These delicious cherry cheesecake popsicles are a perfect summertime treat. They’re packed with rich and creamy cheesecake flavor, a fresh cherry compote swirl, graham cracker crumbles, and a couple of secret ingredients that will leave you wanting more.
Summer holidays started for kids this week, and although mine (as baby and 3-year-old) are still on permanent holiday, there’s an excitement buzzing in the air.
Seeing the kids run loose at the playground gives me the flip in my stomach I used to get every day in June until we were released for the school year. Sitting in classrooms with goosebumps, wearing shorts and tank tops that it was not quite warm enough to justify. Eyes glued to the big clock that slowed its ticking to a tortuously unhurried cadence as the month progressed.
When the bell finally rang on the last day, the summer seemed to yawn in front of us like a big, sweltering, lazy, never-ending stretch of time with warm, starry nights and endless possibility.
Popsicles make me feel like a kid on summer vacation. With dirty feet, a lawn sprinkler, a sunscreen glow and permission to stay up past my bedtime.
These ones, though, are decidedly grown up, with rich, creamy cheesecake, a fresh cherry compote swirl and buttery graham crumbles. I made them on a whim after having a blackberry cheesecake popsicle at the farmer’s market (shout-out to Johnny’s Pops!).
I just kind of threw the ingredients together, but they turned out even better than I’d even hoped. Everyone who tried them (myself included) expected them to be yummy, but then it was like a gustatory double take – like this:
*lick*
Yum.
Wait. What?
*lick*
Whoa, these are like REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
*lick lick lick lick*
So you should make them.
The cheesecake base has a bit of lemon juice to emphasize the cheesecake-y tang, and a splash of almond extract to complement the cherry compote. Don’t leave either of these out, they’re the magical secret ingredients.
Other Summer Treats You Won’t Want to Miss
More Cheesecake Recipes Everyone LOVES:
- Classic Philadelphia Cheesecake (with a creamy 3-Ingredient filling!)
- Cheesecake Popsicles
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Easy Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
- Easter Egg Cheesecake
- Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Pecan Crust
Cherry Cheesecake Popsicles
Ingredients
Cherry swirl
- 2 cups fresh pitted cherries packed
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake base
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup full-fat greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- â…› tsp almond extract
Craham cracker “crust”
- 3 tbsp crushed graham crackers
- 1 tsp melted butter
Instructions
- Stir cherries and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until cherries release their juices, reducing heat when they come to a rapid simmer. Maintain a low simmer until cherries are soft and juices start to thicken, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. (Which you can do quickly by scraping the compote into a freezer bag and submerging in an ice bath.)
- With an electric mixer (or a strong arm), whisk together cheesecake base ingredients until smooth and fluffy.
- In a separate small bowl, stir butter into graham crumbs until it resembles wet sand.
- Alternate spoonfuls of cheesecake base and cherry compote into popsicle moulds until about 3/4 full. Â Top with graham crumble and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze until completely solid, at least 4 hours. Â To release popsicles easily from moulds, run them under hot water until they come out with a gentle tug.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It was meant to be! In my fridge I have six egg yolks left over from another recipe, as well as a grapefruit. I look forward to making your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, that’s a fortunate stroke of dessert serendipity! Let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂
What a nice change on the traditional creme brulee. I’m sure this tastes fantastic, and I cannot wait to give this a try.
Oh and I think I’m going to have to buy a kitchen torch 🙂
I use mine way more than I thought I ever would. If you’re not 100% sold on it yet, think S’mores…
Yeah you sold me on it. I’m heading over to Amazon right now to get some shopping done!
I use mine way more than I thought I ever would. If you’re not 100% sold on it yet, think S’mores…
Yeah you sold me on it. I’m heading over to Amazon right now to get some shopping done!
What a nice change on the traditional creme brulee. I’m sure this tastes fantastic, and I cannot wait to give this a try.
Oh and I think I’m going to have to buy a kitchen torch 🙂
I use mine way more than I thought I ever would. If you’re not 100% sold on it yet, think S’mores…
I wish you had come up with this idea 2 years ago.
Sheesh.
Then I might have been able to eat it.
You can eat it anyway… got a grapefruit and a carton of eggs? 😉
I wish you had come up with this idea 2 years ago.
Sheesh.
Then I might have been able to eat it.
You can eat it anyway… got a grapefruit and a carton of eggs? 😉
I’m honestly not that familiar with grapefruit or creme brulee, but this post certainly makes me wish I was!  The little pots look gorgeous, I’m definitely going to have challenge myself and make this soon 🙂
Thanks Emilia! Those little pots are actually just 8 oz canning jars – the short, fat kind rather than the tall kind.
I’m honestly not that familiar with grapefruit or creme brulee, but this post certainly makes me wish I was!  The little pots look gorgeous, I’m definitely going to have challenge myself and make this soon 🙂
Thanks Emilia! Those little pots are actually just 8 oz canning jars – the short, fat kind rather than the tall kind.
I’m a big grapefruit fan too. I love having segmented pieces with a drizzle of honey on them. This sounds fantastic, I can’t wait to try it!
I’m a big grapefruit fan too. I love having segmented pieces with a drizzle of honey on them. This sounds fantastic, I can’t wait to try it!
I’m a big grapefruit fan too. I love having segmented pieces with a drizzle of honey on them. This sounds fantastic, I can’t wait to try it!