Chocolate & avocado ice lollies (dairy free)
These dairy-free chocolate and avocado ice lollies are one of my favourite quick puddings. They make an excellent snack for a hot day. But don’t just save them for the heat waves! They are also great for soothing sore throats or painful teething gums.Â
Quick reference dietary information
Dairy, egg & soy free | gluten free | nut free option | sesame free | vegan
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A healthier ice lolly for babies and toddlers
These chocolate lollies are actually full of goodness, with healthy fats from the avocado and a calcium boost from the plant based milk (go for one which is unsweetened and calcium enriched). I’m also led to believe you can feel good about the chocolate aspect, as apparently pure cacao has lots of health benefits – and I’m choosing to believe it!Â
Just be aware that cacao is not exactly the same thing as cocoa powder. You can use cocoa powder, but it is more likely to have sneaky extras like added sugar and milk or soy powder in there. Always double check.
Are these chocolate avocado ice lollies suitable for babies?
Yes they are! If you cut the maple syrup right down (or even leave it out completely), all the ingredients are suitable for babies who have started weaning.
There are lots of baby friendly ice lolly moulds available (see below). My kids were able to keep hold of an ice lolly from about 18 months and are now pros at catching all the drips. Younger kiddos will certainly need a helping hand to hold the stick, but there’s no reason they can’t have these. In fact, healthy ice lollies can be a brilliant way to soothe sore teething gums.
What equipment do I need to make chocolate and avocado ice lollies?
You’ll need something to blend the mixture. I use a food processor* or a stick blender* (like you would use to make a soup).
You will also need some ice lolly moulds suitable for little ones.
There is a large and generally good value selection on Amazon. Some are specially designed to be easy for babies to hold – I like these baby friendly ice lolly moulds* by Nuk, or this colourful set* by Nuby. My favourites for toddlers and older kids are these moulds made by Ikea* – we have 2 sets!
If you don’t have your ice lolly moulds yet, you might like to give this 2 ingredient raspberry ‘nice cream’ a try instead!
Some top tips:
- Briefly run the bottom of the lolly under hot water when you want to serve it. This makes it easy to remove from the mould.
- This is a really easy recipe to make, and doubling it up is no extra effort. So, do a batch cook to give yourself a good freezer stash. Plus, you can put some aside to serve as a chocolate mousse on the same day. A win!
- Babies and toddlers plus ice lollies can get messy. My best advice is to just accept it, use a heavy duty bib, and embrace the chaos!
Check these posts out for more dairy free ice lolly inspiration:
- Raspberry and Beetroot Lollies, which also include spinach!!
- Dairy free fro-yo breakfast lollies
- My round up of the best dairy free ice lollies for babies and toddlers
Chocolate and avocado ice lollies (dairy free)
Equipment
- Food processor or stick blender
- A set of Ice lolly moulds
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ripe avocado
- 8 tbsp plant based milk of your choice (unsweetened and calcium fortified)
- 2 heaped tbsp pure cacao powder
- Up to 2 tbsp maple syrup (leave this out for babies)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop the banana and add to the bowl of a food processor.
- Scoop out the avocado flesh (discarding the stone and skin) and add this to the food processor.
- Then, simply add all the other ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth.
- Share the mixture between 5 lolly moulds, giving them a gentle tap on the work surface to get rid of any air bubbles. Any leftovers can be served as chocolate mousse!
- Freeze for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
- When serving, you can briefly run the bottom of the lolly under hot water to easily remove from the mould.
Notes
- If you or your child has an allergy, always double check that the recipe and all of the components are suitable. This includes checking ‘may contain’ statements on each ingredient and making your own assessment of risk based on personal circumstances.
- You can use a stick blender if you don’t have a food processor.
- The maple syrup can be left out entirely for younger babies.
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