Cool Down with Homemade Popsicles

Updated April 16, 2009
Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Make your own popsicles using fresh or frozen fruit, fruit juices, ice cream, milk, and even cocktail ingredients.

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Fudgy Pudding Pops

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Mindi Shapiro

Fudgy Pudding Pops Recipe

The welcome surprise of avocado adds rich nutrients and a dreamy, silky texture.

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Coconut Lime Chia Pudding Pops

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Coconut Lime Chia Pudding Pops Recipe

Cool-down with a nutritious and creamy, summer treat. Don't have a popsicle mold? That's ok. Use a mason jar! Mix ingredients in a small mason jar, shake, add crushed raspberries, a spoonful of chia pudding, and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. Not only is this method mess-free but it's also super cute!

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Mango Coconut Pops

Credit: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Emma Star Jensen

Mango Coconut Pops Recipe

Velvety mango purée makes these popsicles seem extra-indulgent, although each has only a splash of coconut milk. You can use any mold you like for these popsicles, but you'll get a different number of pops depending on the mold size.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Pops

Credit: Jason Varney; Styling: Claire Spollen

Strawberry Cheesecake Pops Recipe

From the land of cream cheese comes this frosty twist on cheesecake.

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Nectarine-Chile Ice Pops

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Nectarine-Chile Ice Pops Recipe

These homemade fruity popsicles are the real deal. Fresh nectarine, lime, and jalapeño flavors combine to create the ultimate refreshing treat.

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Triple-decker Citrus Popsicles

Credit: Victoria Pearson; Styling: Rori Trovato

Triple-decker Citrus Popsicles Recipe

Serve a treat that's as pretty as it is tasty. The trick to this pop's tri-colored look is simple: freeze the first layer alone for 45 minutes, then add a second layer and freeze again, and finish with the third. Freeze the complete pop overnight to keep it solid even in the sun's hottest rays.

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Red, White, and Blue Pops

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Red, White, and Blue Pops Recipe

Keep the layers distinct by fully freezing each one before adding the next.

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Blueberry Pops

Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Linda Hirst

Blueberry Pops Recipe

"Blueberries are one of the best ingredients of the season; they're beautiful and they taste like summer. The light fruit pops are also the perfect combo with the rich cake."

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Triple-Berry Popsicles

Credit: Sunset

Triple-Berry Popsicles Recipe

Berry-lovers, unite! This sweet-and-tart summer treat will have kids begging for more. A little lemon juice adds just the right amount of tangy flavor to the sweet mixture of fresh fruits.

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Mint-Melon Pops

Credit: Sang An

Mint-Melon Pops Recipe

Use popsicle molds or small paper cups to make these tart warm-weather treats. Using fresh fruit instead of bottled juice reduces the amount of sugar in the chilly snack, making it a naturally kid-friendly choice.

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Lemon-Blueberry Twist Pops

Credit: Sang An

Lemon-Blueberry Twist Pops Recipe

Create a creamy pop by combining blueberries with custard-style lemon yogurt and 1/2 cup of whatever kind of milk you have on hand. Swirl the ingredients together with a knife to create an attractive marbled appearance and serve this inspired summer dessert to kids and dinner guests alike.

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Strawberry-Orange Pops

Strawberry-Orange Pops Recipe

Surprise summer company with these chilly eye-catching treats. Fill hollowed-out lime halves with a creamy mixture made from orange juice, vanilla yogurt, and strawberries. Freeze, then cut the lime halves in half to make wedges. To add "seeds," mix is semisweet chocolate mini morsels before freezing.

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Melon Mimosa Ice Pops

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Melon Mimosa Ice Pops Recipe

Sure, mimosas are great, but have you had them in ice pop form? These pops are made with champagne, mint and basil leaves, and juicy melons, like cantaloupe and honeydew.

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Mandarin Orange Cream Pops

Credit: Sang An

Mandarin Orange Cream Pops Recipe

Treat guests to a cool treat at your next outdoor passed-plate party. This palate cleanser can be lightened by substituting a little orange sherbet for half the ice cream in the recipe.

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Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops

Credit: Christina Schmidhofer

Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops Recipe

The rich secret ingredient in this smooth fruit pop is sour cream, but your guests will never know! Mix the cream with blended and strained strawberries then sweeten with a little sugar and a few teaspoons of lemon juice.

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Raspberry-Banana-Yogurt Freezer Pops

Credit: John O'Hagan; Styling: BuffyHargett

Raspberry-Banana-Yogurt Freezer Pops Recipe

Get your fruit fix year around with a pop that calls for fresh or frozen raspberries, a banana, low-fat yogurt, and a little honey, for sweetness. It's perfect for a post-dinner treat or an afternoon snack any day of the year.

