Cherry cheesecake popsicles

An easy and delicious small-batch frozen treat!

I think it’s a lovely coincidence that when the first fresh cherries of the season arrive in early May, the ‘outdoor living’ season is also about to begin. I’m a huge fan of sweet cherries – did you know they’re actually nutritional powerhouses that are packed with vitamins and antioxidants? One of my favourite desserts of all time is cherry cheesecake and that one time I got caught sneaking a piece straight out of the freezer was the inspiration for this recipe. The simple cheesecake mixture, studded with chopped fresh cherries, freezes beautifully and the light coating of graham cracker and butter ‘crust’ just seals the deal. It’s a flexible recipe as well and can be easily be made to accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan diets. If you need me, I’ll be in the backyard, eating these all summer long.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (185 mL) cream cheese (regular, low-fat, lactose-free or vegan)
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) white sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) milk (dairy, almond, oat or coconut)
• 3/4 cup (185 mL) pitted, chopped sweet cherries (about 12 cherries)
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) graham cracker crumbs (regular or gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) melted butter (or vegan butter)

Directions

• Soften cream cheese slightly in the microwave on medium-low power for about 30 seconds.
• Stir sugar into cream cheese, beating well with a spoon to form a smooth mixture.
• Add milk and stir until smooth. Add pitted cherries and stir to blend.
• Fill popsicle molds with the cheesecake mixture and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
• While popsicles are freezing, combine graham crumbs and butter in a small bowl.
• When ready to serve, unmold the popsicles and quickly run the tip of each one under cold water. Press tips into graham crumb mixture and serve immediately.

Makes 4 – 6 popsicles, depending on the size of your molds.