a popsicle mold. I use a popsicle mold that creates 10 individual 3-ounce ice pops with a classic popsicle shape. Alternatively, you can use a standard muffin pan. Line it with muffin liners and divide the fruit and yogurt mixture between them. Freeze them for 2 hours before sticking a popsicle stick in the center of each popsicle. (You can also skip the popsicle sticks and just eat the popsicle like little "popsicle bites")

Nonreactive Baking Dish: For roasting peaches, a non-reactive baking dish is ideal to prevent any metallic taste or discoloration that can result from acidic juices. A ceramic baking dish, a stainless steel baking pan or even a glass dish works great here (the only time I recommend using a glass dish).

A large mixing bowl & whisk: There is no need to bring out a clunky blender or food processor to blend the popsicle base - a large mixing bowl and a whisk work just great here.

You will also need a cutting board, a small pairing knife, freezer space and little bit of patience (since the popsicles do need to be in the freezer for at least 4hrs)

How to roast Peaches

Roasted Peach can be refrigerated for 2-3 days so feel free to make them ahead of time. They need to be fully chilled before adding them to the popsicle base. These peaches are not only delicious in this peach popsicle recipe but they also make a great topping for gluten free pancakes, waffles, ice cream, oatmeal bowls... (you get it, they can be used as a topping for pretty much anything).

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange the oven racks in the lower third of the oven.
2. If you like, peel the peaches before roasting them. Peeling peaches is a personal choice. I enjoy the texture of unpeeled peaches but some people don't.
3. Start by cutting the peaches in half all the way around and twist the halves in opposite directions to loosen the pit. Pull the peach halves apart and remove the pit. Most fresh peaches sold in the U.S. (like the ones I use from Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.) are freestone peaches, making the pit easy to remove. However, if you have clingstone peaches, you may need a spoon to dig out the pit.
4. Once the pit is removed, place the peach halves with the cut side down on a cutting board and slice them into ¼-inch to ½-inch slices.
5. Place the peaches in a mixing bowl and toss them with brown sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla extract (or if you feel fancy a sliced open vanilla bean). Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to bring out the peach flavors. If your peaches are very sweet, feel free to reduce the amount of sugar used to roast them.
6. Roast the peaches for 25-30 minutes, making sure to stir them halfway. The peaches will start to release their juices and flavors. If your peaches are slightly underripe you may need to roast them a bit longer. The peaches should be tender and juicy when removed from the oven.
7. Remove the brown sugar-roasted peaches from the oven and cool them completely before adding them to the greek yogurt popsicle base.

How to make Peach Popsicles

Making Greek Yogurt Popsicles is simple. While many recipes call for blending the peaches into a puree, I think their flavors get lost when doing so. Instead, I prefer to fold cooled, roasted peaches into the Greek yogurt base.

1. To a large mixing bowl add the Greek yogurt, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Whisk until fully combined and smooth. Make sure to give the Greek yogurt popsicle base a taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
2. Fold the fully cooled peaches into the popsicle base. Make sure the peaches are evenly distributed.

3. Use a spoon to divide the gluten free peach popsicle batter between the molds, leaving a bit of room at the top to allow for expansion during freezing. You may need to push the peaches down to the bottom of the molds, which can be a bit messy depending on the size of your mold. If you have any leftover popsicle batter, you can pour it into muffin papers and freeze them in a muffin pan.
4. If your popsicle mold comes with a lid, place the lid on top of the mold and add the popsicle stick. Push the popsicle stick about two-thirds of the way into the popsicle mold. This ensures that the stick is well-anchored in the frozen treat, making it easier to handle and enjoy without the stick coming loose.
5. Place the popsicle mold into the fridge and allow to freeze for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.

How to remove popsicles from a mold

Make sure the gluten free peach popsicles are fully frozen before you remove them from the mold. The best way to remove popsicles from a mold is to follow these steps:

1. Fill a container or your sink with warm (not hot) water deep enough to submerge the popsicle molds up to, but not over, the top edge.
2. Dip the mold into the warm water for about 10-15 seconds. Make sure the water level reaches up to the top edge of the molds but doesn't get inside.
3. After the mold has been in the water for a bit, take it out and gently wiggle the popsicle sticks to loosen them. If they still resist, submerge them again for another 10-15 seconds.
4. Once loosened, slowly and gently pull the popsicles out of the molds by the sticks.

Storage

To store homemade peach popsicles, first remove them from their molds using a warm water bath. Individually wrap each popsicle in plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper to prevent sticking and freezer burn. Place the wrapped popsicles in a single layer inside an airtight container or a large freezer bag. Store the container flat in the freezer to maintain the popsicles' shape. Properly stored, they can last for up to one month. Since they do not contain preservatives, they are more likely to develop ice crystals if stored for an extended period.

FAQ - Gluten Free Peach Popsicles