Growing up we called them by their brand names, like Otter Pops or Fla-Vor-Ice, but the general concept of these ice pops were the same– a sweet and fruity popsicle with a slushy texture. Their ingredients were also similar, with the first two typically being water and high fructose corn syrup, along with some fruit juice, artificial flavors, and dyes. One thing that I particularly remember about these popsicles is that they always made my mouth itch. (Am I the only one?!) I’d like to offer my son a healthier alternative to my childhood ice pops, without the mouth itch, so when the temperature reached 100-degrees this past weekend I filled up these reusable Zipzicle pouches with a homemade smoothie mixture. I wanted these pops to have a similar slushy texture to the original pops, without getting too icy, and I think the results are pretty delicious.
(Look at that cute little hand trying to interfere in my photo shoot! He was SO impatient for more popsicles!) So far, I’ve only made two flavors but I think I’ve got the general rule of thumb down for making a fruity popsicle without a rock-hard icy texture. The ratio I’ve been using is: To make 10 ice pops:
10 ounces fresh or frozen fruit 1/2 cup water (you can use less water when working with juicy fresh fruit) 1 to 2 tablespoons sweetener (optional)
Below are the two flavor combinations we’ve enjoyed so far, but clearly the variations can be endless! I felt that the fresh grapes were sweet enough on their own to not require any added sweetener, but keep in mind that you will want to make the popsicle mixture a little sweeter than you’d like it to be as the sweetness will be muted once it’s been frozen. (Hence why most popsicles are loaded with sugar.)
Cherry-Strawberry Ice Pops
5 ounces frozen strawberries 5 ounces frozen sweet cherries (pitted) 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon raw honey or pure maple syrup
Fresh Grape Ice Pops
10 ounces fresh green grapes 4 to 6 tablespoons water, as needed to facilitate blending
Directions: Combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into each reusable popsicle sleeve up to the “fill” line (you can use a funnel to make things easier), filling about 10 ice pop sleeves. Place them in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set until firm. Serve frozen. — Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite popsicle flavor?
