Who says you can't indulge in an icy sweet treat on a hot day? With summer fruit abundant and bursting with natural sweetness, you can DIY amazing ice pops with just a few simple add-ins. Read on for some of our favorite gorgeous, luscious ice pops that are delicious and good for you (shhh, don't tell the kids they're healthy!). They'll satisfy your sweet tooth, get you closer to your daily produce goal, and help keep you hydrated when it's sweltering outside.
Peach-Buttermilk Ice Pops
Kids and adults alike will love these pretty, multilayered pops. Buttermilk gives them both creaminess and a touch of tang, while fresh peaches bring on the fruit. Plus, they're loaded with vitamins A and C. If you're shopping at a farmers market for peaches, ask if they're cling or freestone; freestone are easier to pit. Also, get yourself a serrated peeler and you won't have to blanch the peaches in boiling water to peel them.
Mint-Melon Ice Pops
Serve these gorgeous two-layer pops after a rich meal, such as grilled meat, to cleanse the palate and end on a lighter note. Plus, the mint can help aid digestion. If you don't have ice-pop molds, no problem; small paper cups or large ice-cube trays and ice-pop sticks can do the trick just as well (don't use craft sticks, since they can splinter). When shopping for melon, pick it up; it should feel heavy for its size and smell sweet at the end where it was attached to the vine.
Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops
These couldn't-be-simpler pops are a blend of strawberries, a little sour cream, a tiny bit of sugar, and lemon juice, but they're packed with flavor. Try them with a mix of berries, if you prefer; this recipe would work great with any combo of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. They're so refreshing and good for you, you could even have one for breakfast on a hot morning.
Lime-Colada Ice Pops
Take a quick trip to the tropics with these exotic pops. Be careful when shopping for cream of coconut: What you want is an unsweetened cream of coconut (such as Native Forest brand). Avoid brands of cream of coconut that are sweetened and contain a lot of gums and stabilizers. Also, cream of coconut is thicker than coconut milk, so check the label carefully. Blend in a small handful of unsweetened coconut flakes for texture, if you like. A few tablespoons of dark rum would be nice, too, as long as the pops are for a grown-up party.
Raspberry Pucker Pops
With 4 grams of fiber in each pop, these treats can help keep you full for a while. Since raspberries are in season, feel free to use fresh ones instead of thawing a bag of frozen berries. Start with 1/4 cup sugar and add a little at a time if needed, depending on how sweet the berries are. Also, try fresh orange juice instead of the cran-raspberry to shake up the flavor.
Orange-Vanilla Yogurt Pops
If you loved the creamsicles you used to get from the ice cream truck, you're in for a real treat. This new-fashioned version gives you that same creamy-dreamy-orangey taste, but with better ingredients and far less sugar. Don't leave out the salt; it won't make the pops salty, but it will make the flavor come alive even more. If you want to dress them up, use the seeds from half of a vanilla bean instead of the extract.
Pops
Loaded with fruit and made with no refined sugar, these ice pops do so much more than look beautiful (though they do that, too). Pineapples are a great source of vitamin C, plus they have an enzyme that may help reduce inflammation. And by now you already know how amazing blueberries are for your health.
Pomegranate Sunrise Pops
For an unexpected dessert that's make-ahead, healthy, and refreshing, look no further than these sunset-hued treats. They require some time, but it's mostly hands-off freezer time, so well worth a little advance planning. One glance at that vibrant color and you can see how antioxidant-rich these pops are. Pomegranate juice also may help improve blood flow to the heart, and can be a great addition to a cancer-fighting plant-based diet, research suggests. Steep a slice of fresh ginger in the syrup as it cooks for a touch of spice (remove it before continuing the recipe).
Lemon-Blueberry Dice
You know how after a meal you want just a little something sweet? Pop one of these adorable little cubes and satisfy that sweet tooth for just 43 calories (and get a little nutrient boost from the blueberries, too) and absolutely zero guilt. Make them in fun shapes to get a smile along with your treat; we love these Lego-shaped ones. Depending on how sweet the berries are, you may not need all of the syrup; start with a little, taste, and add more if needed.You know how after a meal you want just a little something sweet? Pop one of these adorable little cubes and satisfy that sweet tooth for just 43 calories (and get a little nutrient boost from the blueberries, too) and absolutely zero guilt. Make them in fun shapes to get a smile along with your treat; we love these Lego-shaped ones. Depending on how sweet the berries are, you may not need all of the syrup; start with a little, taste, and add more if needed.
Avocado Ice Pops
If you're wondering about avocado in a dessert, you have to try these. The healthy fats in avocado give these pops plenty of creamy, rich texture, yet they're also sweet and fruity from the lime. (Blend in half of a peeled, seeded cucumber for another layer of flavor.) Name them something goofy if you're giving these to kids; they may not go for an avocado ice pop, but a “green monster” or “alien” pop might do the trick.
Ginger-Lemonade Ice Pops
Is there anything better than cool, refreshing lemonade on a hot summer's day? Yes: A lemonade ice pop! The addition of ginger in these pops makes them that much snazzier. Plus, they're made without refined sugar. Here's a tip: Make these treats when you feel the scratchy throat of a summer cold coming on. They're soothing, plus the lemon gives you a shot of immune-boosting vitamin C, and the honey can ease a cough.
Banana-Chocolate Ripple Ice Pops
You didn't think we would do a whole gallery of treats and not include at least one chocolate item, did you? With barely any sugar and no dairy but plenty of creamy sweetness from the bananas, these ice pops feel super-indulgent but have less than 100 calories and give you 2 grams of fiber. You could blend in a tablespoon or two of peanut or almond butter for a little extra protein, or drizzle on a fancier chocolate syrup, like Stonewall Kitchen Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel.
Peach-Buttermilk Ice Pops
Kids and adults alike will love these pretty, multilayered pops. Buttermilk gives them both creaminess and a touch of tang, while fresh peaches bring on the fruit. Plus, they're loaded with vitamins A and C. If you're shopping at a farmers market for peaches, ask if they're cling or freestone; freestone are easier to pit. Also, get yourself a serrated peeler and you won't have to blanch the peaches in boiling water to peel them.
Mint-Melon Ice Pops
Serve these gorgeous two-layer pops after a rich meal, such as grilled meat, to cleanse the palate and end on a lighter note. Plus, the mint can help aid digestion. If you don't have ice-pop molds, no problem; small paper cups or large ice-cube trays and ice-pop sticks can do the trick just as well (don't use craft sticks, since they can splinter). When shopping for melon, pick it up; it should feel heavy for its size and smell sweet at the end where it was attached to the vine.
Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops
These couldn't-be-simpler pops are a blend of strawberries, a little sour cream, a tiny bit of sugar, and lemon juice, but they're packed with flavor. Try them with a mix of berries, if you prefer; this recipe would work great with any combo of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. They're so refreshing and good for you, you could even have one for breakfast on a hot morning.
Lime-Colada Ice Pops
Take a quick trip to the tropics with these exotic pops. Be careful when shopping for cream of coconut: What you want is an unsweetened cream of coconut (such as Native Forest brand). Avoid brands of cream of coconut that are sweetened and contain a lot of gums and stabilizers. Also, cream of coconut is thicker than coconut milk, so check the label carefully. Blend in a small handful of unsweetened coconut flakes for texture, if you like. A few tablespoons of dark rum would be nice, too, as long as the pops are for a grown-up party.
Raspberry Pucker Pops
With 4 grams of fiber in each pop, these treats can help keep you full for a while. Since raspberries are in season, feel free to use fresh ones instead of thawing a bag of frozen berries. Start with 1/4 cup sugar and add a little at a time if needed, depending on how sweet the berries are. Also, try fresh orange juice instead of the cran-raspberry to shake up the flavor.
Orange-Vanilla Yogurt Pops
If you loved the creamsicles you used to get from the ice cream truck, you're in for a real treat. This new-fashioned version gives you that same creamy-dreamy-orangey taste, but with better ingredients and far less sugar. Don't leave out the salt; it won't make the pops salty, but it will make the flavor come alive even more. If you want to dress them up, use the seeds from half of a vanilla bean instead of the extract.
Pops
Loaded with fruit and made with no refined sugar, these ice pops do so much more than look beautiful (though they do that, too). Pineapples are a great source of vitamin C, plus they have an enzyme that may help reduce inflammation. And by now you already know how amazing blueberries are for your health.
Pomegranate Sunrise Pops
For an unexpected dessert that's make-ahead, healthy, and refreshing, look no further than these sunset-hued treats. They require some time, but it's mostly hands-off freezer time, so well worth a little advance planning. One glance at that vibrant color and you can see how antioxidant-rich these pops are. Pomegranate juice also may help improve blood flow to the heart, and can be a great addition to a cancer-fighting plant-based diet, research suggests. Steep a slice of fresh ginger in the syrup as it cooks for a touch of spice (remove it before continuing the recipe).
Lemon-Blueberry Dice
You know how after a meal you want just a little something sweet? Pop one of these adorable little cubes and satisfy that sweet tooth for just 43 calories (and get a little nutrient boost from the blueberries, too) and absolutely zero guilt. Make them in fun shapes to get a smile along with your treat; we love these Lego-shaped ones. Depending on how sweet the berries are, you may not need all of the syrup; start with a little, taste, and add more if needed.You know how after a meal you want just a little something sweet? Pop one of these adorable little cubes and satisfy that sweet tooth for just 43 calories (and get a little nutrient boost from the blueberries, too) and absolutely zero guilt. Make them in fun shapes to get a smile along with your treat; we love these Lego-shaped ones. Depending on how sweet the berries are, you may not need all of the syrup; start with a little, taste, and add more if needed.
Avocado Ice Pops
If you're wondering about avocado in a dessert, you have to try these. The healthy fats in avocado give these pops plenty of creamy, rich texture, yet they're also sweet and fruity from the lime. (Blend in half of a peeled, seeded cucumber for another layer of flavor.) Name them something goofy if you're giving these to kids; they may not go for an avocado ice pop, but a “green monster” or “alien” pop might do the trick.
Ginger-Lemonade Ice Pops
Is there anything better than cool, refreshing lemonade on a hot summer's day? Yes: A lemonade ice pop! The addition of ginger in these pops makes them that much snazzier. Plus, they're made without refined sugar. Here's a tip: Make these treats when you feel the scratchy throat of a summer cold coming on. They're soothing, plus the lemon gives you a shot of immune-boosting vitamin C, and the honey can ease a cough.
Banana-Chocolate Ripple Ice Pops
You didn't think we would do a whole gallery of treats and not include at least one chocolate item, did you? With barely any sugar and no dairy but plenty of creamy sweetness from the bananas, these ice pops feel super-indulgent but have less than 100 calories and give you 2 grams of fiber. You could blend in a tablespoon or two of peanut or almond butter for a little extra protein, or drizzle on a fancier chocolate syrup, like Stonewall Kitchen Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel.
