Cooling down with homemade ice pops

It’s summer, and the sun is relentless, merciless, heartless. The air hangs heavy. Your shirt sticks to your back. Beads of sweat threaten to drip into your eyes.

Air conditioning won’t help, and neither will a dip in a pool. Those cool you from the outside in, and you are so overheated you can only find sweet relief from the inside out.

You need a ice pop.

You can buy them at the store — that’s Popsicle with a capital P — and they are perfectly fine and you know exactly what you are getting. Or you can make an ice pop — and have something really exciting.

They are easy to make, and fast; after all, all you’re doing is freezing some juice and sliding a stick into it. And when you make them yourself, you can add some yogurt or milk to give them an extra flavor boost.

They are also inexpensive, although that depends on the kind of mold you use. You can get ice pop molds from a dollar store for a buck, or you can pick them up at one of those fancy Sur La Sonoma places for a 15 times that. And your results will be every bit as good if you just use paper cups, which are practically free.

I got perhaps more ambitious than I should and decided to make nine different types of ice pops. That’s the problem with ice pops — they’re all just so incredibly tempting.

Perhaps the most beautiful version was the Orange Strawberry Sunrise, which looked like one of those old tequila sunrise drinks; bright orange on top slowly deepening to a rich red on the bottom. The taste is pure, too, with orange juice turning satisfyingly into a wonderful strawberry.

Strawberry, as it turns out, is a terrific flavor for ice pops. I used it in three of my varieties, including Roasted Strawberries and Cream ice pops. Roasting the strawberries first draws out depths of flavor that are unsuspected when you eat them raw, especially whey they are first given a light drizzling of balsamic vinegar.

Of course, nothing goes better with strawberries than cream, and you can certainly use cream with this recipe if you like, or coconut milk if you want to make it vegan. But I decided to cut my calories and simply use whole milk.

The result made me very happy, especially the way you can make a gorgeous swirl out of the cream and the roasted strawberries.

Just as attractive and flavorful were Chocolate-Covered Strawberry ice pops. The ice pop part could not be easier to make; you simply blend together a lot of strawberries with a little water. Once they are is frozen, you dip them into a chocolate sauce that hardens when it touches ice cream or, as it turns out, a ice pop.

That Magic Shell type topping is also simple to make. You just melt together some chocolate and a bit of refined coconut oil, which you can find in the baking aisle of any large grocery store. The only thing you have to remember about it is that, because it hardens when it gets cold, you cannot store it in the refrigerator. But you can keep it at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days.

I also used the topping with a mint-flavored ice pop made with chocolate chips and Greek yogurt. The mint flavor came from mint extract, and the lovely green color from food coloring. The recipe says the chocolate topping is optional, but chocolate is such a natural accompaniment to mint that you’ll want to do it.

The most refreshing variety I made would have to be the Minty Watermelon ice pops. Just the very thought of watermelon juice is refreshing, especially when you add fresh mint leaves to the purée.

Those two ingredients alone would make a fine ice pop, but this version goes all out with coconut water, lime juice and just a bit of honey for sweetening. If you are sweltering in the heat, this is definitely the ice pop you want. Also if you are not sweltering in the heat.

Similarly, cantaloupe ice pops are a frozen version of a spectacularly refreshing drink I have been making it for decades, ever since discovering it in the desert on a day when the temperature had to be above 115 degrees. I love to make a smoothie out of just cantaloupe, a sprinkling of sugar and milk. It’s divine.

Now freeze it, and you have a cantaloupe ice pop. I found a recipe for it that calls for heavy cream, but I just used whole milk again. I don’t see how it could have been improved.

And while we are contemplating perfection, here is an idea that is also as great as it can be: root beer floats.

Incredible, right? So try it frozen on a stick. I promise it tastes exactly like a root beer float, only colder.

Perhaps the fruitiest version I made was Pineapple Orange Banana ice pops, based on the classic fruit salad combination. They only take a few minutes to make, though, like all ice pops, require several hours to freeze.

You can’t go wrong with any combination of pineapple, orange and banana, but I would have been even happier if the oranges I had used had more juice in them.

Finally, I am including a recipe for a generic fruit-and-yogurt ice pop. You can either swirl the fruit part and the yogurt part, as I did with the Roasted Strawberries and Cream ice pop, or you can blend the two together, which is what I did with a blueberry yogurt ice pop.

I used frozen blueberries and vanilla yogurt, which turned out a bit more purple than I had expected. But the flavor was grand, with a strong taste of blueberry.

On a hot summer day, could anything be better?

Minty Watermelon Ice Pops

Recipe from jessicagavin.com

3 cups watermelon pieces, divided

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

1 1/2 cups coconut water, see note

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

Note: Coconut water can be found in the international aisle of some grocery stores.

Cut 1/2 cup of watermelon into 1/4-inch pieces, and divide evenly among the ice pop molds. In a blender, purée the remaining 2 1/2 cups of the watermelon pieces, mint, coconut water, lime juice and honey. Pour mixture evenly into the molds.

If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze at least 6 hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops.

