These super peachy, rich, creamy peach popsicles are almost like peach ice cream, but in popsicle form! They are so easy, you only need a handful of simple ingredients, and you can make these with fresh or frozen peaches.
If you’re looking for a creamy alternative to icy fruit pops, then you’ll LOVE these peaches and cream popsicles. Plus, you can easily make these dairy free or vegan too!
We don’t ever plan for it, but every summer ends up being known for one treat that I make more than anything else. Summer ’21 was all about homemade ice cream. In ’22, it was a lot of fruit syrups. The following summer I made a lot of fruit pies. And then it was the summer of horchata! And so on.
This summer, it turns out, I really enjoyed making homemade popsicles! They are probably my favorite summer treat. We’ve made so many, and I can’t think of a flavor that I didn’t like!
These creamy peach popsicles are most definitely right at the top of that list! There’s a reason why peaches and cream are such a classic flavor combination, and it makes for absolutely delicious popsicles too!
Why this recipe works
- SO easy to make.
- Super peachy and creamy, these popsicles have an almost ice cream-like creaminess!
- You can use fresh or frozen peaches to make these.
- To increase the peach flavor, you can cook or roast the peaches too.
- You can easily make these popsicles dairy free or vegan too.
What makes these popsicles so creamy (instead of icy)
Unlike my peach melba popsicles that are more traditional icy fruit pops, these peaches and cream popsicles are rich and creamy, almost like ice cream in popsicle form.
I make these popsicles with a combination of milk and heavy cream. The fat content from the cream creates a creamy consistency. In addition, I thicken the base with cornstarch. The thickened base also contributes to a creamy popsicle.
However, we don’t want these peaches and cream popsicles to be so creamy that it becomes hard for the base to freeze and harden into popsicles.
If the fat and sugar content is too high, then the mixture will be too creamy, and be more like ice cream. In which case, the popsicle base will be too soft and easily melt when frozen in popsicle molds.
So, it’s important to have a good balance between rich and creamy texture vs still being able to harden and freeze properly as popsicles!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Milk
- Heavy cream – I prefer heavy cream (at least 35 % fat content).
- Cornstarch – This thickens the milk mixture by absorbing liquid, and adds more creaminess to the mixture.
- Sugar – I prefer white sugar.
- Peaches (fresh or frozen) – You can use yellow or white peaches. I prefer to use slightly overripe peaches for more sweetness.
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon / lime juice – The acidity helps to bring out the flavor of the peaches.
How to make creamy peach popsicles
Step 1 – Prepare the peaches
You can prepare the peaches in several ways because this recipe is so adaptable. You can choose to keep the skin on, or peel off the skin and use only the flesh. The skin can be peeled by blanching the peaches (image 1), or by using a peeler (image 2).
To increase the peach flavor, you can cook the peaches or roast them in the oven to concentrate the flavor further. This of course requires extra peaches and time.
That’s why I prefer the easier step of using fresh peaches without cooking them down. I also like to use overripe peaches, so that the flavor is stronger and sweeter.
Peel the peaches (optional), and remove the pit. To do this, I cut the peaches in half (image 3) and use a spoon to gently scoop out the stone in the center (for clingstone peaches). The stone should come off easily if you’re using freestone peaches.
Then slice or chop the peaches and set aside (images 4 – 5).
Step 2 – Make the peach mixture
In a blender jug, place the peaches, sugar, and lime or lemon juice (image 6). Blend until nice and smooth (image 7). Then keep the mixture in the fridge until needed (in the blender jug).
Step 3 – Prepare the cream base
In a pot, place the remaining sugar, cornstarch, milk, and cream. Whisk together until the cornstarch has dissolved and there are no lumps (image 8).
Heat the mixture over medium or medium high heat, while frequently whisking. As the mixture heats up, make sure to whisk continuously to prevent lumps from forming in the mixture. Heat until the mixture starts to boil.
Lower the heat and whisk the mixture really well for about one minute. Then remove the thickened milk mixture from the heat, and whisk in the vanilla (image 9).
Step 4 – Blend together
Add the thickened milk mixture to the blender jug with the peach puree (image 10).
Blend well until you have a homogenous mix (image 11).
Step 5 – Pour into popsicles molds
Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and place the popsicle sticks (image 12). Transfer the popsicles into the freezer for them to harden overnight (about 8 hours).
Step 6 – Unmold and serve
Once the popsicles have frozen overnight, you can unmold and serve them. You may need to run the molds under hot water from the tap for a couple of seconds, OR dip them in hot water for a few seconds to loosen the popsicles from the molds.
Serve immediately.
Storage tips
Since these are stored in the freezer, they are good for a very long time! However, you’ll need to prevent freezer burn, since this can cause the popsicles to “dry out” in the freezer.
Either store the popsicles in the popsicle molds, making sure they are covered on all sides, OR place the unmolded popsicles in individual sealable bags, or wrapped well with freezer paper.
As long as they are completely covered, with minimal contact with air, they will last a long time! Even maybe up to a year – if you don’t eat them all before that, of course.
