I crave ice cream in the winter and popsicles in the summer. Don’t get me wrong; I’ll eat the heck out of either year-round! However, I get a hankering for an icy cold, fruity frozen treat during the summer months. It’s a signal that my body needs to cool down. When this happens, I’ll frequent a local snow cone stand, grab a fruity smoothie at Jiggle Berry Juice Bar, or order a boba tea at Feng Cha to keep me chill. But lately, I’ve discovered the therapeutic act of making delicious homemade popsicles.
How Perfect Are They?
- They are my go-to thirst quencher during my least favorite time of the year.
- The ice-cold, tasty flavors are a party in my esophagus.
- They make me feel like a kid again. Growing up on a busy street, my siblings and I enjoyed regular visits from the ice cream truck. We’d run out barefoot to greet him like a pack of hungry banshees. And for the rest of the day, we’d have red popsicle stains around our lips.
- Making popsicles is a kind of therapy. Cutting the fruit, admiring the intense colors and flavors of the season, and designing your own signature popsicles are beautiful lessons in creativity.
Why Make Homemade Popsicles?
Beautiful summer colors in a homemade popsicle easily improve on any store-bought popsicle from the freezer case. Making them at home allows me to get creative with flavor combinations, too. I also know exactly what’s going into the process! There aren’t any scientific words that I can’t pronounce in the ingredients.
Right now, gorgeous summer fruits like strawberries, kiwi and peaches are available to make your very own flavor combos. When you use fruits in peak season, the intensified flavors always make for a happy popsicle eater. Slice them into pretty shapes, or cube them for a beautiful design encapsulated in natural fruit juices.
Spark That Creativity!
You have the time, and you’ve got the colorful fruit in front of you. What else do you need? If you have kids, get them into the kitchen with you, and show them how to create their own. Nurture their inner artist.
If you don’t have kids, no problem! Invite your besties over and make a batch with a bit of alcohol for a summer evening get-together! (And send me an invite. I’m always up for a good time centered on food.)
What You Need:
The ingredients and supplies to make popsicles at home don’t have to be expensive or hard to find. Unless you want to create gourmet varieties, a few fruit options, simple flavoring, and edible embellishments are all you need!
- Puréed fruit: Summer gems like strawberries, kiwi, mango, blackberries, blueberries, and pineapple are all great options. Add them to your blender, and go! Simply add the fruit to a high-speed blender and blend until as smooth as possible.
- Flavorings: cinnamon, vanilla, a splash of maple syrup, coriander (goes great with a kiwi and strawberry combination), cardamom, lime zest, black tea, or dried chiles add another facet to your fruits.
- Stir-in embellishments: dried fruit, cucumber, fresh fruit chunks, or toasted coconut kick your popsicles up a notch.
- Popsicle molds and popsicle sticks
Here are just a few idea combinations:
- Kiwi & Strawberry
- Pineapple & Coconut
- Blackberry & Orange
- Lemon & Basil
- Grape & Cucumber
If you’re worried about extra calories or feeling guilty about eating sugary snacks, forget about guilt! Life is too short to see any food as a threat. Instead, try seeing yourself as someone who deserves the experience of enjoying these sweet treats, especially if you’re the one who puts creativity and love into making them. You connected with the ingredients, so celebrate! Take pleasure in the delicious beauty you made right out of your kitchen. I’ll never shame you for that.
