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Sometimes in the cooler months it is fun to have a treat that is reminiscent of a sunny day. Maybe that’s why citrus season is in winter?! When oranges are in season it is nice to find different ways to use them. We love a healthy recipe that can do multiple things. And also recipes that are super fast and simple to make. Below you’ll find Orange Creamsicle recipes made with the same ingredients and essentially the same steps — refrigerate and you have a citrus panna cotta worthy of entertaining, freeze and you have a kid-friendly popsicle. It’s hard to choose which to make! Which is probably why we make both at the same time.
Did you know there is an actual National Creamsicle day? Yup. August 14th. Our orange creamsicle recipes below use yogurt and gelatin to give them a healthy edge. Both the yogurt and gelatin are high in protein and the yogurt also gives the added benefit of probiotics. The original Creamsicle, though, consists of vanilla ice cream with iced orange juice coating the outside.
How to Make Orange Creamsicles with Yogurt
With only a few steps, this orange creamsicle recipe takes minutes to put together. The hard part is waiting for them to set!
Orange Creamsicles Recipe(s) Tips
Make an Orange Syrup
You can omit this step, however if you are looking for the best creamy output you’ll want to simmer your orange juice until it reduces. Reducing the orange juice keeps the flavor but gets rid of some of the watery liquid that can make your popsicle icy or your panna cotta thin. If you don’t have time for this or want any even faster solution – use frozen orange juice concentrate. You will only need a little concentrate to incorporate intense orange flavor. For your syrup you can intensify the flavor with the zest of your orange (after it has cooled).
Use Whole Milk Yogurt
Again — we’re going for creamy creamsicle vibes. To intensify the creaminess more, use Greek yogurt or strain your whole milk yogurt over cheesecloth for 30 minutes to an hour to thicken it.
Gelatin in Our Orange Creamsicle Recipes
Gelatin is what makes Panna Cotta set into it’s nice custardy form. Since gelatin gives a velvety mouthfeel, it helps make popsicles feel creamier as well. While you can’t leave the gelatin out if you are making panna cotta with the recipe card below, you could leave it out if you plan to freeze the popsicles. But since it adds protein, collagen, and a nice velvety mouthfeel – we love it in our creamy creamsicle recipes. We also have a chocolate panna cotta (doubling as a fudgescicle) recipe that uses the same technique.
Orange Creamsicle Recipes For All Occasions!
Whether you want a fancy winter panna cotta with minimal effort or a fun summertime kid-friendly treat, try out the recipe below and let us know what you think. The panna cotta is great on it’s own, or you could try topping it with a strawberry puree, whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate sauce. And the popsicle can be made into an adult interactive cocktail by placing it in a tall glass with a shot of vanilla or plain chilled vodka. Any way you try them these orange creamsicle treats will make your day sunnier!
Orange Creamsicle Panna Cotta (Popsicles)
Equipment
- whisk/spoon
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice about 1lb citrus; you can also use tangerines, mandarins, grapefruit etc., or store-bought juice
- 1/4 cup honey optional, taste your juice for sweetness first
- 1 tablespoon unflavored grass fed gelatin powder optional for popsicles
- 1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate optional
- zest of one orange optional
- 1 cup plain yogurt strained or Greek preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin in 1/4 cup of orange juice. Let it sit while bringing the remaining 3/4 cup of orange juice to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced to a syrup or in half. (If using frozen concentrate only, bloom the gelatin in water for 3 minutes).
- Remove the simmering orange juice from the heat, then whisk in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. (If using frozen concentrate only, whisk the concentrate into the gelatin).
- Add the orange zest, salt and optional honey to the orange juice mixture. Let it cool to room temperature for about 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, whisk in the plain yogurt and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into popsicle molds or panna cotta molds, leaving a bit of space at the top for expansion.
- Freeze (for popsicles) or refrigerate (for panna cotta) for at least 4-6 hours or until fully set.
Notes
- Flavor Options: Experiment with different citrus fruits like grapefruit, tangerines or mandarins for unique flavors or berries that have been pureed. Also good with a combination of mango and oranges (you’ll need to puree/blend the mango with the orange juice). Or strawberries!
- Dairy Free: If you prefer a dairy-free option, substitute with coconut milk, nut milk or oat milk based yogurt.
- Panna Cotta Dessert Option: Turn this mixture into a wonderful citrus panna cotta by refrigerating instead of freezing.
- Omit Gelatin: If you omit the gelatin, the texture will change, but you should still come out with a frozen popsicle just the same!
