I’m sharing all of my tips for making homemade popsicles plus 25 of my favorite popsicle recipes including fruit popsicles and cocktail-inspired popsicles! Whether you like your popsicles cold and creamy or refreshing and light, I hope you’ll find some new popsicle recipes to try.
How to Make Homemade Popsicles
During the summer I love to make homemade popsicles because the flavor combinations are endless and I can control exactly what ingredients I use to make them.
I’ve made countless popsicles over the years and I’ve learned a lot about how to make them whether it’s popsicles with fruit, cocktail-inspired popsicles, creamy ice-cream like popsicles or popsicles made with fun ingredients like candy and cookies.
In this post, I’m sharing all my best tips for making homemade popsicles plus my favorite popsicle recipes! If you want more frozen treats be sure to check out my Homemade Ice Cream round-up, too.
Popsicle Molds
The best popsicles start with the right popsicle mold! I’ve tried out a few different kinds of molds and my favorite is Norpro Frozen Ice Pop Maker*.
- You can freeze 10 popsicles at a time with this popsicle mold. The molds hold approximately 3 ounces which is a great size for popsicles.
- Some popsicle molds have reusable plastic sticks which can go missing and I don’t want to worry about missing sticks when it’s time to freeze popsicles! The Norpro popsicle mold uses wooden sticks and it comes with a package of 24. When I need replacement sticks, I like to buy Norpro Wooden Treat Sticks*.
- I love the classic popsicle shape!
Tips for Making Popsicles
- Depending on the kind of popsicle mold you use, always check the manufacturer’s guide to learn the proper way to use it.
- This is especially important when you’re ready to serve your popsicles. The mold I use recommends running the popsicles under hot water for a few seconds so you can quickly remove them from the molds. Other types of popsicle molds may have different instructions.
- A common mistake I see for removing popsicles is letting them sit out at room temperature in the molds until you can remove them. This causes the popsicle to thaw unevenly and they are likely to break when you serve them.
There are all kinds of popsicles you can make and I’ve learned a lot about making them whether they are fruit popsicles, adults-only popsicles with alcohol, or creamy ice cream-like popsicles.
Fruit Popsicles
For a super easy fruit popsicle, all you have to do is pour your favorite fruit juice in the molds and freeze! It doesn’t get any easier than that, but there are some fun ways to dress up your fruit popsicles:
- Chop or slice your favorite fruit to freeze inside your fruit popsicles. I love to use sliced strawberries, mangos, and different kinds of berries like blueberries and raspberries. Fresh lemon, lime, watermelon and coconut are also great to use for popsicles. I’ve also used avocados to make popsicles!
- Puree the fruit and mix it with yogurt to create fruity yogurt pops. Or layer the pureed fruit with the yogurt to create a marbled popsicle.
Alcohol Popsicles
I love cocktails and during the summer it’s so fun to make cocktail-inspired popsicles for parties. It’s not as easy as just freezing your favorite alcohol because alcohol doesn’t freeze well and you could end up with a slushy mess.
All of my alcohol popsicle recipes have been tested so you can have confidence that they will work, but if you want to get creative on your own here are some tips:
- The higher the alcohol content the harder it will be to freeze your popsicles into a solid state. Some types of alcohol freeze better when they are mixed with a non-alcohol liquid.
- Even if your alcohol popsicles freeze solid, they will melt fast once you take them out of the molds. So it’s always a good idea to serve them right away after they come out the freezer.
- If you’ve never made alcohol popsicles, try some of my recipes first! I’ve included some of my favorites in the recipe round-up. I’ve turned some classic cocktails like mimosas, bloody mary drinks, sangria and pina coladas into frozen treats with great success.
- Don’t forget that the popsicles are made with alcohol! Just like regular cocktails, popsicles made with alcohol can pack a boozy punch so always indulge responsibly.
Creamy Popsicles
To create creamy ice cream like popsicles, I like to use a combination of heavy cream and condensed milk. These two ingredients make an amazingly soft and creamy no-churn ice cream and they can also be used to make creamy popsicles.
If you are looking for something less in calories, Greek yogurt is a great way to make popsicles creamier too.
And for a dairy-free option, coconut milk and cream can be used. You can find all of these variations in my recipes below.
Popsicle Recipes
From fruit popsicles to popsicles made with cookies and candy I’m sharing some of my favorite popsicle recipes. Whether you like them creamy, refreshingly fruity or spiked with wine, rum or other adults-only beverages I’m sure you’ll find some new popsicle recipes to try.
