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There’s nothing more satisfying than pulling a homemade popsicle out of the freezer on a hot day. I’ve been making them for years—fruity, creamy, even a little boozy—and I’m sharing everything you need to know about how to make popsicles at home. Tons of tips, tricks, and flavor combos included!
Want to skip straight to the recipes? Check out all my popsicle recipes, or try my favorites like three-ingredient lemonade popsicles, coconut rum pineapple popsicles, or dairy-free strawberry banana smoothie popsicles.
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Pin ItMastering How to Make Popsicles: Why Homemade Is the Way to Go
I’ve been making popsicles for years—for my blog, my kids, and even live on Hallmark’s Home & Family. It was such a fun moment, and yes, they were a hit!
Popsicles are part of my story—from fruit-filled freezer pops as a kid to creating dreamy summer recipes from scratch. I’ve tested dozens of flavors and combos so you don’t have to.
You control the ingredients—No high-fructose corn syrup here! You can make healthier versions using real fruit, yogurt, or even coconut milk.
Endless flavor options—From creamy fudge popsicles to tropical pineapple popsicles, the possibilities are literally endless. You can get super creative or keep it simple.
How To Make Popsicles
The process of making these frozen treats is simple and requires just a few ingredients. Here are the basic 3 steps to making homemade popsicles:
- Blend: Puree frozen fruit, sweetener, and a liquid in a blender.
- Shape: Pour into a popsicle mold (check out my favorites below!) and add wooden sticks.
- Freeze: Freeze for 24 hours.
Fruit Based Popsicles
Homemade fruit popsicles are made with whole fruit, juice or water, and a natural sweetener. You can mix in herbs, berries, or yogurt for fun, healthy, and often dairy-free treats—with the option to make them creamy using Greek yogurt.
Fruit Popsicle Ingredients
Fruit – Choose ripe and juicy fresh fruit and berries to puree in a blender. Make your fun flavor combinations! Here are some suggestions for fruit that you can make fruit popsicles from:
- Mango and Pineapple
- Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries
- Honeydew
- Cucumber
- Orange
- Ripe Bananas
- Watermelon
- Papaya
For extra flavor use herbs like mint, basil, cilantro, and lavender in your recipes.
Sweetener – Add in a liquid and a sweetener. For sweeteners, add honey, sugar, Stevia, or maple syrup.
Liquid – Juice or water both work as a liquid for fruit-based pops.
Blend – Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth!
Pro-tip: Always taste the fruit puree before adding it to the molds. When ingredients freeze, they lose flavor. The puree should have an intense fruit flavor and be sweeter before freezing.
You’ll need about 2 1/2 cups of fruit puree to make 8 popsicles.
Fruit Popsicle Recipes
Mango Ginger Ice Pops – Tropical, fruity, and spiced with a touch of ginger.
Watermelon Juice Popsicles – Ultra-hydrating and made with real watermelon juice and citrus.
Coconut Water Fruit Pops – Light, refreshing, and perfect for summer!
Three-Ingredient Lemonade Pops – Made with honey and lemon, these are a quick and easy treat.
Cream Based Popsicles
Cream-based pops are also delicious. These recipes have a cream base like heavy cream, yogurt, almond milk, or full-fat coconut milk. These can be blended with fruit or other ingredients like peanut butter, Nutella, cocoa powder, or dark chocolate.
If you’re not using frozen fruit to make a creamy ice pop, you’ll use ice to thicken the base.
Always add a tablespoon of cornstarch to cream-based pops to make them creamy and not icy! It’s the best tip!
Cream-Based Popsicles Recipes
Avocado Popsicles – Creamy, refreshing, and made with coconut milk and grapefruit juice. A unique and tropical frozen treat!
S’mores Fudge Popsicles – Rich, chocolatey, and filled with marshmallow and graham cracker flavor.
Roasted Blueberry Crème Fraîche Pops – Tart roasted blueberries and tangy crème fraîche make these extra flavorful and creamy.
Bomb Pop Popsicles – A homemade take on the classic red, white, and blue pops, made with real fruit and creamy yogurt.
Dairy-Free Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops – Naturally sweet and dairy-free, these smoothie pops are kid-friendly and perfect for breakfast or snacks!
How to Make Boozy Popsicles
Popsicles aren’t just for kids – adults love them too! A fun idea for adults is adding some alcohol to the puree! Since alcohol doesn’t freeze, it will be a small amount.
A rule of thumb is to do a 4:1 ratio. 4 parts puree to 1 part spirit. You can also do 1.5 ounces of alcohol to 1 cup of juice.
Boozy pops are a fun treat made with some of our favorite fruits. It’s a fun way to serve a cocktail, but in popsicle form!
Boozy Popsicle Recipes
Negroni Popsicles – A frozen twist on the classic cocktail, these pops are made with grapefruit juice and a Negroni mix for a bitter, refreshing flavor.
Watermelon Tequila Popsicles – These adorable watermelon-shaped pops are made with tequila and fresh fruit, perfect for summer entertaining.
Greyhound Popsicles – A boozy blend of grapefruit juice and vodka frozen into the perfect cocktail pop.
Margarita Popsicles – Classic margarita flavors with lime, orange liqueur, and tequila frozen into the most delicious adult treat.
Frozen Margarita Homemade Popsicle Video
Fun Popsicle Ideas for Kids (and Adults!)
Popsicles are the perfect summer treat for kids—and you get to control the ingredients! My boys love helping me make their own fruity creations, and one morning my son had the brilliant idea to freeze fresh orange juice. It turned into the best breakfast pop on a hot day!
