Learn how to make popsicles and treat your family to a sweet, healthy, homemade version of this frozen classic!
With the bounty of berries and other fruit available during the summer months, there’s no reason to serve sugary popsicles or frozen treats loaded with high fructose corn syrup or other unhealthy ingredients (like dyes, etc.).
Use whole fruits, fresh squeezed juices, and natural sweeteners (like those listed below)Â for this summer treat. Your kids will think they’re getting dessert, when in fact they’ll be getting a nice helping of fruit!
Popsicle molds
Making your own popsicles allows you to control the quality of ingredients, save money in the long run, and reduce waste. With reusable molds, you avoid having tons of individual wrappers, and in many cases, there are no sticks to throw away.
There are many BPA free plastic molds on the market, including these cool rocket-shaped molds, these star-shaped molds, or these grooved popsicle molds. There is no waste with these plastic versions, and kids will love the fun shapes of their popsicles.
We recently purchased these stainless steel molds (pictured above) for our homemade popsicles. It was the perfect option for us as we work to eliminate plastics from our home. The only down-side is that there is still waste from the popsicle stick. (We’re working on finding a reusable solution for that, like possibly some bamboo sticks.)
In a pinch, small cups and popsicle sticks or plastic spoons can be used to make your popsicles.
How to Make Popsicles
Supplies & Ingredients
- popsicle molds (see recommendations above)
- blender (doesn’t need to be an expensive one, but we use a Vitamix)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries (I use a blend of blueberries and strawberries)
- freshly squeezed fruit juice (I use the juice of one whole lime, orange, or lemon. Lime is our favorite!)
- 1 cup filtered water (find the water filter we use and love here)
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup ([more if using lemon juice]), but you could also use raw honey or another sweetener of your choice.)
Note: Measurements are approximate and may need to be increased or decreased depending on the capacity of your popsicle molds. This recipe makes about 2 ½ cups of popsicle mixture.
Directions
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend on high, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides if needed. Add a little more water if the mixture isn’t circulating in the blender. Adjust sweetener or other ingredients if needed, and blend a little more. Pour mixture into popsicle molds, secure lids (and sticks depending on your mold), and freeze for several hours or overnight.
Variations
Experiment with different variations of this recipe to create a no sugar added popsicle you love!
- Try adding different berries, or any other fruit you have on hand.
- Switch up the fruit juice in the recipe for a different flavor.
- Drop a surprise into the bottom of each mold before adding liquid, like a whole berry, slice of banana or kiwi, or a little orange or lemon zest.
- Use yogurt instead of water for a creamy pop.
Have fun creating and here’s to summer!
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Alice Dilts says
Here is link for silicone popsicle holders. Is it a plastic though??
Betsy Jabs says
Thanks Alice! Silicone is a synthetic rubber. We’ve been talking about silicone a lot lately…not sure how we feel about it yet because we haven’t done enough research. 🙂
Kristen M says
I’ve been making popsicles for my little girl and using a mixture of water kefir and Nettle tea to replace the water in her berry pops. Nettle is extremely nutritious and the water kefir has tons of probiotics!
Betsy Jabs says
Ooooh…great idea!
Nana says
All three of the plastic molds for which you give links have issues – the 1st only says the BASE is BPA free, the 2nd just says “made of dishwasher safe plastic” (!) and the 3rd actually says made from BPA free plastic (so I assume they mean the sticks AND molds), but all plastics have phthalates which are just as dangerous as BPA. I almost purchased some pop molds at a dollar store a few years ago – until I looked at the recycling code. It was a 7 – the most dangerous type of plastic. Some people believe freezing in plastic releases the toxins even more than just drinking out of it or storing liquids in it. Always go with stainless or glass for serving/storing/freezing foods.
Betsy Jabs says
Thanks for pointing this out Nana! I should have included more information like this to explain to people why we purchased the stainless steel molds.
Nana says
We have slowly been replacing all of our cooking/storage items to cast iron, stainless steel, or glass. The stainless ARE expensive but will last WAY longer than plastic. 🙂 Thanks for your articles!
Betsy Jabs says
Hmmm…I saw these molds in the store before finding them online and the boxes said the molds were all BPA free. Not sure why Amazon wouldn’t advertise this.
Stacey says
i have been using organic juice from the store but also fresh lemons and limes, squeezing by hand. I have a juicer and plan to make lemonade and limeade to drink and for popsicles. should I peel them before putting them in the juicer?
Betsy Jabs says
You’ll want to check your juicer’s instructions to see what the manufacturer recommends, but we have never peeled fruit before juicing. Yummy…homemade limeade!
Stacey says
Thanks Betsy. My juicer will take peels. I just wondered if it would make the juice too bitter. I like tart juice though.
Betsy Jabs says
Oh, hehehe. Never tried it, so I don’t know. 🙂 You could give it a shot and add a little more sweetener if it’s too bitter.
Karen says
Could you use an inexpensive stainless steel spoon turned upside down for a reusable handle for your popsicles? (insert the handle into the mold)
Betsy Jabs says
The spot where the stick goes in has a tiny little slot that’s just the right size for a popsicle stick to squeeze through. I could probably forgo the lid altogether and give it a shot. Thanks for the thought!
michelle says
Great post! My favorite blend uses a slpash of lemon juice to really pick up the flavors! My secret ingredient in all of my blended drinks (but would work really well in a popsicle)is a very strong brew of green tea in place of plain water. I have a 2 qt pitcher in the fridge at all times! It’s an excellent way to get a good boost of healthy antioxidants!
Betsy Jabs says
Great tip Michelle! That definitely boosts the nutrition of these!