Creamy Pistachio Popsicles – Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe

Creamy pistachio popsicles with a protein boost are the perfect frozen treat for hot summer days! Made with just 5 simple ingredients, they blend pistachios, cottage cheese, coconut milk, vanilla protein powder, and maple syrup into an ultra-creamy popsicle with the best nutty pistachio flavor. Each pistachio popsicle clocks in at 7 grams of protein!

Creamy Pistachio Popsicles – Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe

Homemade popsicles are just the best! You can control what goes into them and tailor them to your wants and needs.

I love a popsicle that gives me a protein boost, so the combo of cottage cheese and protein powder was an easy yes.

The higher fat content of the coconut milk and pistachios creates that rich, creamy texture you want in a frozen dessert.

It all just works together so well to give you a creamy, dreamy frozen dessert.

And if you’re looking to make them even more extra, I highly suggest finishing them with a drizzle or dip of dark chocolate and crushed pistachios.

Why you’ll love these healthy pistachio popsicles

Ultra creamy texture – Full-fat coconut milk and cottage cheese make these pistachio popsicles incredibly creamy without needing heavy cream or an ice cream machine to do any work.

Protein boost – Cottage cheese, pistachios, and vanilla protein powder add protein to each pop, making these a more satisfying sweet treat, giving you 7 grams of protein per popsicle!

Just 5 ingredients – You only need pistachios, cottage cheese, coconut milk, protein powder, and maple syrup for the base recipe. Everything goes straight into the blender!

Simple ingredients you’ll need

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.

Pistachios – The star of the recipe! Using real pistachios gives these pops their naturally nutty flavor. Choose unsalted pistachios so you can control the flavor.

Cottage cheese – Adds extra creaminess and protein. Since everything is blended at high speed, you won’t notice the cottage cheese texture in the finished popsicles.

Full-fat coconut milk – Use canned full-fat coconut milk rather than refrigerated coconut milk. The higher fat content is key to creating a creamy frozen texture.

Vanilla protein powder – Adds sweetness, vanilla flavor, and a protein boost.

Pure maple syrup – Just 2 tablespoons add the perfect amount of sweetness to the pistachio mixture.

Optional toppings – Melted dark chocolate chips and crushed pistachios make these popsicles extra delicious and add a little crunch.

How to make protein pistachio popsicles

Step 1: Add the shelled pistachios, cottage cheese, full-fat coconut milk, protein powder, and maple syrup to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until the pistachios are broken down and the mixture is as smooth and creamy as possible.

Step 2: Pour the pistachio mixture evenly between 8 silicone popsicle molds. Add the popsicle sticks and freeze until completely solid, preferably overnight.

Step 3: Remove the frozen popsicles from the molds. Enjoy them as is, or dip or drizzle them in melted dark chocolate, then immediately sprinkle with crushed pistachios.

Watch me make this refreshing frozen treat!

The full how to video can be watched below, or on my YouTube channel!

How to easily remove homemade popsicles from the mold

If your pistachio popsicles don’t release easily, don’t pull hard on the popsicle sticks. Run the outside of the silicone popsicle mold under hot water for a few seconds.

This will soften the very outside of the popsicle enough to help it slide out.

How to store

Keep the pistachio popsicles in their silicone popsicle mold or transfer the frozen pops to an airtight container. You can also wrap them individually before storing to keep them from sticking together.

For chocolate-dipped popsicles, place them on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper after dipping. Once the chocolate has set, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container.

Pro tips

• Blend the pistachios, cottage cheese, and coconut milk first before adding the remaining ingredients. This gives the pistachios extra time to break down and creates a smoother finished texture.
• Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk. The healthy fats help prevent the popsicles from becoming overly icy once frozen.
• And don’t skip the optional dark chocolate if you’re a chocolate-pistachio fan. That crisp chocolate shell paired with the creamy pistachio center is so good!

Substitutions, optional variations & dietary adjustments

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this 5 ingredient pistachio popsicles recipe. 

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Pistachios – For an even stronger pistachio flavor, you can experiment with pistachio butter in place of the whole pistachios. Look for one made primarily from pistachios without lots of added sugar. Don’t have pistachios on hand? Use cashews, peanuts, or even peaut butter!

Cottage cheese – Plain Greek yogurt can work in its place, although the final texture and nutrition will be slightly different.

Coconut milk – I recommend sticking with canned full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture. Light coconut milk has less fat and can make homemade popsicles more icy. Coconut cream is a good substitute and will keep your popsicles ultra creamy.

Vanilla protein powder – An unflavored protein powder can work, but you may want to add a splash of vanilla extract for more depth of flavor.

Maple syrup – Honey can be used in place of pure maple syrup if that’s what you have on hand.

More frozen sweet treats you’ll love

• Chocolate protein popsicles
• Raspberry cheesecake cottage cheese ice cream
• Frozen banana snickers pops

Save this pistachio protein popsicle to Pinterest and make it later!

If you try this healthy popsicle recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather