Peppermint Grinch Pops {Vegan, Paleo, Dye-Free}

Chewy and delicious Peppermint Grinch Pops! Just a few simple whole-food ingredients (and no food coloring)! Your heart might just grow 3 sizes larger when you enjoy these fun little treats! Free from gluten/grains, dairy, refined sugar, eggs and soy-- with a secret healthy twist!

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Originally Published December 11, 2017. Updated December 2, 2021

Fun & Festive Christmas Treats

Aren't these just so FUN? My kids absolutely love cute & colorful treats like this.

And as their mom, I'm so happy to let them enjoy because they're dye-free and nutrient-packed! Can you guess what's hidden inside? Shhh, it's a secret 😉 Hint: it's a veggie! But NO ONE will ever know! You can't taste it!

These DELICIOUSLY chewy bite-size bliss balls are a heavenly minty DREAM to sink your teeth into. And an absolute DELIGHT to make and share!

Wouldn't be so CUTE for a cookie exchange or a Christmas party? Especially a pre-k or elementary school party! My kids went CRAZY for these! 🙂 (Ok and I did too! I am absolutely OBSESSED)

Grinch Obsession

Last week we had movie night and I watched the remake of How The Grinch Stole Christmas with my 4 year old daughter. Oh how I love that movie!

I love the whimsical characters almost as much as I love the message: "Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more." Amen!

And I'm a little bit OBSESSED with the Grinch himself, lol. His feathery hands and pot belly. His creepy little smile. He's creepy and adorable at the same time, ha. There's no one like him.

I might be so very fond of this little guy because way back when my husband and I first started dating... maybe 16 years ago, we went on a "glamorous" date involving the Grinch. A date to the Walmart garden center, lol. Why did we go to WALMART? I have no idea.

I'll never forget laughing so much that cried buckets of tears on a swing in the Walmart garden center. My (now) husband sang me the Grinch song, but changed the words to make it utterly ridiculous and hilarious. And we still sing it to this day. And laugh! He always makes me laugh. That's what I love about him 🙂

How to make Grinch Pops

Be prepared to spread buckets of holiday CHEER when you make these Grinches! haha

These little Grinch pops make me so freakishly happy. Looking at them makes me smile. And laugh. They bring JOY! I hope they do the same for you!

You can make the dough for these pops in just a few minutes using a food processor. Literally just blend everything together. Roll into balls. No baking! SO EASY. And easy makes me happy 🙂

5 real-food ingredients, one of which is a SECRET, makes me giddy! Do you know what it is??

The Real-Food Ingredients

1. Cashews
2. Maple Syrup
3. Coconut
4. (SECRET INGREDIENT.. shhhh)
5. Peppermint, vanilla and salt

Plus a little melted chocolate and almond slices for making the faces. (You can also roll them into truffles with your choice of coating instead of making the Grinch heads. Totally up to you!)

Secret Healthy Ingredients

Wanna know the secret ingredient? These pops are positively PACKED packed with veggies! Green vegetables! Can you believe they're made with SPINACH? I PROMISE YOU CAN'T TASTE IT.

If you saw my Christmas Tree Pie, you know I love creating gorgeous GREEN colored desserts using spinach!

Not only can you create festive, fun treats, but they can be secretly healthy, too! Loaded with vitamins A & C, calcium and protein.

So eat up, kids! It's basically the ONLY way I can get my 2 children to eat any spinach these days is to HIDE it in something else. #momlife haha

Get Crafty

So, it's totally up to you if you want to sculpt your own Grinch heads, or leave them rolled into balls. I actually think they look more appealing with a combination of different ingredients and textures.

I used chocolate drizzle on some, and an assortment of shredded unsweetened coconut, almond flour, and sugar for others. And also left some plain! Variety is the spice of life. 🙂

Making the actual Grinch faces isn't all that hard if you're a little crafty. I'm not really a crafty mom, but this was actually a fun project. I felt like I was playing with Play-Doh!

I'll show you step by step below in the recipe how to make the faces. You'll need almond slices, melted chocolate, and a sharp knife. (And a photo of the Grinch helps, too.)

What do they taste like?

Did I mention how crazy DELICIOUS these guys are?! They almost taste like the inside of a peppermint patty, but thicker and more chewy.

SO good! They're scrumptiously sweet and full of peppermint flavor. Bite-sized bliss. So perfect for the holidays.

A peppermint DREAM.

How to Store Grinch Pops

These need to be stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days in an airtight container since they do contain fresh vegetables.

For longer storage, you can freeze them. Simply thaw on the counter or refrigerator until they are soft and chewy again.

Have a question? Drop it in the comments below. I'm happy to help your Grinch dreams come to life! 🙂 haha

Who's ready to make some GRINCH POPS? If you make them, I'd love to hear from you! Tag me on Facebook or Instagram! 🙂

Click here to save this recipe on Pinterest:

Peppermint Grinch Pops

A FUN holiday treat sure to bring a smile to your face. Chewy peppermint pops (with a secret healthy ingredient!)

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 15 balls

Author: Emily

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 1 cup raw cashews
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut - plus more for rolling
• ½ cup fresh baby spinach - packed
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 2 ½ Tbs maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• Pinch of pink salt
• almond slices & melted chocolate for the face and drizzle

Instructions

To make the dough:

• Blend cashews, coconut and spinach in a food processor until finely ground.
• Scrape down sides and add remaining ingredients. Pulse until thoroughly mixed.
• Scoop into 1 Tbs balls. Roll smooth with your hands. (Chill dough for 5 minutes if making faces) Or roll into desired toppings, such as coconut, or drizzle on melted chocolate.

To make the Grinch face:

• Pinch the top of the ball to form the shape of his head - smaller on top and large round cheeks.
• Cut almond slivers into eye shapes, using the rounded ends of each almond slice. Press the eyes into the ball to form an imprint, then set aside.
• Melt chocolate in a small bowl. Dip a sharp knife in chocolate and dot 2 eyes (this acts as glue). Place the almond eyes on the chocolate. Then draw eyes on the almonds with a chocolate dipped knife (it only takes a tiny drop)
• Draw evil eyebrow with the chocolate dipped knife, following the shape of the almonds.
• Use a clean, sharp knife to carve a big smile, nose and scowl on his forehead.
• Chill a few minutes to set the chocolate. ENJOY!

Notes

Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. These can set at room temp for about 2 hours if you're having a party 🙂

Nutrition Facts

Peppermint Grinch Pops

Amount per Serving

Calories

78.23

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

5.67

g

9

%

Saturated Fat

 

2.36

g

15

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.7

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

2.12

g

Sodium

 

4.18

mg

0

%

Potassium

 

85.62

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

5.84

g

2

%

Fiber

 

0.93

g

4

%

Sugar

 

2.78

g

3

%

Net Carbs

 

4.9

g

Protein

 

1.86

g

4

%

Vitamin A

 

93.77

IU

2

%

Vitamin C

 

0.37

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

8.57

mg

1

%

Iron

 

0.71

mg

4

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Tag @emily.likes.food #prettypies!

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