- Use fun molds like monsters or animals
- Layer fruit, veggies, and yogurt for colorful frozen treats
- Sneak in spinach or carrots—OJ hides the flavor so well!
- Taste the mix before freezing to make sure it’s just right
Freeze leftover smoothies too—it’s the easiest hack!
Eden’s Popsicle Making Tips
Use real ingredients: I always recommend using fresh fruit, natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, and no artificial dyes. Coconut milk, yogurt, or fresh juice are great for healthy, flavorful bases.
Don’t forget the space: Always leave about 1/4 inch at the top of the mold—liquid expands as it freezes, and this keeps things neat and easy to unmold.
Keep it creamy: If you’re making a cream-based pop (like avocado, yogurt, or pudding pops), add a tablespoon of cornstarch to prevent iciness. This trick keeps them smooth and dreamy!
Add flair: Layer different flavors, add edible flowers, or swirl in purees and herbs like basil or mint. Popsicles are more fun when they look as good as they taste.
Let them sit: Before serving, let your pops sit at room temp for 5–10 minutes. This softens them slightly so they’re easier to eat and more flavorful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Expect your pops to take about 6–8 hours—overnight is best for a fully set, smooth texture
Run the bottoms of the molds under warm water for about 20–30 seconds (just warm, not hot), then gently wiggle. Full release should follow quickly
A secret ingredient—1 Tbsp cornstarch—helps keep homemade cream pops creamy and avoids icy texture. Fat from dairy or coconut milk also helps
Totally! Use small paper or plastic cups—fill them up, insert sticks after 15 minutes, then freeze solid
Frozen treats numb our sweet taste buds. Make sure your puree tastes a bit sweeter than you’d expect before freezing, using enough natural sweeteners.
The best juices to freeze for popsicles are ones that are naturally sweet, flavorful, and have a vibrant color. Here are some top picks:
Orange Juice: Classic, sweet, and freezes beautifully. Great for breakfast pops!
Watermelon Juice: Super hydrating and refreshing—just blend fresh watermelon.
Pineapple Juice: Tropical, tangy, and naturally sweet—pairs well with coconut milk.
Lemonade: Especially homemade with honey or agave; tart and refreshing.
Mango Juice: Rich and creamy when blended—delicious on its own or mixed with yogurt.
Grape Juice: Deep flavor and bold color—kids love it!
Apple Juice: Mildly sweet and a great base for layering with other flavors.
Pomegranate Juice: Packed with antioxidants and freezes into a gorgeous deep red pop.
Popscile Recipes
I hope this inspired you to get creative with homemade popsicles! Whether you’re making fruit-based, creamy, or boozy versions—there’s a pop for every occasion.
Leave a comment and let me know your favorite combo, or tag me @sugarandcharm so I can see your creations. Stay cool and keep popping!
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How to Make Popsicles – Orange Cream Popsicle Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups orange juice
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a popsicle mold.
- Freeze overnight.
- To remove in the morning, run warm water over the bottom of the mold to release the popsicles.
Notes
- Leave Room to Freeze: Always leave about ¼ inch at the top of your mold to allow for expansion as the liquid freezes.
- Unmolding Tip: Run the mold under warm water for 30–60 seconds to easily release popsicles without breaking them.
- Make Them Creamy: Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to cream-based pops to prevent iciness and give them a smooth texture.
- Sweeten to Taste: Always taste your mixture before freezing and adjust the sweetener as needed.
- No Mold? No Problem: Use paper cups and popsicle sticks or muffin tins as an easy alternative.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Eden,
Thank you for your tips! Can you please tell me which classic mold you use for your popsicles? It looks like the link above is no longer working correctly.
Hi! I used to use the classic plastic mold, but silicone is really great, too! https://rstyle.me/+P4dsoHTUNx4f1nQjYzyZPw
Hi Eden, you look hot by the way, just got the idea this morning to start a popsicles business and guess what you just gave me more inspiration ND more variety of ideas, am really grateful. From Africa , Henry
I just bought some popsicle molds a few weeks ago so my kids could eat them daily (guilt free!). These tips are all so helpful! I had no idea cornstarch is the trick to non-icy popsicles. I’m so trying that! We’ve already tried the watermelon + lime combo, and they were delicious. I had no idea watermelon and lime paired together so well 🙂
Love hearing this Agnes!!! Thank you for sharing and I’m so glad the cornstarch worked for you too!
You say to add corn starch to cream popcicles, but how do keep juice popcicles from being rock hard?
The amount of cornstarch added does not make them hard at all. It actually acts as a stabilizer so reduce chunks of ice and creates a creamy texture.
Is there anything else i can use to make popsicles creamy other than corn starch ?
Ut really depends on the recipe but right now it’s the best option even when using cream for a popsicle recipe. You can also leave it out if you don’t want to add it.
Love your information. However, what happens to me when I make watermelon popsicles is separation…the juice around the bottom and top of the frozen popsicles is light colored, beige. Still tastes good, but how do I get rid of that separation. I think it has to do with the foam that is created in the blender with the watermelon. How do I get rid of the foam?
Thank you for any help1
Hi Pam – We pour the juice through cheesecloth and a mesh strainer. This will remove the foam and you will have a more even popsicle. Hope that helps!
I will try that today…thank you for that information. I use a strainer but not a cheesecloth…a cheesecloth is perfect for filter the foam. And I can’t wait to use some of your recipes so I can expand my knowledge and have more variety. My neighbors and I love homemade popsicles!