These protein peanut butter and raspberry popsicles are such a sweet treat since they're healthy, low in carbs, and taste like the real deal!

Peanut butter and raspberry are a thing around here, and we sure love the combination in these protein popsicles! The popsicles have a creamy PB&J (peanut butter and jelly) vibe that's sweet and tangy and addictingly delicious.

They're high in protein since they're made with cottage cheese, which serves as a base and makes the popsicles nice and creamy. You don't really taste the cottage cheese in these popsicles (except for a slight tang) since the tasty flavor of the peanut butter and raspberries powers though.

And since these popsicles are high in protein, they'll help keep you satisfied for a longer period of time (compared to lower-in-protein snacks or treats), so you're less likely to overeat.

These popsicles take less than 10 minutes to prepare before they go in the freezer to harden. If using a standard popsicle mold, the popsicle need up to 6 hours or more to freeze. If using a ZOKU, you just wait 10 minutes.

Here's to sweet and healthy treats packed with protein!

A Little About Popsicle Molds

Popsicle molds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. We've quoted this recipe for four 2 ounce-sized popsicles, but you can make this recipe in any standard popsicle mold. See the popsicle mold we used here.

Another option is the ZOKU popsicle maker, which freezes popsicles in less than 10 minutes. We've used it for other sugar-free popsicles and it works great, especially when you want popsicles fast.

Ingredients

Fresh, organic raspberries: It's important to buy organic raspberries since they're part of the "dirty dozen," which are some of the most pesticide-contaminated foods.

Full-fat (4%), small-curd cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is the key ingredient for making creamy, high-protein popsicles. We use full-fat (4% milk fat) cottage cheese to create a creamier, less-icy texture.

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk: To get the right consistency, we use unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk since it's keto-friendly and low in calories. You may substitute with another type of low-carb milk like unsweetened macadamia milk.

Sugar-free peanut butter: We use Santa Cruz Organic Light Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter since it has no added sugar. However, you could use another sugar-free peanut butter of choice. If not at room temperature, be sure to soften the peanut butter in the microwave before combining with the rest of the ingredients.

Sugar-free Sweetener: We recommend using allulose since it's a sugar-free sweetener that doesn't come with any aftertaste and is less likely to form ice crystals. While you can use another sugar-free sweetener of choice, we don't recommend erythritol since it turned our popsicles icy in taste tests.

Arrowroot powder: To prevent the popsicles from turning too icy, we use arrowroot powder. Another option is to use cornstarch. Even though both options include carbs, we only use one teaspoon so the carbs remain low. If you don't have either, you could skip, but the popsicles will be a little icy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

STEP 1: Rinse raspberries. If peanut butter is not at room temperature, warm in the microwave in 30-second increments until soft.

STEP 2: In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk, allulose, arrowroot powder and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth in consistency.

STEP 3: Add raspberries and briefly pulse until just combined, so there are still small, chunky bits of raspberry for texture.

STEP 4: Pour the mixture into the popsicle mold, filling mold almost to the top. You'll want to leave a little space for expansion. Insert popsicle-mold sticks and place in freezer for at least 6 hours or more, until solid.

STEP 5: Remove popsicles from the molds by gently wiggling out or briefly running under warm water for a few seconds. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Popsicle Making Tips

• To prevent the popsicles from turning icy, we use arrowroot powder. Another option is to use cornstarch. Even though both options include carbs, we only use one teaspoon so the carbs remain low. If you don't have either, you could skip, but the popsicles will be a little icy.
• We also recommend using allulose over erythritol, which can make the popsicles icy.
• Be sure to leave a little space at the top of the mold to allow for expansion as the popsicle freezes. Overfilling can cause the mixture to spill over or push the stick out of place.
• If you're not using the built-in popsicle sticks for your molds, be sure to insert a popsicle stick half way through the freezing process. This ensures they stay upright and centered in the popsicle.
• To release popsicles from the mold, you can either gently wiggle them free or run warm water over the outside of the mold for a few seconds.
• After removing from freezer, you can store the leftover popsicles in a freezer plastic bag or an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

More High Protein Treats

f you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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