Banana Split Popsicles
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Banana Split Popsicles are a show-stopping no-bake dessert packed with fresh bananas and strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and tangy, juicy cherries wrapped up in a crisp chocolate and peanut coating. Each banana split popsicle is like four desserts in one!!
Banana Split Popsicles
We all know the classic banana split: nuts, syrup, cherries, and three whopping scoops of ice cream all layered on top of a banana. It’s the stuff of dreams, but boy, is it messy — and a whole lot to eat!
Well, what if I told you I have a recipe that has all of that creamy, dreamy sundae goodness all contained in one dessert that’s easy to make, serve, and eat… my banana split popsicles!
It’s a fun and kid-friendly way to enjoy banana split flavor, though you should definitely try my cheesecake salad and martini recipes when you have a chance.
Fresh bananas, strawberries, and vanilla ice cream come together to create the base for this ice pop wonderland — complete with a cherry inside!
Coated in homemade magic shell, it has a perfectly crisp chocolate and peanut coating to make this my new favorite ice cream popsicle. I am sure you are going to love it too!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bananas – The secret to these banana split popsicles is to mix ripe bananas in with the ice cream and then scatter chopped, unripe bananas throughout.
That way, you get solid bites of fruity goodness in addition to a super creamy, super smooth texture! - Vanilla Ice Cream – Plain ol’ classic vanilla ice cream is the creamy base for our banana split pops.
For a healthier alternative, you can use yogurt instead! The pops will still be plenty creamy, though they’ll definitely turn out more dense. - Strawberries – Those bites of tangy strawberries are to die for!! Feel free to use more if you’re in a real berry mood.
- Maraschino Cherries – Your banana split ice pop comes with a cherry on top! I love sweet maraschinos for ice cream, but there’s no reason why you can’t use fresh cherries instead.
- Magic Shell – Did you know you can make your own homemade chocolate shell with just two ingredients?? You can always just buy it too!
Don’t like magic shell? Raspberry syrup, caramel, regular ol’ chocolate syrup, and peanut butter sauce are all awesome options, too! - Salted Roasted Peanuts – I really recommend salted peanuts for this one to get that mouthwatering combo of salty and sweet
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Banana Split Pops
- Keep things smooth and creamy with puréed fruit.
Not into fruity chunks in your ice pops? No problem — just purée the bananas and strawberries before mixing them with the ice cream!
And if you do this, then you really have a fun opportunity to layer them in the molds for a really cool presentation and yummy division of fruity flavors.
- Add some flair to your pops with different dippers.
No need to limit yourself to the banana split classics here!
Sprinkles, toasted coconut, miniature chocolate chips, and crushed cookies are all other great ingredients that you can dip your popsicles into after coating them in the chocolate shell.
Your only limit is to make sure you don’t use anything too heavy or too slippery (like fresh fruit bits) that will have a hard time sticking to the shell.
- Wait a few hours before adding the popsicle sticks.
There’s nothing wrong with adding the popsicle sticks earlier and letting them freeze as-is, but I can really be a perfectionist with my homemade sweets — especially when I want to take pictures!
I learned that if you wait just two hours or so for the banana split popsicles to freeze just a little bit, you can slide the popsicle sticks into the molds dead center easily and cleanly.
Prep Ahead
- Chop the strawberries and peanuts
- Soften the ice cream
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Bowl – This one is my go-to!
- Ice Pop Mold – Silicone molds are ideal! This one comes with reusable sticks.
- Mason Jar – I absolutely love these and use them for tons of purposes. In this case, this is what I pour the magic shell into for dipping.
- Sheet Pan – To hold the dipped popsicles while the coating hardens.
Serving Suggestions
Don’t let your banana split pops sit out for too long! The magic shell starts to weep fairly quickly, and they’ll be very messy after 30 minutes or so.
If you’re taking them to a picnic or other outing, I’ve had good luck keeping them in a cooler with ice for a few hours.
It’s always nice to have a variety of desserts, too — blueberry and strawberry should round things out perfectly!
Storing Banana Split Ice Pop
I store these in sandwich baggies in my freezer to keep them fresh until it’s time to eat. Once they’re frozen, they won’t stick together in the bag.
They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months… although I guarantee they won’t last that long!
Banana Split Popsicle FAQ
You need to have a fatty, creamy base! In this case, we’re keeping things super simple by using vanilla ice cream. You’ll get the same effect by using yogurt.
If you use low-fat or skim alternatives, you’re more likely to have icy pops. Basically, the higher the water content in the base, the icier the popsicles will be.
There are a few different ways to soften ice cream, but it’s important that it softens evenly. Otherwise, you’ll still have rock-hard spots surrounded by soupy liquid.
If you have some time, place the container of ice cream in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. You can also scoop out the ice cream onto a platter, keeping the scoops in an even layer (not stacked).
The microwave works too, though it’s best to heat at 50 percent power in 15-20 second increments until you can easily slide a spoon into the middle of the ice cream.
Run popsicle molds under warm, running water for a few seconds, and they should loosen right up!
Don’t do this for too long, though, or your banana split ice pop will get soft and lose its shape when you try dipping and coating.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Use ripe bananas for maximum flavor.
- Work quickly when dipping in the chocolate shell.
- Keep popsicles very cold for the best coating.
- Chop peanuts finely so they stick evenly.
- Freeze coated pops briefly before serving.
- Store wrapped individually for easy grabbing.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Banana split flavors in popsicle form
- Creamy banana ice cream base
- Chocolate shell that cracks when bitten
- Strawberries and cherries inside
- Crunchy peanut coating
- Perfect make-ahead summer treat
- Nostalgia on a stick
Banana Split Popsicles
Ingredients
- 2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
- 1 medium banana, diced
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
- 14 medium strawberries, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 12 to 14 maraschino cherries
- 1 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
- 1 recipe homemade magic shell
Instructions
- MASH BANANAS: In a large mixing bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
- ADD ICE CREAM: Stir 2 cups softened vanilla ice cream into the mashed bananas until combined.
- ADD FRUIT: Fold in the diced banana and chopped strawberries until evenly distributed.
- FILL MOLDS: Place 1 maraschino cherry in the bottom of each popsicle mold.
- ADD MIXTURE: Spoon the banana ice cream mixture into each mold, filling to the top.
- INSERT STICKS: Place the lid and sticks on the molds.
- FREEZE: Freeze for at least 12 hours, or until fully solid.
- PREP COATING: Spread 1 cup chopped salted peanuts onto a shallow plate. Pour the magic shell into a tall glass or jar for dipping.
- DIP: Remove popsicles from molds and dip each into the magic shell. Immediately roll or sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
- SET: Place coated popsicles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for a few minutes to allow the shell to harden.
- SERVE: Serve immediately or store in the freezer.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2013, updated and republished April 2026
Disclosure: We are working in partnership with John Boos to review and give away a cutting board. We were not compensated for this post. We did receive a cutting board to review. All thoughts/opinions are of course our own.
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
I love reading your blog found you about a month ago!!
I have reading your delicious recipes for about a year now. I was completely taken in by the gorgeous pictures!
I'm a new reader…just found this blog a few months ago.
Been reading for about 3 months
About 3 months
These banana split pops are delicious. The cherry inside really is a nice touch!
I just found this post. I’m wondering if you could suggest a popsicle mold to make your Popsicles?
Hi Golde!
You could use any mold you like! It should set up in any.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn