These vegan coconut paletas (paletas de coco) are super easy to make and have only 3 ingredients. They are creamy, without being too rich, and full of toasted coconut flakes. These were my favorite growing up, now I can’t decide between these and the mango-chile paletas. However, I do think this vegan version is even better than the versions made with cow’s milk. They are definitely kid approved!
I had a kitchen nightmare the other night. I hadn’t had one in years! A kitchen nightmare is common among professional cooks and chefs. They usually entail something forgotten in the oven, the ticket machine spitting out ticket after ticket, or chef yelling at you. I don’t even know what caused me to have one, but chef was yelling at me. I was trying to explain myself and only digging the whole deeper. You should know, even in dreams, your response should always be, “Yes, chef.” I woke up a little freaked out, only to realize that my sweet two year old was trying to wake me up with kisses. I cannot even explain to you the huge relief I felt.
Sometimes I miss being a cook in a restaurant, but then I see how hard and tirelessly my husband works and how much we miss him, and I forget about it. Sometimes being a mom entails many tedious and repetitive tasks, and a great exercise in patience, but those sweet kisses cannot be replaced with anything. Not even the rush of adrenaline you get from working the line on a busy night, or the first sip of beer after getting your butt kicked on a Saturday. That morning I was really grateful that I get to be a stay-at-home mom/blogger, that is until I had to wipe up some poop off the bathroom floor!
The Recipe: Vegan Coconut Paletas
I was going to go all out and buy a fresh coconut to make these, since they are so accessible here in Hawaii, but I quickly changed my mind when I imagined trying to crack a coconut with my two kids pulling at my legs. This is the easy version. I used light coconut milk to minimize the amount of fat, but feel free to use full fat coconut milk if that is what you desire. Enjoy!
Vegan Coconut Paletas
Ingredients
- 2 (13.4 oz) cans Coconut milk, light
- 2/3 cup Sugar, granulated
- 2/3 cup Shredded coconut, unsweetened
Preparation
- Combine the coconut milk and sugar in a medium sauce pot and bring to a simmer.
- Turn heat off and let cool in fridge. Once completely cool, strain.
- Add coconut and mix well. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 5 hours
Chef's Notes
If you are using popsicle molds without an insert, refrigerate popsicles for 30 min. then insert wooden popsicle sticks. Coconut can be toasted or untoasted.
