Creamsicle Drink – I must admit, I’m a little too excited about how tasty and satisfying this Creamsicle Drink turned out. When I was a kid, Creamsicle Bars were one of my absolute favorite frozen treats. For years now I have been trying to figure out how to recreate a cleaner version.
Trust me, it has not been easy – but this Creamsicle Drink recipe is worth it!
- Conventional Creamsicle Drinks are NOT Healthy
- What Makes a Creamsicle Drink Taste Like a Creamsicle?
- Clementines vs Mandarins
- Why We Love Halos, Cuties and all the Mandarin Orange Rarities
- Amazing Health Benefits of Clementines — and This Creamsicle Drink!
- Superfoods to Add to Your Creamsicle Drink
- Ways to Enjoy your Creamsicle Drink
- Stop Reading and Go Get Your High Speed Blender!
- Kitchen Favorites
Conventional Creamsicle Drinks are NOT Healthy
Of course the ingredients in my beloved original Creamsicle were not healthy at all. They include high fructose corn syrup, milk fat, and a chemical cocktail of unrecognizable ingredients. Which unfortunately includes: propylene glycol monoesters, polysorbate 80, etc. Basically, if you are still eating creamsicles, you should stop. Right this minute. Then, never buy them again. I challenge you to read the side effects of this “FDA-approved” food item and then start questioning everything.
Surely it wasn’t the delectable taste of milk fat that I loved so much. But there was a very special something something about a Creamsicle drink that I just couldn’t replicate no matter how many times I tried. So I just gave up.
And then! Just this morning, without even trying, I accidentally stumbled upon the secret ingredient.
What Makes a Creamsicle Drink Taste Like a Creamsicle?
The magical ingredient was so simple and it was right in front of me for years. Clementines!
A clementine is a cross between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin. A small, very sweet and usually seedless fruit, they are imported from Spain, Morocco and other parts of North Africa.
The makers of the original Creamsicle keep the clementine flavor secret hush-hush. Trust me I’ve looked!
If it were not for my accidental kitchen smoothie experiment this morning I would have never known! I was trying to use up a big box of clementines I had recently bought by making an orange-flavored “No Milk Shake”. When all of a sudden I realized I had a Creamsicle Drink!
Clementines vs Mandarins
This is not a test — but so many people ask if they can substitute a mandarin for the clementines in this Creamiscle Drink, that I had to explain! So, what is the clemenetine vs mandarin debate?
Well, as I mentioned before, a clementine is a cross between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin. Which means that tangarines and clementines are a type of mandarin orange. Which in this case, means they are interchangable. I have made this Creamsicle Drink with Halos and Cuties too – and they all taste good.
TIP: Just be sure to place them in the fridge so they are nice and cold before you begin.
Why We Love Halos, Cuties and all the Mandarin Orange Rarities:
Even if you don’t want to make this tasty drink (Which I don’t know why you wouldn’t!), then certainly you should keep a bag of Halos or Cuties on hand at all times. They are sweet, juicy and easy to peel. Making them a quick grab and go snack that is so satisfying.
By the way, you should never worry about eating too much fruit.
Getting back to Clementines — the clementine tree produced the best fruit between October and January. Which means, NOW is the perfect time to make this Creamsicle Drink and enjoy it all winter long.
Amazing Health Benefits of Clementines — and This Creamsicle Drink!
Once you find out how amazing these little clementines are, you may just add this Creamiscle Drink to your weekly menu.
1. Loading with Antioxidants
Just like other citrus fruits loaded with vitamin C, clementines are a great resource of antioxidants too. Getting a big boost of antioxidants in your diet can help offset the chances of living with an autoimmune disease or chronic illness.
2. Could Help With Weight Loss!
Clementines only have 35 calories each and is perfect for adding to your diet if you’re looking to lean up a little bit. While also full of fiber, clementines can help you stabilize blood sugar and helps you to feel full.
3. Clementines Can Boost Immune Function
Honestly, we could all use every bit of help to boost our immune systems. Adding Clementines to your already healthy diet can be essential for boosting immunity and vitamin C.
The clementine is nutrient dense because there’s just too many benefits to county. But these three main benefits are reason enough to keep eating the tasty little oranges.
Superfoods to Add to Your Creamsicle Drink
This Creamsicle Drink already offers loads of antioxidants and health benefits all on its own. However, when it comes to superfoods and health benefits, the more the merrier! Here are just a few of the superfoods we suggest adding to your Creamsicle Drink that won’t alter the flavor too much if you’re looking for an even bigger nutritional punch:
Grass-Fed Collagen Powder: Collagen is a flavorless, dissolvable powder that is great for for gut, nail, hair, and skin health. Because it’s flavorless, collagen is easy to add into any smoothie or drink!
