Homemade Popsicle Recipes For Kids & Grown-Ups

I've been searching for a kick-ass popsicle recipe book for a while now, so I am pretty darned excited to tell you about Perfect Pops, a brand new cookbook by Charity Ferreira.

After purchasing my shiny new popsicle molds last month, I really wanted to find some exciting (but not over the top) recipes to help us make the most of the summer with fruity flavor combinations that would tickle our tastebuds without the addition of artificial dyes and corn syrup.

When I discovered Perfect Pops - The 50 Best Classic & Cool Treats on Amazon, I immediately pre-ordered a copy in hopes that it would satisfy my craving for popsicles filled with fresh, seasonal fruits and healthy ingredients. It arrived earlier than I expected and I just couldn't wait to share it here with you!

Cherry Pops (pg. 30)

Let me start by saying that every inch of this book is just as lovely as the cover. Honestly, I was tempted to lick the pages! The photos are amazing and inspiring! It's small size (7 x 8 inches) and hardcover make it a charming giftable book for summer birthdays and wedding showers when paired with a set of fun-shaped popsicle molds.

The 94 page book is divided into four sections; Fruity Pops, Creamy Pops, Fancy Pops and Grown-Up Pops. The variety of recipes will knock your socks off. Seriously, there is something for everyone in this book! It has a perfect balance of classic favorites and modern inventions with flavors that range the globe. Many of the recipes like the Triple-Layered Rocket Pops have a totally kid-friendly, ice cream truck appeal to them while others are are spiked with alcohol and include savory, grown-up twists on popsicles that are impressive enough to serve at dinner parties, weddings and fancy events.

Strawberry Cheeseckae Pops (pg. 46)

What I love most about the recipes is that while the popsicles look exotic, most of the ingredients are actually quite simple and readily available. I was also impressed by the inclusion of vegetables, edible flower petals and spices in several of the recipes. These are all things that I want my girls (ages 11 and 15) to appreciate and learn to cook with, so I am excited to bring this book along to the farmers market and grocery store with us and let them choose recipes to make on their own.

I should also add that our family is vegetarian/vegan and the creamy popsicle recipes are easy to veganize by substituting the ingredients with non-dairy milks, yogurts, ice cream, etc.

Mango Lassi Pops (pg. 48)

We made the Mango Lassi Pops last night and they were superb! We used organic frozen mango chunks instead of fresh mangos because we had stash in freezer that needed to be eaten. YUM!

We've already made a shopping list of the popsicle-making ingredients that we don't already have on hand. I think we'll spend the summer working our way through every recipe. I personally can't wait for fresh peaches to try the Bourbon-Peach Pops... Next up, Pineapple Pops with Chile & Lime, Balsalmic Strawberry Pops and Blackberry-Iced Tea Pops!

The retro-chic vibe in this book will definitely bring back fond memories of summers from your own childhood, but it will also inspire you to create fresh, flavorful treats to share with your children, friends and family for many years to come.

Bring On The Sunshine, We're Ready!

I love this time of year when the rainy days of spring are coming to an end and bright blue skies replace the gray haze. In anticipation of the warm summer months ahead, I wanted to surprise the girls with some new popsicle molds to help us find more creative ways to eat all those delicious seasonal fruits that await.

Of course, plastic is no longer an option when it comes to our kitchen and our health, so when I spotted these stainless steel popsicle molds it was love at first sight. Although, we are making an effort to simplify and reduce our shopping habits, we are also trying to make smarter choices and purchase items that will last, rather than opting for disposable toxic crap. So the decision was made...

Just a few days later the package arrived on our doorstep and as I bent down to pick it up, I realized that the welcome mat beneath our front door had gotten turned around backwards after the completion of yesterday's chores, sweeping the stoop. The sight of it kind of made me giddy. It was like a sign from mother nature welcoming us outside instead of the other way around. Definitely an ocassion to be celebrated with drippy, sticky popsicles!

The set of stainless steel popsicle molds by ONYX includes six molds with lids that double as drip catchers! They are as sturdy and as well made as I'd hoped. The sticks are gripped by the little silicone center on the lids. Just a few seconds under hot water and the popsicles slide right out. They are dishwasher safe, so clean up is a breeze. What I really love about these molds is the fact that they are phthalate and BPA free, so I never have to worry about chemicals leaching into our food.





Now we can come up with our own fun flavors and healthy recipe combinations without additives and artificial dyes. There are also several new popsicle recipe books available that include fresh ideas for homemade frozen treats including fun ways to add vegetables and healthy organic ingredients to homemade ice pops. 

Bring on the sunshine, we're ready!



UPDATE: After a week or two of use, we've started making bigger batches by simply removing the popsicles from their molds after they are completely frozen and placing them in a freezer safe container. We can then refill the molds and repeat!

Also, a word of warning; watch those lids and don't let them escape down the garbage disposal or get thrown in the trash with the sticks! Yep, just last night I had the pleasure of sifting through 5-day-old garbage in the dumpster after one went missing. Ewww. Gross. Found with stick still attached. Not craving popsicles anymore. Lesson learned.