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With just a handful of ingredients, this healthier homemade ice cream bars recipe is easy to make (and customize), and a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth! They have a cookies and cream cheesecake base and a rich dark chocolate coating.
I’m a Fudgesicle and Twin Pops lover from way back—since the time when there were only grape, cherry, and orange flavors! As an adult, I still enjoy a frozen treat but I like to make my own with ingredients that pack nutritional value. These homemade ice cream bars are creamy and decadent, made with high protein ingredients, and are lower in sugar and carbs. They’re basically a healthier spin on Magnum mini ice cream bars.
I have a secret ingredient that gives the creamy base a fluffy mousse-like texture and cheesecake flavor: a box of sugar free instant cheesecake pudding mix! With crushed keto Oreo-like cookies stirred in and a dark chocolate coating on the outside, all you taste is decadence. But at about 130 calories for each ice cream bar, you really can’t go wrong.
If you like to keep something sweet on hand to satisfy sugar cravings, this is a good option. They’re easy to make, great for a portion controlled dessert, and they stay good for a couple months in the freezer.
Popsicle, ice lolly, freeze pop, ice pop, paleta, no matter what you call it, this frozen dessert on a stick is cold, refreshing, and the perfect summer treat to help you stay cool.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Cottage cheese – My go-to is Good Culture 2% Cottage Cheese. You can use any kind you like.
- Milk – Any kind of milk will work here. I use Fairlife Non-Fat Ultra-Filtered Milk.
- Plain Greek yogurt – I use Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt. Any kind of Greek yogurt will work; you can also use regular yogurt, but the protein content will be a bit less.
- Sugar free cheesecake instant pudding mix – This ingredient works well for a couple reasons: 1) it creates a fluffy mousse-like texture, and 2) it adds cheesecake flavor. However, you don’t have to use this ingredient; there are a ton of different options. Instead, you can use: 1) regular cheesecake instant pudding mix (not the sugar free kind), 2) 1 scoop of your favorite flavor of protein powder and 2 tablespoons sweetener (or sweetener to taste), 3) 1/4 cup of nut butter and 1/4 cup sweetener (or sweetener to taste), or 4) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/4 cup sweetener (or sweetener to taste).
- Crushed keto Oreo-like cookies – For cookies and cream ice cream bars, we mix crushed keto chocolate sandwich cookies with vanilla cream (similar to Oreos) into the creamy filling. And to really gild the lily, we add more crushed cookies into the chocolate coating. (I like Catalina Crunch Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies, but you can use any brand you like; and if you prefer, go ahead and use regular Oreo cookies.)
- 70% dark chocolate – We make a “magic shell” chocolate coating to dip our ice cream pops in. The main ingredients are just melted chocolate and coconut oil! I like to add crushed cookies for some texture, but that’s optional. Also, you aren’t limited to dark chocolate; feel free to use whatever kind of chocolate you like.
- Coconut oil – We combine coconut oil and melted chocolate for a magic shell coating. If you don’t want to taste coconut, use refined coconut oil. If you don’t mind a slight coconut flavor, use virgin coconut oil.
Instructions
- Make the ice cream bar base. Add the cottage cheese, milk, and yogurt to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, add the instant pudding mix, and whisk until it starts to thicken. Whisk in 5 crushed cookies.
- Freeze the ice cream bars. Fill your popsicle mold and freeze the popsicles according to the manufacturer’s directions (at least 2 hours, but up to 6 hours).
- Dip in chocolate. Melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave or on a double boiler. Cool until it’s just lukewarm, and then stir in 2 crushed cookies. Unmold the popsicles, dip each into the melted chocolate mixture, letting the excess run off. Place the dipped popsicles onto a parchment paper-lined tray and pop into the freezer if needed to help the chocolate set (it should set fast because of the coconut oil though).
- Wrap and pop into the freezer. Once the chocolate is set, you can wrap each ice cream bar and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag, or layer them in a freezer-safe container between pieces of parchment paper. PRO TIP: For best texture, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly before serving.
What Ice Cream Bar Mold Works Best?
For ice cream bars that are about the size of Magnum minis, I use a silicone popsicle mold with a 3-tablespoon (45 mL) capacity. Because the mold is silicone, getting the popsicles out is very easy, and the mold is easy to clean. I also like that they’re small, so portion control is built in.
Storage
Wrap each bar in parchment paper or plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag. Or store them in a freezer-safe container layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking. Stored this way, they will stay good for up to 2 months in the freezer. If you make meal prep desserts, this recipe is a great option!
Variations
No worries if cookies and cream isn’t your favorite flavor, the customization ideas are endless here. Here are a few ideas for add-ins to get you started:
- Fresh berries – Add 1/2 cup of your favorite berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
- Peanut butter and jelly – Swirl in 1/4 cup of peanut butter and 1/4 cup of jelly.
- Caramel – Swirl in 1/4 cup caramel sauce (or use homemade butterscotch sauce).
- Almond – Add 1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds to the creamy base and 3 tablespoons toasted finely chopped almonds to the chocolate coating.
- Pistachio – Instead of sugar free cheesecake instant pudding mix, use pistachio! Add 3 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios to the chocolate coating.
- S’mores – Add 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers and 1/2 cup mini marshmallows (cut into quarters). Stir 2 tablespoons crushed graham crackers into the chocolate coating.