Coconut Yogurt: Coconut yogurt is full of probiotics that are incredible for your gut health! Adding coconut yogurt to your Creamsicle Drink will add a pleasant tart flavor that many, including myself love!
Spinach or Kale: Flavorless in smoothies, and a great source of iron, and many other nutrients. While this may alter the color of your Creamsicle Drink, the flavor will taste essentially the same.
Flaxseeds: A great source of fiber, and has been studied to help balance hormones in women.
Avocado: Another superfood addition that may alter the color of your drink, avocados are a healthy source of monounsaturated fat, and are great for the skin, and promoting healthy LDL cholesterol.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a healthy source of good fat. It helps to boost good cholesterol, and can help burn fat, and calories.
Ways to Enjoy your Creamsicle Drink
The most obvious and standard way to enjoy your Creamsicle Drink is to simply pour it in a cup, and drink it! However, with this Creamsicle Drink being comparable to the texture of a smoothie, it offers plenty of additional ways to enjoy it as well.
Here are some of my favorite unique ways to enjoy a creamsicle drink:
Make a Smoothie Bowl: Smoothie bowls are all the rage these days…and for good reason! Smoothie bowls are a delicious and healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and a fantastic way to enjoy a smoothie! Simply pour your Creamsicle Drink in a bowl, and top with all your favorite fruits, nuts, seeds, and superfoods. Enjoy with a spoon, just like ice cream!
Freeze into Popsicles: Smoothies and cold drinks make delicious popsicle treats! Simply pour into a mold or popsicle maker, and try out a new way to enjoy your smoothies!
Make Ice Cubes: Using your Creamsicle Drink to make ice cubes is perfect for quick smoothies for later. Simply pour into ice cube trays, freeze, and then pop back in the blender with some liquid when you’re ready for another smoothie!
Save for Later: Smoothies and cold drinks like this Creamsicle Drink are a fresh and delicious snack, and a great way to start your day. However, most people don’t realize that drinks like this can be made ahead of time, and stored in the fridge for quick and easy nutrition!
Simply store in a glass container like a mason jar, and seal with an airtight lid. Store in the fridge, and enjoy the next day!
Stop Reading and Go Get Your High Speed Blender!
We just LOVE having a high speed blender in the kitchen at all times because we use it nearly every single day for clean recipes. So, if you don’t already have one, then I highly recommend you check out this one first. It has a stainless steel pitcher and perfect for hot or cold items.
I truly hope you enjoy my Creamsicle Drink as much as I had fun making it. I had to retest my concoction twice to get the right flavor combo because I didn’t write any of the ingredients down the first go round. But it really is SO good!
And my version is not only chemical-free, it’s also dairy free with no refined sugar. So, give it a whirl and let me know what you think!
Kitchen Favorites
Creamsicle Drink
Creamsicle Drink that tastes just like a real Creamsicle. This healty version is dairy free with no refined sugar. It will blow you away!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 –3 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cold clementines
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 4 pitted organic pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut cream*
- 1 cup ice
- Cold water, if needed
Instructions
- To a high speed blender, add the cold clementines, frozen banana, dates, vanilla, dates and coconut cream and process on high speed for at least 1 full minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Next, add the ice and process again. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon of cold water and blend again until you’re happy with the consistency.
- Serve cold and enjoy.
Last Step! If you loved our recipe, leave us a review below. This helps future recipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!
Notes
*Coconut “Cream” is the thick, rich and non-watery part of canned coconut milk. To get the “cream” you need to refrigerate your coconut milk for 5 or 6 hours or pop it in the freezer for at least an hour. Once the coconut milk is cold, carefully remove the top with a can opener and use a spoon to scoop out the hardened coconut “cream” off the top. The “cream” is what you will be using for the waffle recipe. You can reserve the liquid water for other smoothies.
Terri Willoughby
Saturday 25th of June 2022
Oh my goodness! It really does taste like the Creamsicle bar I remember loving as a kid. This is truly heavenly! I accidentally put all of the cream from one can of coconut milk...I'm thinking at least twice as much as I needed, but oh WOW! And yes, I drank the whole thing! :) P.S. I used one large orange (what I had on hand), no dates, & 1/2 c. ice water. It was super smooth, thick & creamy, orangey, & it was plenty sweet to me!