We’ve all been there – staring at those half-eaten packages of rice cakes in the pantry, wondering what on earth to do with them before they go stale. Last week, as summer temperatures started climbing, I found myself craving something cold and sweet but didn’t want to derail my healthier eating habits. Looking at those forgotten rice cakes, inspiration struck! Why not create a crunchy chocolate coating for frozen bananas? These Banana Crunch Pops were born from pantry desperation but quickly became a warm weather favorite in our house. They’re the perfect balance of sweet banana, rich chocolate, and that surprising crunch from the rice cakes makes them feel much more special than your average frozen banana. Plus, they’re ready in just a few steps and are a hit with kids and adults!
Making Banana Crunch Pops
These banana pops couldn’t be easier to make, which is perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven. The process is simple enough for kids to help, making it a fun family activity.
First, you’ll prep your bananas by peeling them, cutting them in half, and carefully inserting a popsicle stick into each half. Make sure to push the stick almost all the way through to create a sturdy base – nobody wants their banana falling off mid-bite!
Next comes the chocolate mixture. You’ll melt your chocolate with a bit of coconut oil for smoothness, then set aside a small portion (about 1/4 cup) for the initial banana coating. The rest gets mixed with crushed rice cake pieces to create that magical crunch coating. The ratio is important here – you want enough rice cake to add texture, but not so much that it makes it too difficult to spread the chocolate.
The assembly is where the fun happens. Using the reserved plain melted chocolate, coat each banana half completely. This base layer helps the crunch coating stick better. Then, while that first layer is still wet, roll or spoon the chocolate-rice cake mixture over each banana, making sure to get an even coating all around. It doesn’t need to be perfect – it’ll taste good either way!
Place your coated bananas on parchment paper, sprinkle with a little flaked sea salt (trust me, this makes ALL the difference), and then either refrigerate or freeze, depending on your texture preference. If you like a softer banana center, an hour in the refrigerator is perfect. For a more traditional frozen treat experience, give them about three hours in the freezer.
These keep well for up to a week in the freezer. For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before enjoying.
Looking for more frozen dessert ideas? Try my Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Bark, Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches, or PB&J Frozen Yogurt Clusters!
Banana Crunch Pops
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 bananas cut in half with popsicle stick through them
- 1 rice cake smashed into small bits
- 1¼ cup chocolate melted, divided into 1 cup and 1/4 cup
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- Sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Peel bananas, cut each in half, and insert a popsicle stick almost all the way through to create a sturdy popsicle.
- Melt chocolate with coconut oil, and divide into 1 cup and ¼ cup portions.
- Crush rice cake into small pieces and mix with 1 cup of melted chocolate. The mixture should be mostly chocolate with that little bit of crunch!
- Using your ¼ cup of reserved melted chocolate, coat each banana to create a base layer.
- While the base layer is still wet, cover with the chocolate-rice cake crunch coating.
- Lay bananas on parchment paper, top with flaked sea salt, and either refrigerate for an hour if you prefer a soft banana center, or freeze for three hours if you prefer frozen banana.
- Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before enjoying.
