Frozen Butterscotch Pudding Pops

These frozen butterscotch pudding pops are a plant-based twist on the classic freezer-aisle treat you grew up with, only richer, creamier, and completely vegan. A silky coconut-milk pudding base gets thickened with cornstarch and swirled with a deep, caramel-like butterscotch sauce made from scratch using coconut sugar, vegan butter, and a splash of plant-based cream — no dairy, no eggs, just old-fashioned flavor built from pantry staples. The magic happens in two parts: first you cook a glossy vegan butterscotch sauce until it turns deep amber and smells like melted brown sugar, then you whisk up a thick coconut pudding and ribbon the two together before freezing on sticks. The result is a pop with pockets of gooey butterscotch running through a cool, custardy coconut base — nostalgic, indulgent, and perfect for cooling down on a hot summer evening. Because they're built on whole coconut milk, cornstarch, and coconut sugar rather than dairy and eggs, these pops fit neatly into a vegan diet while still delivering that rich, old-fashioned butterscotch flavor. They're an easy make-ahead dessert for summer dinners, and since they freeze solid, you can make a batch days in advance for whenever a creamy, caramel-y craving strikes.

Ingredients

• 0.75 cupCoconut sugar, for butterscotch sauce
• 3 tbspVegan butter, cubed
• 0.5 cupfull-fat coconut cream, for butterscotch sauce
• 1.5 tspvanilla extract, divided
• 0.5 tspFine sea salt, divided
• 3 cupfull-fat coconut milk, canned, well shaken
• 0.33 cupcornstarch
• 0.33 cupbrown sugar, light, packed
• 0.0625 tspturmeric, optional, for color
• 2 tbspwater, to loosen butterscotch if needed

Method

1. In the small saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat, then stir in the coconut sugar until it dissolves and begins to bubble.
2. Let the sugar mixture simmer undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until it darkens to a deep amber color and smells toasty. 3:00
3. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the coconut cream (it will bubble vigorously), then stir in half the vanilla extract and half the salt. Set the butterscotch sauce aside to cool slightly; whisk in a splash of water if it's too thick to swirl.
4. In the medium saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with about half a cup of the coconut milk until fully smooth with no lumps.
5. Add the remaining coconut milk, brown sugar, remaining salt, and turmeric (if using) to the saucepan and whisk to combine.
6. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens into a pudding consistency that coats the back of a spoon, about 6-8 minutes. 8:00
7. Remove the pudding from heat and stir in the remaining vanilla extract.
8. Pour the pudding into the heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam and prevent a skin from forming. 10:00
9. Spoon the cooled pudding into the popsicle mold cavities, filling about three-quarters full, then drizzle generous swirls of butterscotch sauce into each cavity and fold gently with a toothpick or thin spatula to create ribbons without fully mixing.
10. Insert popsicle sticks into the center of each mold and freeze until completely solid. 420:00
11. To unmold, run the outside of the mold under warm water for a few seconds, then gently pull each pop free by the stick. Serve immediately or store in a freezer bag.