Chocolate Covered Banana Pops

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

6 ripe bananas (should have some spots, but still be firm)

8 ounces (225 g) chopped high-quality vegan chocolate*

1 1/2 tablespoons refined coconut oil*

Optional toppings: chopped peanuts, shredded coconut, granola, cacao nibs, and/or flaky salt

Directions

Prep

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the bananas, cut them in half, and insert a popsicle stick or wooden skewer into the cut side of each half. Place the bananas on the baking sheet with space in between them, and freeze for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days in advance. After 2 days, the bananas start to get a little icy with no coating.

Melt the Chocolate:

use either a double boiler or the microwave to melt the chocolate:

Double-Boiler – fill a sauce pan with 1-2″ of water, then place a glass bowl over the top. Bring the water to a simmer over high-heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. While the water is warming, add the chocolate and coconut oil to the glass bowl. Use a clean and dry spatula to stir frequently, until the chocolate is around 80% melted. Then, carefully remove the bowl from the pot. Stir with the spatula until completely melted.

Dunk + Decorate:

Remove the bananas from the freezer once the chocolate has fully melted. Hold each banana over the bowl of melted chocolate and use a large spoon or soup ladle to pour the chocolate over each side of the banana. Hold the banana upside down over the bowl for a few seconds afterwards, to let any extra chocolate drip off. Return the banana to the parchment paper and repeat with the remaining bananas. (Note: I recommend pouring the chocolate over the bananas instead of dunking because it keeps the temperature of the unused melted chocolate higher, meaning it won’t start to thicken on you as you work. If you dunk a frozen banana into the bowl of chocolate, it will start to cool and harden).

Serve:

serve immediately, or store in the freezer until you are ready to enjoy. Once the chocolate has hardened, the banana pops can be stored in a freezer-safe bag for up to two weeks.