Ice Pops To Make This Summer

What’s summer without some frozen treats? While you can always visit the grocery store and pick up some Popsicles, why limit yourself to red, green, yellow and purple? Put that culinary academy education to good use and get a little more creative with your ice pops this summer. Here are a few ideas – some are family-friendly while others are adults-only – to start with:

How to make homemade ice pops 
Ice pops seem pretty simple to make, but there are a few things to take into account, according to Bon Appetit, before getting started to make sure they’re even better than the ones you get at the store:

• If you’ll be sweetening your ingredients, don’t use any sort of granulated sugar. Consider making some simple syrup or using honey, maple syrup or agave in your mixture. Not only will granulated sugar not distribute evenly, but it’ll also make your ice pops gritty and too-sweet in certain areas.
• Let your ice pops freeze a little bit before you add the stick. This way, you’ll be able to stick it straight in. Adding the stick when the mixture is still completely liquid will cause it to fall over, and you’ll have to serve goofy lopsided ice pops.
• Don’t fill your mold all the way. Frozen matter takes up more space than liquid. This means that once your ice pops begin freezing, your mold will overflow and make a mess if you fill it up too high. Only pour the juice three-fourths of the way to the top.

If you’re thinking, “hold up, what are you saying about a mold,” never fear. While you can definitely use reusable plastic ice pop molds from the store, that’s not the only option. You can make individual pops in disposable cups that can be peeled off, in cupcake tins or even a loaf pan. If you use the latter options, just be sure to insert multiple sticks and cut the large pop into individual pieces once it’s almost completely frozen.

Ice pop recipes
Now that you know the basics of how to make an ice pop, it’s about time we get down to business and start giving you some ideas:

• This cucumber margarita recipe from Endless Simmer is the perfect refreshing treat on a hot summer day with a hint of honeydew.
• These orange cream pops from Oven Love are simple to make, with only four ingredients. They’re delicious and all-natural.
• You don’t have to choose between cheesecake and ice cream with these strawberry cheesecake pops form Domestic Fits. With cream cheese, powdered sugar, sour cream, milk, strawberries, graham crackers and butter, you can fulfill all of your heart’s desires.
• These coconut pineapple ice pops from Boulder Locavore go to show that a dessert doesn’t have to be unhealthy. With raspberries, coconut water, lime juice and pineapple juice, your kids won’t even know that these are good for them in every way!