Vegan Vanilla Latte Popsicles

Too hot to drink your coffee? I have a remedy for you! My Vanilla Latte Popsicles give you your caffeine fix in a frozen form. Use pre-made plant-based milk or make your own with oats and nuts. Use only dates to sweeten or add your favorite sweetener to make it just the way you like it!

I was on vacation and really missed my breakfast popsicles! So, I decided to make these Vegan Vanilla Latte Popsicles this time as an alternate with my Lavender London Fog Popsicles. I think that between the both of them, this already too hot summer will be bearable.

What did I use for my vanilla latte popsicles recipe?

For these vanilla rocket pops, I made the nondairy milk mixture from scratch. You can skip that part if you don’t have the time. Just use the pre-made sweetened vanilla nondairy milk of your choice. Or, use unsweetened to make these date-sweetened, or to use your favorite unrefined sweetener.

However, I encourage you to give the almond, cashew, or oat milk a try. Any of these is a thicker mixture, and I think that makes a better popsicle.

I always have coffee concentrate on hand, and if you have ground coffee and a French press, it’s almost effortless to make. No French press? Mix the coffee grounds and water in a mason jar instead, then strain with a nut milk bag. You can get my easy recipe for DIY coffee concentrate here.

Is vanilla vegan?

Most vanilla extracts, including synthetic ones, are safe for vegans. It’s a well-known flavoring for food and beverages. I know some people might be worried about vanilla because of a few viral TikTok videos that have gone out about it, with the videos saying vanilla comes from beaver butt. (I know, the reactions were quite hilarious!)

To give you a background, vanilla used to be made with castoreum—the substance that comes from a beaver’s behind. But it’s actually expensive to produce! Many companies switched over to synthetic vanilla instead, which is vegan-friendly.

So there’s really less to worry about it now. Still, if you want to be sure, you can use this Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract for desserts! It’s made from real vanilla beans and is certified vegan and organic.

Why is some vanilla ice cream yellow?

Ice cream is one of those summer treats we’d love to have during the hottest days of the year. For homemade non-vegan ice creams, they might turn yellow due to egg yolk.

Of course, we are making ours vegan so vegan ice cream won’t be yellow.

Since egg yolks are non-vegan, what can I use for my vegan vanilla ice cream?

You don’t need egg yolk to make vanilla ice cream or vanilla pops. When making ice cream, you can use coconut milk to replace whipped egg yolks.

The egg yolks help thicken up the ice cream, but so does full-fat coconut milk and cashew cream work great too. The egg yolks help thicken up the ice cream, but full-fat coconut milk, cashew cream will work just as well. My friend, Hannah Kaminsky, has a great Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream you should try.

For more ice cream recipes check out these great vegan ice cream cookbooks:

Can lattes be vegan?

In the Italian language, latte means “milk.” For vegans, we simply make our own version by using non-dairy milk. Nut milk such as soy, almond, and coconut are great plant-based milk substitutes.

What is the best latte flavor?

“Best” is quite subjective, as I have days when I crave lavender. But as for me, I’d go for a vanilla latte any day. Vanilla in itself doesn’t have a real sweet taste, but it enhances all the other flavors in the latte.

Also, vanilla won’t leave you hanging with its pretty light, sort of floral flavor. But you could also add in some of my lavender syrup to a drink or in the popsicle recipe. Vanilla and lavender go great together!

But lattes are just expresso with extra steamed milk, so you can use any flavored creamer, milk, or syrup that you prefer.

Where can I get popsicle molds?

I used an old William Sonoma rocket pop mold for these. I like that you use wooden sticks with it, but since all the popsicles are in a one-piece mold, they aren’t the easiest to get out.

Make sure that those wooden sticks stay straight or you’ll have a hard time getting the metal top off. I had one get sneaky and go out at an angle.

I really prefer these rocket pop molds that have each pop separate. But I do want this space pop mold from Zoku – it makes the cutest astronaut and rocket pops!

How do I make popsicles without molds?

If you don’t have any popsicle molds, you can use other things in your kitchen. Get creative with ice cube trays, small-sized disposable cups, or even your favorite muffin tins. I’m sure you can make amazing popsicle designs using a combination of those.

Buy wooden sticks for future batches, but you can even use toothpicks in ice cube trays in a pinch. This is how we made Kool-aid pops when I was a kid!

What is the best way to store popsicles?

You will store them in the freezer, of course. But beyond that what helps them keep fresh longer? One of your best options is to use an airtight container or a plastic freezer bag. This protects against freezer burn.

If you want to keep them longer, simply wrap each popsicle in plastic wrap or use these popsicle bags, just before you put them in a container.

Vegan Vanilla Latte Popsicles: The Ingredients

These vanilla latte rocket pops need a non-dairy milk base that you could prep in advance.

For the non-dairy milk base:

• Dates – a great natural sweetener that adds a slight caramel flavor
• Almonds – you could sub another nut or use all cashews if you want
• Cashews- you could sub another nut or use all almonds if you want
• Steel-cut oats (or rolled oats) – I’d go for rolled oats now since they are more affordable!
• Water

For your vanilla pops:

• Vanilla extract – this gives the vanilla flavor, but you could use lavender, chocolate, or orange extract instead
• Vanilla Stevia (or sweetener of choice) – use maple syrup, agave nectar, or any sweetener in its place, to taste
• Coffee Concentrate (or very strong brewed coffee that’s chilled) – I make mine, but you can use store-bought

How to make Vegan Vanilla Latte Popsicles

There are two ways for you to go about this. You can either make your own non-dairy milk base or use 2 cups of pre-made sweetened vanilla non-dairy milk. I decide to depend on how much time I have or the ingredients I have on hand.

To prep your own non-dairy milk base:

1. Add the milk ingredients to your blender and let sit 6 hours up to overnight.
2. Blend well and strain through a fine-mesh strainer or nut milk bag. Note: You can save the pulp in the fridge and use it within 4 days in dog treats or baked goods.

To make your vanilla latte popsicles:

1. Mix the vanilla, sweetener, and coffee concentrate into the strained milk mixture and mix well.
2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 8 hours.

Now you have a breakfast popsicle to start your day with!

More recipes to try

If you enjoyed these popsicles, the best news is that I have some more flavors!

My Mango Lassi Popsicle recipe is the frozen version of the traditional Indian yogurt drink. I also made Pineapple Mojito Rumsicles, which would be a welcome cool-down for your next deck party.

If you prefer something on the sweeter side, my Banana Pudding Popsicles could suit your tastebuds’ best.