My best recipe tips
- Use slightly overripe peaches. The sweeter the peaches, the better the flavor!
- Roasting or cooking down the peaches will also concentrate the peach flavor further. You can use extra peaches and cook them down before adding it to the cream base.
- If you buy underripe peaches, you can ripen them in a paper bag or cardboard box. Make sure to check on them every day and transfer the ripened peaches into the fridge.
- The flavor of the peaches you’re using is crucial for the recipe. If the peaches are sweet, then you can add less sugar. But if the peaches are not very ripe, you may need to add more sugar to bring out the fruit flavor more.
- If you don’t have popsicle molds, you can pour the mixture into 3 oz disposable paper cups and insert popsicle sticks into them to make them into popsicles, or even use freezie bags or freeze pop bags too.
- To make sure the cornstarch doesn’t clump up in the milk, mix it into the cold milk until well-dissolved, before heating the milk. If you add cornstarch into warm or hot liquids, it’ll immediately clump up without thickening the mixture.
Recipe FAQs and troubleshooting
Can I make chunky peach popsicles?
Yes! If you want peach chunks in your popsicles, then I strongly recommend that you cook the peach chunks with the sugar in a pot until they are softened and a little jammy.
This will make the peach chunks soft enough in the popsicle too. Otherwise, you may end up with icy peach chunks that will be frozen solid in the creamy mixture.
My popsicles melt too quickly
This shouldn’t be an issue with my recipe. However, if you changed the ingredients to add more fat into the popsicle mixture, or a lot of sugar, then it will lower the freezing point of the mixture.
This will make the popsicles melt more readily.
How to concentrate the peach flavor in these peach popsicles?
In this recipe, the peaches are blended and mixed with the creamy mixture. But you can enhance the peach flavor by using extra peaches and cooking them down or roasting them to evaporate excess water.
This will give you even more peach flavor, without changing the volume of the peach puree.
Can I use canned peaches to make these?
Yes, you can use canned peaches if you like. They can be sweeter, so you may need to adjust the sugar level to your liking.
They may add more volume to the mixture due to the increased water content in canned peaches as well.
Can I make these dairy free or vegan?
Yes, you can!
Substitute the milk with any plant-based milk. And instead of heavy cream, use unsweetened coconut cream to make these popsicles vegan and dairy free.
More summer-favorite popsicle recipes
Recipe
Creamy Peach Popsicles
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
Peach mixture
- 450 g ripe peaches flesh only (about 4 – 5 peaches)
- 50 g white sugar ¼ cup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
Cream mixture
- 180 mL milk ¾ cup
- 180 mL heavy cream ¾ cup
- 50 g white sugar ¼ cup
- 20 g cornstarch 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions:
Peach mixture
- Peel the peaches with a peeler, or blanch them in boiling water to peel off the skin (see recipe notes below for more tips).450 g ripe peaches
- Remove the pit / stone by cutting the peaches in half first, and then remove the pit.
- Slice the peach flesh and set aside.
- Place the peaches in a blender jug, along with the sugar and lemon juice.50 g white sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Blend until you have a smooth texture. Set it aside (at room temperature or in the fridge) until needed.
Cream mixture
- In a pot, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the milk and cream, and whisk until there are no cornstarch clumps in the liquid.180 mL milk, 50 g white sugar, 20 g cornstarch, 180 mL heavy cream
- Cook over medium heat (adjust the heat to a manageable level on your stove), while frequently whisking. As the milk heats up, the sugar should dissolve.
- Whisk the mixture constantly as the milk starts to thicken to prevent the mixture from catching at the bottom of the pot and burning, and also from forming cornstarch clumps.
- When the mixture comes to a boil / gentle simmer, lower the heat slightly and allow the mixture to simmer for about 1 minute while whisking.
- Remove the mixture from the heat, and whisk in the vanilla.1 tsp vanilla
Creamy peach popsicles
- Transfer the thickened cream mixture into the blender jug with the blended peach puree.
- Blend until the mixture mixes well and is smooth.
- Pour this homogenous mixture into prepared popsicle molds and place the lids with the popsicle sticks.
- Freeze overnight for the popsicles to harden. I prefer to let them freeze for about 8 hours at least.
- Unmold the popsicles once frozen, and enjoy or serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Blanching the peaches
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, gently lower the peaches into the water. Let them sit in the boiling water for about 30 – 45 seconds.
Then remove from the hot water and place them in an ice bath (or a bowl with running cold tap water) for about 1 – 2 minutes. Then the peaches will be easier to peel.
To concentrate the peach flavor
Instead of 450 g peaches (4 – 5 peaches), use 675 g peaches (about 6 peaches).
After slicing the peaches, place the peaches and the sugar (no change in weight for sugar) in a pot and cook over medium heat until the mixture softens and becomes thick. You should end up with just under 2 cups of peach puree.
This cooked down peach mixture will give you even more peach flavor in your popsicles.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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