How to Make Strawberry Popsicles

Close-up of strawberry popsicle on table

 Cliff Kapatais / Getty Images

Looking for a cheap alternative to pricey store-bought popsicles? Then, try making this easy strawberry version in the comfort of your home for very little money. In addition to being less expensive than store-bought popsicles, you can control the sugar content on a popular year-round treat.

What You'll Need

The only ingredients you will need are 2 cups whole strawberries with the stems and leaves removed, 1 cup milk, and white or brown sugar to taste. These ingredients will make from 6 to 8 popsicles, equivalent in size to those you buy at the supermarket. If strawberries are hard to come by year-round where you live, stock up on fresh strawberries when in season and keep strawberries in the freezer in an air-tight bag. You can also substitute fresh strawberries for frozen strawberries but be sure to check the sugar content if you're dieting.

Preparation

Place the stemmed strawberries, milk, and sugar in a blender, and pulse until smooth. Be sure to taste the mixture while blending so you can add sugar as needed. Pour the popsicle mixture into a popsicle mold, insert sticks, and freeze. You don't have to run out and buy a popsicle mold—paper cups topped with aluminum foil will do just as good a job as a popsicle mold.

After they've hardened, you'll want to release the popsicles from their mold by submerging the base of the mold in warm water for a minute or two. Make sure the water is not too hot, and don't submerge for too long or the popsicles will melt. Once loosened, the popsicles should slide right out.

Customizing Your Flavors

You can use this same recipe using your frozen strawberries or other berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or get creative and try a mixed-berry blend. If you have access to fresh herbs, experiment by adding fresh mint or lavender to the recipe. Or, kick it up a notch and see what happens when you add a dash of cayenne pepper to the mix. You can even add spinach or another green, like kale. If it tastes good in a smoothie, it'll taste good in your popsicles.

For creamier popsicles, try replacing some, or all, of the milk with vanilla yogurt. If you're watching your weight, get fat-free or low-fat yogurt. You might also want to experiment with Greek yogurt which is especially creamy. This is a good basic recipe with lots of legroom to make it your own personalized treat. Play around until you come up with your own customized gourmet blend that you can't get anywhere else. Just be sure to take detailed notes as you go along so you can recreate it later on if it turns out well.

Mini Pops

As long as you have a freezer and an ice cube tray you can jazz up your iced tea or lemonade mixture. Simply pour your strawberry popsicle mix into one or more ice cube trays. When hard, add the popsicle cubes to your pitcher of iced tea or lemonade.

The cubes look really fancy; also, as they melt, instead of watering down the drink, the addition of strawberry enhances the flavor. These pint-sized popsicles are fun to enjoy any day, are especially festive for parties, and make for a great conversation piece.