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Red, White and Blue Ice Pops

Red, White and Blue Ice Pops Recipe

Show your patriotism with these flag-inspired frozen treats. The flavor comes from cranberry juice, lemonade, and a blue sports drink.

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Pistachio Kulfi Pops

Credit: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Emma Star Jensen

Pistachio Kulfi Pops Recipe

Kulfi is a rich, thick ice cream beloved on the Indian subcontinent--and on Indian menus in the West. Natural food coloring gives them a greenish hue (otherwise they are pale brown). You can use any mold you like for these popsicles, but you'll get a different number of pops depending on the mold size.

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Cucumber-Chili-Lime Ice Pops

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Cucumber-Chili-Lime Ice Pops Recipe

These bright green pops may look innocent enough, but they've secretly got a little kick of spicy flavor in the form of ground chili powder.

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Mango-Tango Pops

Mango-Tango Pops Recipe

Instead of mango pops, you can try the variations for these frozen pops: Raspberry Pucker Pops or Lime-Colada Pops. All are perfect for a hot summer day.

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Strawberry Blizzard Pops

Credit: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Emma Star Jensen

Strawberry Blizzard Pops Recipe

Fresh strawberries, creamy yogurt, and the faintest scent of rose swirl together in this sophisticated popsicle. You can use any mold you like for these popsicles, but you'll get a different number of pops depending on the mold size.

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Raspberry Pop

Credit: Sang An

Raspberry Pop Recipe

Get a double hit of raspberry flavor with fresh raspberries and raspberry juice drink. If you don't have pop molds, you can use small paper cups.

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Pineapple-Berry Ice Pops

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris-Pursell

Pineapple-Berry Ice Pops Recipe

You can use paper cups and plastic spoons instead of traditional pop molds to make these fruity pineapple and blueberry popsicles.

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Lemonade Blueberry Pops

Credit: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Emma Star Jensen

Lemonade Blueberry Pops Recipe

These popsicles turn a pale pink thanks to a little kitchen chemistry when the blue pigment in the berries meets the acid in the lemonade. You can use any mold you like for these popsicles, but you'll get a different number of pops depending on the mold size.

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Orange-Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Pops

Credit: Ben Fink; Styling: Andrea Steinberg

Orange-Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Pops Recipe

Trade in store-bought ice pops for these fruity frozen yogurt pops for a fun treat on a warm day. You can make them with ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

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Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Pops

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Pops Recipe

These Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Pops are the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. They'll keep you returning to the freezer again and again to grab a pop!

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Orange Cream Pops

Credit: Oxmoor House

Orange Cream Pops Recipe

Make these easy orange popsicles with vanilla ice cream, orange juice concentrate and a little bit of whipping cream and satisfy your craving for an orangesicle.

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Chocolate Milk Punch Pops

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Chocolate Milk Punch Pops Recipe

These adult-only popsicles are a frozen version of the popular Southern bourbon-based punch.

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Vanilla Yogurt and Spiced Plum Ice Pops

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Vanilla Yogurt and Spiced Plum Ice Pops Recipe

These two-toned pops are as pretty as they are delicious. Greek yogurt lends a pleasant tang to the sweet spiced plums. Pure bliss.

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White-Chocolate Strawberry-Yogurt Ice Pops

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White-Chocolate Strawberry-Yogurt Ice Pops Recipe

These frozen strawberry-yogurt treats are dipped in white chocolate and topped off with sprinkles.

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Watermelon Margarita Pops

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Watermelon Margarita Pops Recipe

These treats are just for the grownups and basically a frozen margarita on a stick. Serve with a side of sea salt to sprinkle on top.

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Chocolate Pudding Pops

Credit: Oxmoor House

Chocolate Pudding Pops Recipe

These rich, creamy chocolate pops will take you right back to the fudgesicles of your childhood.

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Peaches-and-Cream Frozen Pops

Credit: Dana Gallagher; Styling: Alistair Turnbull

Peaches-and-Cream Frozen Pops Recipe

Our version of the Creamsicle is silky, with distinct peachy flavor. It's a not-too-sweet pop that grown-ups will love but that's playful enough for all ages.

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Sparkling Strawberry Pops

Credit: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Sparkling Strawberry Pops Recipe

These frozen strawberry pops are made with sparkling wine, but you can make a kid-friendly version using sparkling white grape juice.

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Buttermilk-Blackberry Dreamsicles

Buttermilk-Blackberry Dreamsicles Recipe

You only need 5 ingredients to make these cool summer treats. Don't worry if you don't have a popsicle mold. You can use paper or plastic cups as a no-fuss alternative!

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