Of all the seasonal treats you can make yourself, the easiest and most rewarding are homemade popsicles. The best way to make fruit popsicles is by using molds, specially made for the frozen treat and these recipes are the BEST!
However, you don't have to use a mold. If you do, there are a lot to choose from and several things to consider. Here is a brief guide to popsicle molds and a little bit of information about popsicles and why homemade popsicles might just be the best things you make this summer.
No matter which one of these homemade popsicle recipes you try, you won't be disappointed with how cool and refreshing they turn out to be.
Everything You Need to Know About Popsicle Molds for Homemade Popsicles
What They're Shaped Like
The first thing you notice about a popsicle, other than perhaps brilliant candy-like colors, is the shape. Since the shape is such an attention-getter, it makes sense to pay attention to the shape of your popsicle molds.
The visual appeal of a popsicle is just as subjective as any aesthetic choice, so go with your gut. You can have a smooth bar or an edgy one. You can even do a double-stick pop. The ones that break apart into a sharable treat.
Aside from the more classic popsicle appearance, you can also find molds in a variety of animal shapes. These pops are ideal for themed parties and events.
What They're Made of
You can buy all kinds of popsicle molds. Plastic molds are the more classic option, but you can also find stainless steel molds. The most common are silicone molds like these or this one too. The reason for that is that they are so easy to use due to their advantage of flexibility.
However, if you want to make greater volumes of popsicles at once, stainless steel molds are best for high volume but can be expensive. They are also easy to clean and designed for easy removal of the pop once it is frozen.
What They Cost
The cost of your popsicle molds will vary depending on materials and quantity. popsicle molds can be for any number of popsicles.
You can get plastic molds for 4 popsicles for about $9, an additional two popsicles in the same style mold will cost #3-$4 more. The price range for silicone molds can be between $7 and $17 for a four-pack.
Part of what you should look for with any popsicle mold is how the mold will stand in the freeze.
The engineering of these molds is more diverse than the pop shapes themselves. If you decide to go with the stainless steel option it will be quite sturdy. However, these are priced much higher.
One set containing 20 molds can cost near $60, which is a big investment, but it comes in about mid-range compared to silicone when you adjust for the difference in quantity.
What Do They Hold?
Popsicle molds should hold a sufficient number of popsicles so that you can keep enough on hand without constantly having to make more to replace them. For that, a four pop mold may serve your purposes.
However, I recommend at least 6. Of course, the quantity of popsicles you make isn't the only factor. You should also consider freezer space and not just how much room is available, but what kind of room as well.
Aside from how many pops your mold will hold, there are also popsicle ingredients. Your popsicle molds should be able to hold juice, yogurt, milk, fudge, whole fruit, jams, and jellies, etc.
Consider what type of popsicle you will want to make and choose the molds that will best support those ingredients.
With or Without a Stick?
Another element to watch for when you are shopping for and pricing popsicle molds is the stick. Some molds come with reusable sticks. These sticks are just part of the set and made from the same, or similar materials.
Not all popsicles come with these sticks. Many designs require that you supply popsicle sticks of your own. Consider that as a factor in price as depending on the number of popsicles you make, you will need to buy more sticks with some frequency.
Unconventional Designs
Popsicle molds are not always the vertical standing trays you might expect. several popsicle mold designs are made to lay the popsicles on their side. This can be a better option for people with less space in their freezer.
There is even a stackable take on the sideways popsicle molds.
How to Make Homemade Popsicles Without Molds
If you don't have popsicle molds at home it doesn't mean you can't make homemade popsicles. You can make smaller versions using a traditional ice tray, or you can use small paper cups instead.
All you need is some plastic wrap or aluminum foil to wrap over the top and a stick to poke into the center before it goes into the freezer.
Who Started Popsicles, Anyway?
Frank Epperson. He was 11 years old when he accidentally made the first one. According to a summary at Thought Co., Frank made a mixture of water and baking soda that he has stirred together with a stick.
Being a kid he was easily distracted and left the cup on the porch, forgetting it as it sat out in the cold all night. The end result was the first frozen popsicle.
He didn't lean into the concept until he was in his late twenties and although he started the business, it wasn't a success until he sold it to a firm in New York.
Why It's Better to Make Homemade Popsicles
It's no secret that store-bought products of all varieties come packed with sweeteners, preservatives, and all kinds of other things that we don't even know what they do.
Popsicles are no different. Even the ones you think are "good for you". The only way to be sure of what goes into your popsicles is to make your own.
Plus, it's a very easy thing to make and it inspires creativity as you can see with the selection of amazing homemade popsicles below.
This Fruit Popsicles recipe is not only healthy but also sweet and refreshing. This is one of my top homemade popsicle recipes.
What I love most about this recipe is that not only it is flexible and healthy, but you can add some booze to it and have a good time with your adult friends.
Since I love making popsicles, I thought the Dole Whip would lend itself nicely to a delicious tropical treat frozen pop and I was right!
This Dole Whip recipe is by far my favorite of all my homemade popsicles recipes. I love grabbing a Dole Whip every time we are at Disney and now I don't have to wait for our vacation at Disney to enjoy this fresh and delicious treat.
Once you have tried cake batter popsicles with Funfetti Cake Mix, you will never look back. This fun popsicles take just like the cake mix, and are always a success with kids.
I love that these popsicles can be made festive and fit the theme. Not only are the festive they are so sweet and creamy. These Cake Batter Popsicles even work well for birthday parties.
It's hard to do much better than pure watermelon when you want sweet and refreshing, but not if you are making watermelon popsicles. If you ask me watermelon is one of the best parts of summer.
When you mix watermelon and popsicles together now you have the perfect summer treat. This Watermelon Popsicles are perfect to eat while sitting by the pool or beach.
Orange Julius popsicles from orange juice concentrate are a must to have creamy citrusy treat in your freezer throughout the season. Did you know that Orange Julius has been in business since the late 1920s?
The original Orange Julius was beverage that is a mixture of ice, orange juice, sweetener, milk, powdered egg whites and vanilla flavoring.
Now you have the steps to make these delicious and easy popsicles it's time to get into the kitchen and see which ones that your family likes the most.
You'll find that these popsicles have an option to add gelatin which causes it to melt at a slower rate . So no more sticky fingers!
The best part of making homemade popsicles is that you can decide what you want to add into or leave out of your homemade popsicles.
There's no need to stress about choosing just one of these tasty homemade popsicle recipes. We won't judge you if you decide to make them all. Matter of fact I encourage it.
These homemade popsicle recipes are so sweet and refreshing, you are going to want to make room in your freezer so that you can keep a batch of these on hand for the entire summer.
I hope you enjoy these kid friendly popsicles as much as my family has. Every time I make one of these homemade popsicle recipes they fly right out of my freezer.
My family devours them and asks for more, time and time again. I know that your family will be the same way.
Leave a Reply