Tips For the Best Homemade Ice Cream Bars
- Customize your creamy base. I like a blend of cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and Fairlife milk, but go with whatever your favorite brands are. And don’t have to use all three of these products. For this recipe, you’ll need 2 cups of a creamy base; you can use all cottage cheese, all Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt), all milk, or any combination of these that you like.
- Bump up the protein. If you want a high protein dessert, you can add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to the creamy base of these ice cream bars. If you do so, skip the instant pudding mix, and depending on how sweet your protein powder is, you might want to also add a couple tablespoons of sweetener. Also, you might need to add an extra splash of milk.
- Blend well and trust the process. I use a high-speed blender to combine the cottage cheese, milk, and Greek yogurt. When it’s done blending, it’s a smooth and creamy texture, but then after whisking in the instant pudding mix, the texture becomes clumpy again. I promise you won’t notice this in the final result though; after freezing, these bars have a regular creamy ice cream bar consistency.
- Don’t overfill your molds. Depending on the type of mold you use, leave a little space at the top for the mixture to expand when freezing to prevent the mold from cracking. (I use silicone molds that are open on one side, so overfilling isn’t so much of an issue.)
Frequently Asked Questions
No! I add a 1-ounce box of sugar free instant cheesecake pudding mix because it gives these bars a fluffy mousse-like texture and cheesecake flavor. However, you can omit the pudding mix if you prefer. (Check out the recipe card below for substitution ideas.)
It depends on the size of your molds. For bars that are about the same size as Magnum minis, I used small molds that hold 3 tablespoons (about 45 mL) and it took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to freeze them solid. If your molds are larger, it can take closer to 4 to 6 hours.
Wrap each bar in parchment paper or plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag. Or store them in a freezer-safe container layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Before eating, if you let the bars sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes they are not icy.
If you’re worried about icy texture, you can use dairy products with a higher fat content. For example, 4% cottage cheese instead of 2%.
More Easy No Bake Summer Desserts To Try
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Healthier Homemade Ice Cream Bars Recipe
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Equipment
- Small silicone popsicle molds see Notes
Ingredients
Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Base:
- 3/4 cup 2% cottage cheese such as Good Culture
- 3/4 cup skim milk such as Fairlife Non-Fat Ultra-Filtered Milk
- 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt such as Fage Total 0%
- 1 ounce box sugar free instant cheesecake pudding mix see Notes for substitutes
- 3 ounces keto chocolate vanilla sandwich cookies this is about 7 cookies; divided; see Notes
Chocolate Coating:
- 200 grams 70% dark chocolate broken into pieces
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Make the ice cream bar base. Add the cottage cheese, milk, and yogurt to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, add the instant pudding mix, and whisk until it starts to thicken. Whisk in 5 crushed cookies.
- Freeze the ice cream bars. Fill your popsicle mold and freeze the popsicles according to the manufacturer’s directions (at least 2 hours, but up to 6 hours).
- Dip in chocolate. Melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave or on a double boiler. Cool until it’s just lukewarm, and then stir in 2 crushed cookies. Unmold the popsicles, dip each into the melted chocolate mixture, letting the excess run off. Place the dipped popsicles onto a parchment paper-lined tray and pop into the freezer if needed to help the chocolate set (it should set fast because of the coconut oil though).
- Wrap and pop into the freezer. Once the chocolate is set, you can wrap each ice cream bar and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag, or layer them in a freezer-safe container between pieces of parchment paper. PRO TIP: For best texture, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly before serving.
Notes
- Small Silicone Popsicle Molds: For ice cream bars that are about the size of Magnum minis, I use a silicone popsicle mold with a 3-tablespoon (about 45 mL) capacity. You can use any popsicle molds you like.
- Storage: Wrap each bar in parchment paper or plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag. Or store them in a freezer-safe container layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking. Stored this way, they will stay good for up to 2 months in the freezer.
- Sugar Free Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix: This ingredient works well for a couple reasons: 1) it creates a fluffy mousse-like texture, and 2) it adds cheesecake flavor. However, you don’t have to use this ingredient; there are a ton of different options. Instead, you can use: 1) regular cheesecake instant pudding mix (not the sugar free kind), 2) 1 scoop of your favorite flavor of protein powder and 2 tablespoons sweetener (or sweetener to taste), 3) 1/4 cup of nut butter and 1/4 cup sweetener (or sweetener to taste), or 4) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/4 cup sweetener (or sweetener to taste). You can use whatever sweetener you like, such as honey, maple syrup, powdered sugar, or powdered keto sweetener.
- Keto Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies: I like Catalina Crunch Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies, but you can use any brand you like; and if you prefer, go ahead and use regular Oreo cookies. You’ll need 3 ounces for this recipe, which is about 7 cookies (5 cookies for the ice cream base, and 2 cookies for the chocolate coating).
- Blend Well and Trust the Process: I use a high-speed blender to combine the cottage cheese, milk, and Greek yogurt. When it’s done blending, it’s a smooth and creamy texture, but then after whisking in the instant pudding mix, the texture becomes clumpy again. I promise you won’t notice this in the final result though; after freezing, these bars have a regular creamy ice cream bar consistency.
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated using the brands specified in the recipe. Note that if you use different brands, the nutrition information will likely change.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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