Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popsicles are the perfect cold treat on a hot summer day! A layer of fresh strawberry purée is swirled together with a layer of coconut cashew cream for a delicious dairy-free popsicle!

These Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popsicles were the first batch of popsicles I’ve made this summer. As usual, I decided to photograph them on the hottest day we’d had so far this year. I don’t know how I manage to time it this way, but I do it every year!

Needless to say, everything was prepped and ready to go before the popsicles came out of the freezer, but that didn’t stop them from turning into a melted mess by the time I finished. Frozen or semi-melted, they were still delicious!

Normally when I make a vegan popsicle I just use coconut milk to get the creaminess. If I’m not making vegan popsicles, Greek yogurt is my go-to for that creamy texture. A couple of my favorite non-vegan pops are these Raspberry Cheesecake Yogurt Popsicles and these Granola Peach Yogurt Popsicles.

When I made these Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popsicles I decided to give them an extra dose of creaminess by adding cashews that I soaked in water until they were soft. I used the same method when I made this Coffee Cashew Ice Cream and the results were phenomenal! 

Cashews are a staple in creamy vegan desserts. I feel like they’ve gained popularity over using silken tofu. You’ll often see them used in cheesecake recipes like this No-Bake Layered Blueberry Cheesecake and this Vegan Caramel Cheesecake. You might be wondering how a nut can get end up with a creamy texture, it’s actually very simple.

How to Make Cashew Cream

1. Place raw (unsalted and unroasted) cashews in a bowl. Cover with water about an inch above where they sit. 
2. Cover the bowl and let them sit on the counter for at least 4 hours or put them in the refrigerator if soaking overnight. 
3. After the cashews have soaked dump out the water and put them in a high-speed blender along with approximately 3/4 cup clean water per 1 cup of soaked cashews. Always start with less water and add more if needed. 
4. Blend the cashews until they have a creamy consistency, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Store the cashew cream in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

In the case of these strawberries and cream popsicles you’ll blend the soaked cashews with the coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla. The consistency will be thinner than cashew cream, but perfect for a creamy popsicle.

Can I Use Light Coconut Milk?

Light coconut milk can be used for these popsicles, but be aware that you will end up with an icier, less creamy popsicle. You can also use a blend of full fat and light coconut milk. Honestly, I’d just go for the full fat and know that this is a treat and not something you eat on a daily basis. 

The strawberry portion of these popsicles is also easy to make. Place you’re washed and hulled berries in the high-speed blender along with lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend until smooth and then strain out the seeds if desired. If you don’t have strawberries or prefer to use a different berry any of them will work. You may need to add a little more maple syrup if using a more tart berry, such as blackberries or raspberries.

The strawberry portion of the popsicles is poured into the molds first and then the coconut cashew layer is poured on top of that. Use a wooden or metal skewer to swirl the layers together and then freeze them for at least 5 hours. They’re the perfect sweet and tasty frozen treat to cool off with this summer!

More Vegan Popsicles

Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee Popsicles

Raspberry Rosé Popsicles

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Red Wine Popsicles