It’s summertime and the feeling is good, my friends.
I have been loading up on all the grilled foods that my taste buds can savor, and with all those savory flavors, I have been craving a dessert that is light, refreshing, and not too terrible for my waistline.
Let’s face it, it’s summer, and that inevitably means swimsuits and summer dresses. As much as I would love to eat chocolate cake for dessert every single day, I have to be a little more mindful when I am shoveling burgers, brats, ribs, and so much more into my mouth on a daily basis.
Enter these seasonal strawberry lemonade popsicles.
First of all, just look how gorgeous these popsicles are. The flecks of yellow and chunks of red dotted throughout these frozen treats really makes them stand out, don’t they?
You can just imagine sitting by the pool, enjoying one of these delightful freeze pops, while you watch the kiddos play and get a bit of a tan (or in my case a sunburn, because tanning just isn’t in my DNA – wear your sunscreen!).
Or alternately, sitting on your back patio with a book while you watch the dogs chase each other around the lawn (a little peek into my everyday life, just in case you were wondering).
The main draw of these popsicles is that they are healthier than most. Featuring only four natural ingredients – strawberries, lemon, water, and honey – you won’t believe how simple it is to whip them up.
It takes literally 10 minutes or less of your active time to make the base mixture and fill your molds, and then it’s all up to your freezer from that point on. It’s honestly so unbelievably simple that you will feel like you are cheating or something.
But this is a kind of cheating that I could totally get behind.
Not are these a delightful dessert that will cool you down in the heat, they also make a great snack that you don’t have to feel bad about serving to your kids in the middle of the afternoon.
That being said, this is also a fantastic recipe to make with your children. Since it has so few ingredients and requires little effort, this is the recipe to bring out as a fun activity to pass those hot summer days.
Let’s be real, I might not have kids but I spent a couple of summers nannying and I would take any activity I could get my hands on to keep those little ones entertained day after day after day…
I really enjoy how light and refreshing these popsicles are. Strawberry lemonade is already a refreshing beverage on a hot day, and when the 100-degree temperatures start to hit here in Colorado (I seriously can’t believe we are already in a heatwave here…), it’s even more satisfying when that strawberry lemonade is frozen.
So, the next time you start to think about putting together a fun snack or you want a simple, light dessert to serve up at your next backyard barbecue, you should totally turn to this recipe. Not only because it’s flavorful, but because it is so stinking easy to whip up.
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All-Natural Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
- Total Time: 6 hours, 10 min
- Yield: 8 popsicles 1x
Description
Refreshing strawberry lemonade popsicles are the healthy treat you won’t be able to stop eating, featuring fresh and simple ingredients everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, stir together all ingredients until you have a uniform mixture.
- Divide the mixture between 8 popsicle molds, leaving about 1/2 an inch of room at the top. Make sure each mold contains some chopped fruit.
- Place the top on the mold and set in the freezer for 6-8 hours or overnight, until frozen solid. Run under hot water briefly if necessary, to release from the mold.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Popsicles
- Method: Freezer
- Cuisine: Frozen Desserts
Keywords: popsicle, freeze pop, strawberry, lemonade, summer
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients
If you have a popsicle mold that must be frozen ahead of time, do this according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, make sure you have plenty of space in your freezer before you get started, so nothing will jostle the popsicles around or cause them to spill when you’re ready to freeze them.
Rinse the berries well in a colander and wash the lemon.
Using a paring knife, remove the tops of the strawberries. Chop the strawberries into small pieces, keeping the size of your molds in mind to ensure that they will fit. Set aside.
Zest the lemon with a microplane or zester. Then juice the lemon, and remove any seeds.
Measure water and honey as noted in the ingredients.
Step 2 – Combine Ingredients
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, stirring to combine until the honey is completely dissolved.
Step 3 – Add Mixture to Popsicle Molds
Carefully pour the mixture into 8 popsicle molds, making sure to leave about a half inch at the top of each mold.
With my particular molds I got eight, but these can vary a lot in size, so you might get more or less. Just be sure to leave that bit of wiggle room at the top so they don’t overflow when they freeze. If you have any excess lemonade mixture, you can save it to freeze more later.
Step 4 – Freeze
Place the top on the mold or insert your sticks, depending on the type that you have. If using ice pop sleeves, you will not need the sticks. Freeze until solid for about 6-8 hours, depending on the temperature of your freezer.
When I use my particular molds, I like to freeze for two hours and then insert the sticks, since I think inserting them in a partially frozen mixture helps them to remain vertical. But again, this depends on the type that you are using, and won’t always be necessary.
Fruity Freeze Pops Will Bring Out the Kid in You
It doesn’t matter how old you are when you eat a popsicle. Whether you are a child or a full-fledged adult, enjoying this summertime treat takes all of us to a happy place in our hearts and souls.
Every time I start to eat a popsicle, I am reminded of days gone by when I would hear the ice cream truck a couple of blocks away. I would run screaming to my mom, begging for money to get a frozen treat, then run as fast as I could to the corner of the block to beat the line of other kids who would join me moments later.
Popsicles always bring the kid out in everyone, because they are so much fun to eat and are a treat that we rarely find ourselves indulging in as adults. I don’t know about you, but popsicles are rarely stocked in my home, so making them from scratch is an extra special occasion.
Trust me when I say, no matter how often you make these popsicles, you will never get sick of them.
Not convinced? If the kiddie version isn’t your thing, try experimenting with more grown-up cocktail freeze pops. It can be hard to get the proportions just right since alcohol is resistant to freezing, so get started with our rum punch version.
What was your favorite popsicle flavor as a child? Tell us in the comments below. And be sure to come back once you’ve tried this recipe so you can give it a rating if you loved it.
For more frozen fruity treats, expand your popsicle recipe collection with these favorites:
- Fresh Peach
- Tahini, Banana, Honey-Roasted Fig
- Frozen Yogurt with Oats and Blueberry Jam
- Citrus Honey Basil Creamsicles
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Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on May 1, 2012. Last updated: July 13, 2021 at 20:33 pm. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
Just made these, they taste delicious, and I love the fact that they have zero refined sugar. Will definitely make these again, maybe with some mango, or blueberries.
★★★★★