Nothing says summer like frozen popsicles, especially when they’re whipped up at home with fresh fruit, yogurt, coconut milk, or perhaps even a little rum for the 21 and older crowd! Seriously, it’s time to ditch those firecrackers and push-up pops full of artificial flavorings and high-fructose corn syrup, and get real! We’ve rounded up a few of the best from around the web that are sure to become a staple in your freezer this summer.
Coconut and Mango Rice Pudding Pops
One 15-ounce can coconut milk, shaken
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 cup short-grain or arborio rice
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large ripe mangos
1. Whisk the coconut milk and whole milk together in a 4-quart (or larger) saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and stir in. Stir in the rice, and bring the whole mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
2. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, water, vanilla extract, and salt. Peel the mango and chop into 1/2-inch cubes. Fold the mango into the rice mixture.
3. Transfer the rice and mango mixture to twelve 3-ounce ice-pop molds. Insert sticks and freeze until solid — 3 to 4 hours.
4. To release the pops from the molds, run the molds briefly under warm water. (The Kitchn)
Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Popsicles
1 1/2 cups Watermelon (seedless or remove seeds)
3/4 cup fat free Thick Greek Yogurt
Sweetener: Stevia, Honey, Agave, Maple or your favorite natural sweetener to taste
1. Purée watermelon in blender or food processor. Strain with a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
2. Add strained watermelon juice back into the blender. Add yogurt. Blend well. Add sweetener to taste.
* If you want to go dairy free you can try coconut milk, almond or soy milk or yogurt instead. (Family Fresh Cooking)
Creamy Lemon Popsicles Recipe
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1. Whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.
2. Divide mixture among popsicle molds. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.(Gimme Some Oven)
Cherry Apple Whiskey Sour Poptails
· 3 cups cherries (weighing 1lb)
· 1 large green apple (weighing 6oz)
· 1 lime (weighing 3 1/2oz)
· 1 cup whiskey
· ½ cup of sweet and sour mix
1. Pit cherries; set aside. Peel away apple and lime skin and cut fruit into quarters.
2. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until mixture is pureed. Mixture will be thick.
3. Pour mixture into popsicle forms and freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds. (Endless Simmer)
Dirty Pirate Popsicles
2 1/2 cups Coke
1/3 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/3 cup Kahlua
Instructions:
1. Place all ingredients in a large glass and stir to combine. Pour mixture into popsicles mold.
2. Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds.
*Slightly flat Coke will produce a popsicle that stays frozen longer. To quickly and manually flatten out the carbonation, empty out enough Coke from a 2-liter bottle to leave a 3-inch space from top of bottle to top of coke. Place cap back on and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Set aside to leave bubbles to subside. (Enlesssimmer)