Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt Bars | Sara's Kitchen Witchcraft

Them Yasso things are too expensive to buy every week.

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So way back when, I had the brilliant idea to buy some creamsicle molds. I'd been on a Yasso bar kick because I love a good sweet treat at the end of the night, specifically a frozen one, but damn, those things get expensive. It's like, $6, maybe even more, for a box of 4 damn bars! If I'm eating one a day, that's nearly two boxes a week, and that's like, $12.

I figured if I could make them myself, not only would I save money, but I'd also be able to make whatever flavors I wanted outside of the standard Yasso flavors (which I love, but also get a little old sometimes lol). After all, it's practically autumn, and... there's no pumpkin spice flavor?

There's some pistachio brittle or whatever, but no pumpkin spice flavor??

My first attempt, though, was bad. I basically just made my protein smoothie that tastes totally normal when in smoothie form and tried to freeze it. Problem is, there wasn't really any fat in there; it was all almond milk and banana and whatnot. What I got after it froze was therefore a sad, icy, and not-very-sweet block of mango-banana-milk. Not what I was looking for.

So I searched through a bunch of frozen yogurt bar recipes to see where I went wrong, and it turns out all I needed to get something with fat in it. I guess that would make sense. What I ended up using was the Greek Gods' brand of specifically honey vanilla Greek yogurt: 7g of fat per cup, 7g of protein. Nice!

I also still have whey powder from my smoothie era, which I discovered I could also include in these, so that also helped bump up the protein factor. But how was it in terms of nutrition and cost?

Cost wise, we see:

1. 3lb bucket of Greek honey vanilla yogurt: $8.99

2. 5lb back of whey powder: $84 (it was not this expensive when I bought it though, damn; inflation did a number on us).

   1. There are cheaper brands for about $60 for 5lbs)

If I do the math per bar:

• 16.33 bars can be made from the bucket of yogurt ($0.56)

• 75.66 bars from the 5lbs of whey ($1.12)

• Spices: maybe $0.20 per bar?

So a grand total of... $1.88 per bar with the whey powder. If you decide to do a cheaper whey powder ($60 for 5lbs), you could save about 50 cents, taking you down to $1.38 per bar, which is already winning against Yasso. If you decide to skip the whey altogether and just have some good old fashioned froyo, it's 76 cents, which is infinitely better. (And you can do other things with the yogurt and the spices, so they're more functional than a box of 4 yogurt bars from the store.)

Nutrition wise, it's pretty alright (this is without adding extra sweetener or other random stuff like caramel chips or whatever):

• 11.4g protein

• 12.4g carbs

• 5.1g fat

• 139 calories total

So it's about 40 calories more than the average Yasso, but it also has nearly triple the protein, fewer carbs, and more fat (which keeps you fuller longer). Sounds like a damn good balance between dessert and functional energy, which is all I need to know.

So... success! I guess? I mean, I dunno, those extra 38 cents seem to be directly correlated to those extra 40 calories, and it's more satisfying than the Yasso, so if I got a cheaper protein powder, I'd definitely call it a success. You could probably also use things like PB Fit and cocoa powder to make chocolate PB flavors, or add some berries and white chocolate chips in to make a tasty berry/white chocolate bar. Lots of possibilities when you do this yourself!

For this bar, though, we're looking at pumpkin pie spice for our magic, which means looking at cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and clove.

Magic in Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt Bars

No matter where you go right now, you'll find something pumpkin spice flavored, and that's good, because the spices in that make some fantastic magic. There's a reason these flavors are common this type of year: the warming spices not only make us feel a little more on fire in the gradually colder months, but they're also fantastic for protection and wealth. Anything with a kick in it like clove or allspice is bound to ward off any spooky spirits (and clove itself, when tossed into the fire, was thought to explode the eyes of those shooting bad vibes your way in Jewish folklore if they crackled when they burned). Moreover, stuff like cinnamon and ginger are great for boosting energy (physically and magically), and encouraging inspiration and optimism.

When it comes to wealth, people often jump to the element of earth—but with this pumpkin pie spice here, you know it’s all fire, all day. Fire here, along with Jupiter and Mars, help you get the pep in your step you need to see all your ambitions and creative projects come to fruition. It’s not just about the consistency; it’s about the belief, the inspiration, the motivation, that the consistency and stability of earth is for in the first place. To get started with big projects, motivate and energize yourself, and ward off the worst of the doubts and fears, a little pumpkin spice goes a long way—and this time of year, it’s everywhere, to boot!

Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt Bars

Prep time: 20min

Freeze time: 3-4 Hours

Makes 6 yogurt bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt (2% fat or more)

  • You can also use regular vanilla yogurt

• 4 Tbsp plain whey powder (60g)

• ½ Tbsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp ginger

• ¾ tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• ¼ tsp ground allspice

Optional: 

• ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (if you’re really into the pumpkin part of pumpkin spice)

• 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (if you need it sweeter)

• extra additions like butterscotch chips, caramel chips, or other treats for crunch.

Directions:

1.  Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.

2.  Either line your baking tray or prep your molds by inserting a wooden stick inside the stick holding part (this depends on what molds you’re using).

3.  Pour your batter into the tray or the molds, then spread it out so it’s as even as possible.

4.  Add any extras you might want in your yogurt bars.

5.  Freeze for at least three hours, until firm.

6.  Keep in freezer until ready to eat!

This can be made either in a regular baking pan lined with parchment paper, or in small frozen yogurt bar molds for single servings! And make sure to use yogurt that has fat in it. Otherwise, it’ll get icy and strange in texture when you bite into it.

I'm just happy I finally found a way to make use of these molds I've had sitting around. This has a very strong, fresh pumpkin spice flavor, but the yogurt itself is sweet and creamy, and the spices definitely make you think of fall. A perfect little sweet treat for after dinner! ♥

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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.

Follow Sara on Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube, and explore her fiction writing here.