Lava Flow Popsicles – Paleo & Vegan!
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Lava Flow Popsicles – A creamy pineapple layer swirled with a fresh strawberry puree. You’re going to LOVE this easy fruit popsicle recipe! (Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo)
Post updated May 2018. Originally posted May 2015.
Have you tried a lava flow? Basically it’s a really awesome pineapple-coconut drink with a strawberry swirl layer. It’s ahhhhmazing. Fresh, creamy, light, and perfectly sweet all at once.
It’s an awesome drink, sure, but in my opinion, I love it even better as Lava Flow Popsicles. I love the creaminess of the pineapple coconut layer swirled with the bright, fresh strawberry layer. It’s like a non-alcoholic piña colada + a strawberry daiquiri. My mouth is watering just typing that out!
We’ve been making homemade popsicles for TEN years now, and it’s one of my favorite warm-weather traditions. I love that we can make them from fruit and there are no dyes, refined sugar, or any “extra” ingredients. They’re a snack I can feel great about enjoying any time of day. (And we’ve literally tried them at any meal of the day–including breakfast!)
This lava flow popsicles recipe is one of those recipes that looks tricky but really isn’t. They’re as easy as can be! It’s really just as easy as blending up two batches of smoothie and alternating them in your popsicle mold. It’s an easy one for kids to help with, and I love that they’re naturally sweetened.
Ingredients For Lava Flow Popsicles:
- Pineapple. Fresh or frozen pineapple is the base of the creamy pineapple layer. Use whichever you have on hand!
- Mango. Next up is some fresh or frozen mango. I love the sweetness it adds!
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk. Creamy coconut milk gives this layer its signature creamy texture. I recommend canned coconut milk rather than the refrigerated stuff. (Full-fat really is best here!)
- Strawberries. For the strawberry layer, you’ll use plenty of fresh or frozen strawberries. The color and flavor are tough to beat!
- Orange Juice. A splash of orange juice adds brightness and sweetness. So good!
- Honey or Agave. Then, a little bit of honey or agave finishes this layer out. If your berries are super sweet, you can absolutely skip this step, but I think it really pulls this layer together.
Then, you’ll just need a good popsicle mold + some popsicle sticks. We’ve made over 100 batches of popsicles in this popsicle mold over the years and LOVE it.
FAQ+ TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST LAVA FLOW POPSICLES:
MY FAVORITE POPSICLE MOLD. I own several, but my favorite popsicle mold is this one. I love the lid (it has slots for the popsicle sticks and holds them in place while your popsicles freeze). It’s been going strong for several years and is the one I recommend most. (You can see my other favorite popsicle molds here)
HOW TO GET THE PERFECT SWIRL: don’t think about it too much! I’ve tried a lot of things but, simply going slow and adding a spoonful or small drizzle at a time gives you great layers. It’s okay if they’re not all perfectly equal or look identical. That’s part of the magic!
SWEETNESS. I’ve found these strawberry pineapple popsicles are perfectly sweet for my taste, but depending on your fruit and your own preferences, you may want to add a little extra drizzle of honey, agave, or your favorite sweetener. Let your tastebuds be your guide!
FRESH VS. FROZEN FRUIT. You can make lava flow popsicles with fresh or frozen fruit (or a combination). Your proportions will be the same. If you’re using frozen fruit, you’ll want to let it thaw slightly so it blends easier. Otherwise, you’ll need slightly more liquid to blend frozen fruit than fresh.
HOW DO I STORE LAVA FLOW POPSICLES? After they’re totally frozen solid, I typically remove them from the mold and put them into a zip-top freezer bag. It works like a charm! Popsicles will keep 2-3 weeks, though I doubt they’ll last that long without being eaten!
LOVE THESE LAVA FLOW POPSICLES? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
Lava Flow Popsicles
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups (about 10 popsicles) 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A creamy pineapple layer swirled with a fresh strawberry puree. You’re going to LOVE these fresh fruit popsicles! (Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo)
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups cubed pineapple (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2–3/4 cup coconut milk (I prefer full-fat canned)
For the Strawberry Swirl:
- 2 1/2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon honey or agave (optional–only as needed)
Instructions
First, Make The Pineapple Layer:
- Add pineapple, mango, and coconut milk to a blender.
