How to Make Your Own Popsicles

My kids love popsicles in all of their melting, dripping, sweet-tasting glory.  I usually buy the all-fruit varieties so that my children get some vitamins while slurping their “‘cicles.”  Now and again we decide to make our own.  It’s a fun, creative, kid-friendly activity; we get to explore different flavor combinations; and I know first-hand how nutritious the ingredients are.

Fresh Fruit Popsicles
You could take your favorite fruit juice, add lemon juice, and toss in whatever fresh fruit you happen to have on hand.  Here’s the combination I tried:

1 cup apple juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup bite-sized pieces of fresh strawberries, peaches, and grapes
Mix ingredients together and freeze in popsicle molds.

Next time I plan to try cranberry-grape juice and fruit such as kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, plums, and banana.

If you don’t have any (or enough) popsicle molds, you can use paper cups.  My tip is to freeze your popsicles for two hours, and then insert the sticks when the popsicles are semi-frozen (so they stand up straight).

Sometimes it’s fun to make popsicles for adults.  You could make fruit popsicles with a splash of rum or vodka—just be 100 percent sure that you label them “Adults Only!” before you freeze them.

There are tasty coffee versions as well.  This recipe would be great for coffee lovers on a hot day:

Frozen Mocha on a Stick
2 ½ cups hot brewed coffee
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup half-and-half
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Whisk the coffee, sugar, and cocoa powder together until combined, then whisk in the remaining ingredients.  Freeze in popsicle molds.

Popsicles provide the perfect opportunity for experimentation.  Maybe you want to freeze pomegranate juice with blueberries and cherries for an antioxidant-packed treat.  Perhaps you’ll make pudding pops, alternating layers of chocolate pudding with butterscotch or vanilla.  You could freeze lemonade with fruit pieces, puree watermelon for a base and throw in chunks of fruit—feel free to mix it up and have fun with the flavors you like best.  You may discover a new favorite treat to enjoy on a hot summer’s day.

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