Cherry Goat Cheese Paletas

Homemade cherry goat cheese paletas are a fun and kid-friendly summer treat. Once you have the molds, the flavor possibilities are endless. This recipe highlights cherries and goat cheese, a total match made in flavor heaven.

You guys. Is there anything that screams summer more than homemade paletas?

These are seriously so fun. So much fun that I went a little bit crazy testing them and probably tried three or four different flavor variations before deciding I liked this one best. Cherry goat cheese paletas are rich and creamy with a little hint of something special. It might seem like a strange combo, but I promise it works.

I’m always interested in non-traditional ingredients when it comes to sweets so these are right up my alley. As a bonus the Greek yogurt adds a little bit of protein and they’re relatively low in sugar. Snack-worthy treats for the win, right?

What are Mexican Paletas?

Mexican paletas are a frozen dessert on a stick that feature creative, fresh ingredient combinations. They can be sweet, spicy, or savory and highlight seasonal fruit, herbs and spices. Basically I like to say they’re like popsicles, but elevated.

Traditional fruit popsicles are great on a hot day. But these are a little bit more substantial and feature creamy Greek yogurt to make the consistency just right. Cherries are simmered and swirled in for a beautiful aesthetic and rich flavor. Goat cheese brings the funkiness and pairs really well with the vanilla and cherry.

Tips for Freezer Pop Success

Not a fan of goat cheese? Luckily these are simple to customize, but there are a few things I’ve learned after experimenting that I would highly recommend you do to make sure these turn out great every time:

• Simmer your fruit to make it jam-like. This helps it break down and brings out the deep flavor of the cherries. The first time I made these, I left them in large pieces and didn’t like that version quite as much.
• Use full-fat yogurt to get the creamiest consistency. I tried using all milk, some milk, coconut milk, and no milk and I find that less liquid is better. You’ll notice I did add a bit of half & half (just enough to make it pourable).
• Mold size can vary. The popsicle molds I used (pictured below) are on the small side so if you have a different type, you might need to adjust the ingredients accordingly.
• Adding sugar lends a creamier texture. This is probably my most important takeaway. It’s tempting to just blend up fruit with milk/yogurt, freeze and call it good. This actually leads to an ice-y popsicle that’s harder to bite instead of the creamy, chewy variety that I love. Adding sugar helps with this because it slows down the freezing process.

I love this particular popsicle mold because they freeze quickly and the sticks are held up nice and sturdy with the rubber inserts. Once frozen, just run under warm water for 5-10 seconds, remove and store in baggies or cellophane. You’ll love having these on hand for summer snacks.

They’re also kid-friendly and gorgeous! How fun would it be to serve this as a dessert to dinner guests? I mean… if you want to share them.

Give these paletas a try and satisfy a sweet craving with something cool, creamy and nutritious at the same time.

You might also like:

• Tortellini Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Goat Cheese
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Orange Champagne Vinaigrette
• Citrus Salad with Honey Lime Yogurt

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