- Puree until completely smooth, adding additional coconut milk as needed.
- Pour the pineapple mixture into a liquid measuring cup or small pitcher and set aside while you make the strawberry layer.
Next, Make The Strawberry Layer:
- Add strawberries, orange juice, and honey or agave to a blender.
- Puree until completely smooth.
Assemble The Lava Flow Popsicles:
- Alternate scoops of the pineapple mixture and the strawberry mixture into popsicle molds. (Using a spoon can help with the layering.)
- Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until completely solid, about 3-4 hours
- To remove popsicles from the popsicle mold, run the sides of each well of the popsicle mold under cool water for a few seconds, then gently wiggle the popsicle stick side to side to loosen the pop. (If it’s not budging, run it under water for a few more seconds)
- Store leftover lava flow popsicles in a freezer-safe bag up to 2 weeks.
Notes
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A POPSICLE MOLD: You can use paper cups. If you use paper cups, freeze the popsicles about 30 minutes, then insert the popsicle sticks. (The sticks will shift less this way.)
FRESH OR FROZEN. You can make these with fresh or frozen fruit (or a combination). Your proportions will be the same. If you’re using frozen fruit, you’ll want to let it thaw slightly so it blends easier. Otherwise, you’ll need slightly more liquid to blend frozen fruit than fresh.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Freeze Time: 3 hours
- Category: Snack
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Amercan
Good Heavens. This may be the most beautiful popsicle I’ve ever seen!
These look amazing! They’re definitely going on the summers “to eat” list!
Can you use the canned coconut milk for this or does it matter?
Rene – That’s what I use! Canned coconut is preferred! I’ll put that in with my notes. Best of luck!
These look delicious, I’m going to give them a try this afternoon! Your pictures look beautiful, too 🙂
We’re on a huge popsicle kick this summer and these will fit in perfectly!
Where did you find your popsicle molds?
Maria – I put a link in the post to the popsicle mold I ordered. It’s from Amazon. I’ve seen similar ones on Zulily or at World Market. I love it!
Do you have a suggestion for an alternate to coconut milk? Have some relatives allergic to coconut.
Amanda – The coconut is pretty important for the flavor, but if you are working with a coconut allergy, I’d suggest dairy milk.
Would almond milk work?
I only recommend it in cases of allergies, since it won’t be as creamy or have quite the same flavor. 😊
Hello, can I use boxed coconut milk or does it have to be canned? I have both either way, just curious. Thank you!
Boxed will work, but it will be slightly less creamy than canned. Great question!
These look amazing! Curious, how long do these need to freeze for before they are ready to eat?
Bethany – Great question! It’ll depend on what popsicle mold you use, but for the one pictured, about 2 1/2-3 hours is perfect.
I’m allergic to mangoes, oranges, (as well as lemons, lines, grapefruit). Any suggestions for substitutes in the recipe?
Michelle – It sounds like this might not be the right recipe for you since the substitutions would change the flavor fairly significantly, but if I were to make some suggestions, here’s what I’d do: you could leave out the orange juice in the strawberry layer, and substitute banana in place of the mango. I do hope that helps! I know allergies make things so hard sometimes!
Why did you rate the recipe 2 stars, just because you can’t have what’s in it? I have dietary restrictions too, but I don’t go around downgrading recipes because of it! 😑
Super simple, healthy, and kid approved!
YAY! I love hearing that. My kids just LOVE them!
Do you skim the coconut cream off the top of the can or reintegrate it with the milk?
Keegan – I usually reintegrate it with the milk. (I’ll often shake the can before opening, otherwise a whisk will do the job!)
This is such a pretty treat and these two flavours are amazing together! Thanks for sharing this. 🙂
MY pleasure! We LOVE them!!!
This is look so delicious, I can try it my home
We can’t do fruit juices here is the orange juice important in the strawberry layer?
It does add a bit of sweetness and brightness. But you could probably get away without it. You’ll just need to add another liquid instead (like water) to help it blend.