Homemade Fudge Pops

Name: Homemade Fudge Pops
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, cold; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold; ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Rich, creamy chocolate pops with a dense, fudgy bite. A quick stovetop pudding-style base made with cocoa, cornstarch and melted chocolate chips freezes into smooth pops that don't turn icy.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 8 min
Wait: 6 hr 15 min
Total: 6 hr 33 min
Makes: 8 pops (3-ounce / 90 ml molds)

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Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: the pops need about 6 hours to freeze solid, so make them in the morning or the day before.
Check that your popsicle molds hold about 3 ounces (90 ml) each. The recipe makes about 2⅔ cups (640 ml) of base, so 8 molds is right.
Sift or whisk the cocoa powder to break up lumps, since lumps are hard to remove once the milk is added.
Keep a bowl of hot water handy to unmold the pops later.

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a 3-quart (2.8 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, off the heat, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until evenly combined and no streaks of cornstarch remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is uniformly dark brown with no white streaks.
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients first keeps the cornstarch from clumping when the milk goes in.
2
Make a smooth paste
- Pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the cold milk and whisk vigorously until you have a thick, smooth paste with no dry pockets.
- Then whisk in the remaining 1½ cups (360 ml) milk and the heavy cream.
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Ready when: The liquid looks uniform and glossy with no lumps at the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Scrape the corners of the pan with the whisk, where cocoa likes to hide.
3
Cook until thickened
- Set the pan over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly, reaching the corners, as the mixture warms.
- After 5 to 7 minutes it will begin to bubble at the edges and thicken.
- Let it bubble gently for 1 minute while whisking.
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Ready when: The mixture coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn across leaves a clear line. It should look like thin pudding.
Tip: Don't walk away. Milk with cornstarch scorches quickly on the bottom.
4
Melt in chocolate
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the chocolate chips and vanilla.
- Let them sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until the chips are fully melted and the base is silky and glossy.
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Ready when: No visible chip pieces remain, and the base is smooth and shiny.
Tip: If you see small lumps or bits of skin, pour the base through a fine-mesh sieve.
5
Cool the base
- Pour the base into a spouted measuring cup.
- Let it cool for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until just warm or room temperature.
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Ready when: The base feels barely warm when you touch the side of the cup.
Tip: Press plastic wrap onto the surface if you want to prevent a skin from forming.
6
Fill the molds
- Stir the base once more, then pour it into 8 molds (3 oz / 90 ml each), filling to about ¼ inch (6 mm) below the rim to allow for expansion.
- Tap the molds on the counter to release air bubbles.
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Ready when: Each mold is nearly full with a level surface and no visible bubbles.
Tip: A small funnel makes filling narrow molds much less messy.
7
Insert sticks and freeze
- Snap on the mold lid and insert the sticks.
- If your molds have no lid, freeze for 1 hour, then insert the sticks so they stand upright.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours.
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Ready when: The pops are completely rigid, and a stick doesn't wiggle when you tug it gently.
Tip: Stand the molds level in the freezer so the pops freeze straight.
8
Unmold and serve
- Dip the molds in a tall cup or bowl of hot water for 10 to 15 seconds, without letting water reach the top.
- Wiggle each pop and pull it gently by the stick.
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Ready when: The pop slides out easily with a glossy surface.
Tip: If a pop resists, dip it for another 5 seconds rather than pulling harder, or the stick may come out.

Good to know

Tips

Whisk constantly while the base heats and thickens to prevent scorching and lumps.
Cool the base before filling, since a hot base can warp thin plastic molds.
For a fudgier texture, don't skip the cornstarch. It prevents large ice crystals.
Add a pinch of flaky salt or crushed peanuts at the tip of each mold before filling for fun variations.

Make ahead

"Make the base up to 2 days ahead: cool it, cover with plastic wrap pressed on the surface, and refrigerate. Stir well before filling the molds. The pops can be frozen up to 2 weeks before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Freezer: unmold the pops, wrap each one in parchment or plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 weeks. Do not store at room temperature. Pops can be eaten straight from the freezer after 1 minute on the counter to soften slightly."

Substitutions

heavy cream → additional whole milk (½ cup / 120 ml). The pops will be a bit icier and less rich.
semisweet chocolate chips → chopped bittersweet chocolate (85 g). Gives a deeper, less sweet flavor. Chop finely so it melts quickly.
whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or full-fat canned coconut milk (thinned). Works for a dairy-free version if you also swap the cream for coconut cream and use dairy-free chips.
pure vanilla extract → ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder. Deepens the chocolate flavor.