Popsicles are the perfect kid-friendly snack for a hot day, but many are laden with corn syrup and sugar. Fortunately, healthier versions of the sweet treat are easy to make at home. Simply follow any of the homemade popsicle recipes below to create your own delicious summer treat.
Dairy-free Fudge Pops
Recipe adapted from Crazy for Crust.
With only two ingredients, this easy homemade popsicle recipe recreates the chocolatey, creamy flavor of a fudge pop without dairy – perfect for lactose-intolerant kids.
Ingredients
½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1 ½ cups chocolate almond milk
Directions
Combine chocolate hazelnut spread with a half cup of chocolate almond milk. Slowly whisk in the rest of the chocolate milk until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours, placing popsicle sticks in each mold a half-hour after placing popsicles in the freezer.
Pineapple Mint Homemade Popsicle Recipe
Recipe adapted from Blue Diamond.
These healthy, homemade popsicles combine the flavors of sweet pineapple and cool mint for a refreshing treat that gives kids a dose of immunity-boosting vitamin C.
Ingredients
2 cups pineapple chunks
1 cup almond milk
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh mint
Directions
Place pineapple chunks, almond milk, mint, and honey in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours, placing popsicle sticks in each mold a half-hour after placing popsicles in the freezer.
Strawberry Mango Fruit Popsicle
Recipe adapted from Very Well Fit.
Use the best of summer’s fruits to create a healthy, nutrient-dense dessert for your kids with this antioxidant-rich recipe.
Ingredients
5 oz. frozen strawberries
5 oz. frozen mango
1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp. honey
Optional, 1 overripe banana
Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours, placing popsicle sticks in each mold a half-hour after placing popsicles in the freezer.
Creamy Peach Popsicles
Recipe adapted from Oh So Delicioso
Ingredients
1 cup vanilla greek yogurt
4 ripe peaches
1 tablespoon honey
1 peach sliced thin
Directions
In a blender blend ingredients until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze!
optional: add sliced thin peaches into the popsicle molds before pouring in the smoothie liquid.
Notes
If peaches are out of season you can use canned or frozen peaches in place of fresh peaches. They sometimes will be over-sweet (peaches canned in syrup) or not sweet enough (frozen peaches) so make sure to adjust the amount of honey you add to the blender.
Here are a few tips for having a stick with straight handles:
- Let the popsicle freeze for 30-60 minutes, the liquid will firm up, and then you can add the stick.
- Purchase a mold with a lid included- mine came with a lid with slots so I can slip the sticks in and they stay until frozen.
- Add fresh fruit. Adding the fruit holds up the stick.
Berry Patriotic Popsicles
Recipe adapted from Baby Chick
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons agave honey
3 cups vanilla Greek yogurt divided
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
blue food coloring (optional)
Directions:
Place the raspberries, water, and honey into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour evenly throughout the popsicle molds. Next, use 2 cups of the yogurt to layer throughout the popsicle molds on top of the raspberry mixture. Then combine the remaining cup of yogurt with the blueberries by gently stirring with a spoon. Add blue food coloring if desired (I used only one drop). Layer the blueberry mixture over the yogurt layer, so you end up with red, white, and blue layered popsicles. Place in the freezer overnight. These are perfect for a Memorial Day or summer get-together!
* NOTE: do not give honey to a child under one year of age
Find More Healthy Recipes by Baptist Health
Finding nutritious sweet treats can be hard, but when you know how to make homemade popsicles, the options are endless. Find more healthy recipes from Baptist Health.