Fruit Popsicle Recipes
I love colorful and refreshing fruit popsicles during the summer. Unlike ones you buy at the store, homemade fruit popsicles are made with fresh ingredients and are often lower in added sugar. Here are some of my favorites!
Creamy Whole Lemon Ice Pops | These reader-favorite lemon ice pops are creamy and use an entire lemon (including skin and rind) for an ultra-lemony flavor.
Fruit Bars | You only need two ingredients to make these refreshing popsicles: fresh fruit of your choice and fruit juice like white grape juice or apple juice.
Avocado Coconut Ice Pops | I love using avocado in popsicles because it gives the ice pops a creamy texture and a beautiful green color. Some coconut milk gives these ice pops a tropical taste, too.
Creamy Mango Ice Pops | Greek yogurt is also a nice way to give popsicles a creamy texture, plus you get a subtle tangy flavor that pairs nicely with fresh mango.
Watermelon Lime Ice Pops | These ice pops are made with watermelon juice and lime juice and layered to resemble real watermelon slices. They are light, refreshing and thirst quenching.
Creamy Lime Coconut Ice Pops | Lime and coconut are one of my favorite summer flavor combinations. These ice pops are so creamy, they are like a cross between ice cream and ice pops.
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Pops | These creamy popsicles taste just like strawberry cheesecake! They’re made with fresh strawberries and just three other ingredients.
Avocado Ice Pops | These easy ice pops are made with avocado, fat-free condensed milk and a little bit of regular fat-free milk. They’re creamy and the avocado flavor really shines.
Alcohol Popsicle Recipes
Everyone loves when I serve adults-only popsicles at parties and summer BBQs. I’ve experimented with some of my favorite cocktails and turned them into frozen treats that are perfect for entertaining.
Rose Sangria Ice Pops | If you love a chilled glass of rose in the summer, these rose sangria popsicles with fresh strawberries are for you!
Pina Colada Ice Pops | Cold and creamy ice pops made with fresh pineapple, rum, and coconut cream! These ice pops are easy to make kid-friendly, too – just leave out the rum.
Iced Tea Sangria Popsicles | For these ice pops, I took my favorite Iced Tea Sangria and it into popsicles. These adults-only sangria popsicles are loaded with fresh fruit and are a refreshing, boozy treat.
Mimosa Ice Pops | I love a good mimosa and these colorful mimosa ice pops are my frozen-take on a favorite champagne cocktail.
Bloody Mary Ice Pops | These ice pops are another favorite brunch cocktail served-up popsicle-style.
Sangria Ice Pops | These simple sangria popsicles are made with blueberries, cherries, and strawberries and crisp sweet wine.
Cookies & Candy Popsicles
I love sweets and combining my favorite sweet treats with icy cold popsicles is one of my favorite ways to make ice pops. Candy, cookies, and even cereal are just a few of the ways I like to put a fun spin on summer popsicles.
Gummy Bear Coconut Ice Pops | These fun ice pops are made with coconut water which is a great way to stay hydrated in the summer. I added the gummy bears as a fun chewy treat! I also make other Gummy Bear Popsicles that you can make with the juice of your choice.
Cereal Milk Ice Pops | Inspired by the cereal milk ice cream at Momofuku Milk Bar, these frozen treats are made with cereal flavored milk and coated in colorful and sweet crunchy cereal like mini Trix and Fruity Pebbles.
Froyo Mochi Ice Pops | Have you seen the mini mochi pieces at frozen yogurt shops? It’s one of my favorite toppings, so I made homemade froyo popsicles studded with chewy mochi pieces.
Cookies and Cream Ice Pops | Cookies and cream is a classic combination and one of my favorite ice pop variations! Crushed Oreos and a creamy milk-based popsicle is like eating cookies dipped in milk, but in popsicle form. Or try my other Cookies and Cream Popsicles which have a touch of Greek yogurt mixed in.
Creamy Biscoff Ice Pops | These homemade popsicles are made with Biscoff cookie spread and have a wonderfully creamy texture like ice cream.
Matcha Mochi Ice Pops | Another mochi ice pop but this time the chewy mochi pieces are frozen in a creamy matcha-flavored popsicle made with a bit of Greek yogurt and cream.
Nutella Fudgsicles | Nutella technically isn’t candy, but I love it so much I often eat it like candy! So, I took a classic fudgsicle and gave it a Nutella twist. This rich and fudgy popsicle is full of chocolate and hazelnut flavor.
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