Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day for a variety of reasons, but the sheer open-mindedness people have regarding breakfast just makes my optimist heart sing.
We seem to have strong opinions on what makes a proper dinner, but anything goes for breakfast. Sure, we can have cereal, pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Yet we don’t bat an eyelash if people want to eat cold pizza or cake. Breakfast is the home for all food.
So why not have popsicles??
The amazing thing about popsicles is how easy they are to customize. The key to a popsicle that can (kinda) fill you up is to ensure that you pack enough protein into it. The perfect base in my humble opinion is Greek yogurt.
Of course, you could buy pre-flavored Greek yogurt and just throw that into popsicle molds, but where’s the fun in that?? I like starting with plain Greek yogurt because it’s the ultimate popsicle canvas. Fruit provides the perfect vehicle for flavor.
I find mashing fruit by hand to be the best method because the blender just pulverizes it. You lose all of the fun textures that you think of when you get those “all-natural” popsicles. I always add a splash of vanilla extract because I feel like it punches up the fruit, but that’s up to you.
To sweeten it, I usually opt for a combination of honey, maple syrup, or stevia. Word to the wise: Make this a little too sweet for your liking. Something about the freezing process seems to lose the sweetness along the way.
Finally, don’t forget about spices! We rarely think of throwing spices in frozen treats like smoothies or popsicles, but they can add complexity to a simple treat that makes it feel gourmet. Think about throwing in some minced fresh basil for a refreshing flavor, cardamom for a citrusy note, or ginger or even cayenne pepper for a bit of spice. Although they’re more autumn-y spices, I love nutmeg and cinnamon—especially where coconut or chocolate is involved.
If you need inspiration, this recipe is below. You might need to adjust it for a differently sized molds, but the ratio is pretty simple and easy to customize.
Breakfast Popsicles
1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
1 cup blueberries and raspberries
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp cardamom
Hand-mash the berries in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well-combined. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight or at least 4 hours.
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