Per serving: 43 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 11 g carbohydrate; 9 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 45 mg sodium; 15 mg calcium

Pineapple Orange Banana Ice Pops

2 cups fresh chopped pineapple

3 bananas, peeled

2 navel (seedless) oranges, peeled

Pulse all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Pour into ice pop molds. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze several hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 65 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 17 g carbohydrate; 11 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 1 mg sodium; 21 mg calcium 

Chocolate Chip Mint Greek Yogurt Pops

1 cup low-fat or no-fat vanilla Greek yogurt

1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon mint or peppermint extract

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 to 2 drops green food coloring, optional

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips for chocolate coating, optional

1/2 tablespoon refined coconut oil for chocolate coating, optional

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, vanilla, mint extract and sugar. Add green food coloring, if desired, and whisk until thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds. Sprinkle the tops with mini chocolate chips.

If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze several hours until fully frozen.

If you’d like a chocolate shell, microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil in 15-second increments, stirring after each time, until completely blended. Cool at room temperature — do not place in the refrigerator. Store covered at room temperature.

Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops. If desired, drizzle chocolate coating over ice pops; the coating will harden.

Per serving: 218 calories; 5 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 4 mg cholesterol; 5 g protein; 28 g carbohydrate; 25 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 28 mg sodium; 73 mg calcium

Nutrition analysis used low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt and whole milk.

Root Beer Float Ice Pops

Recipe from boulderlocavore.com.

12 ounces root beer

1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

Pour a small amount of root beer into each mold. Evenly distribute the ice cream between the molds. Pour root beer into molds in small amounts, allowing the foam to die back before pouring more to fill molds to the top.

If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze several hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 94 calories; 4 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 14 g sugar; no fiber; 35 mg sodium; 46 mg calcium

Roasted Strawberries And Cream Ice Pops

Adapted from stylemepretty.com

1 pound strawberries, stems removed and sliced in half

2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, optional

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey, divided

1 1/2 cups whole milk, half-and-half, light cream, heavy cream or coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Small pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the strawberry halves in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar, if using. Roast until the strawberries are soft and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a bowl (including juices) and let cool to room temperature.

2. Add the roasted strawberries, their juice and 1/4 cup of the maple syrup to a food processor or blender, and pulse a few times to combine. The mixture should still be a bit chunky, with small bites of fruit throughout.

3. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk and the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup. Stir in the vanilla and salt.

4. For blended ice pops: Add the cream mixture to the food processor blender and pulse until just combined.

5. For layered or swirled ice pops: Spoon a tablespoon or two of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of each ice pop mold. Top with a bit of cream, and continue layering until all the molds are evenly filled (it may help to let the strawberry mixture slide down the side of the mold, which will allow it to stay in place).

6. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze at least 4 hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 137 calories; 2 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 27 g carbohydrate; 26 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 58 mg sodium; 109 mg calcium

Nutrition analysis used whole milk.

Adapted from stylemepretty.com

Cantaloupe Ice Pops

Yield: 6 servings

1/2 cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and diced

1/3 cup whole milk, light cream or heavy cream

2 tablespoons or more superfine sugar, see note

Note: To make superfine sugar, place granulated sugar in a blender and process on high for 10 to 15 seconds, until powdery.

1. Combine cantaloupe, milk and sugar in a blender, and blend until smooth. Scoop mixture evenly into ice pop molds.

2. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze at least 4 hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops.

Per serving: 35 calories; 1 g fat; no saturated fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 7 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; no fiber; 13 mg sodium; 20 mg calcium

Nutrition analysis used whole milk.

Recipe by imperialsugar.com

Orange Strawberry Sunrise Ice Pops

Yield: 10 servings

1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from 4 to 6 oranges)

1. Put strawberries, water and maple syrup into a blender and blend on high until smooth.

2. Pour orange juice evenly into each ice pop mold, about 1/2 to ¾ full. Spoon the strawberry mixture into each mold, If desired, spoon just a little strawberry mixture in at first, blend it just with the top of the orange juice to give the ice pop a gradient look, and then carefully spoon in the rest of the strawberry mixture.

3. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze at least 12 hours until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops.

Per serving: 37 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 8 g sugar; no fiber; 1 mg sodium; 12 mg calcium

Recipe from thehealthfulideas.com

Fruit 'n' Yogurt Ice Pops

Yield: 10 servings

1 pound fresh or frozen fruit, such as blueberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (may only be needed if using fresh fruit)

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1. Using a food processor, purée the fruit (and sugar if using fresh or unsweetened frozen fruit) until smooth.

2. For blended ice pops: Stir yogurt into purée and stir until thoroughly blended; pour into ice pop molds.

3. For swirled ice pops: Put purée into one resealable bag and yogurt into another, and snip off a corner from each. Alternately squeeze the yogurt and purée into the molds to create swirls.

4. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze overnight until fully frozen. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops.

Per serving: 79 calories; 42 g fat; 22 g saturated fat; 88 mg cholesterol; 3 g protein; 16 g carbohydrate; 14 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 33 mg sodium; 137 mg calcium

Nutrition analysis used frozen unsweetened blueberries and included granulated sugar

Adapted from womansday.com

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Ice Pops

Yield: 6 servings

2 1/2 cups fresh whole strawberries

1/3 cup cold water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup refined coconut oil

1. Blend the strawberries and water together. Pour into ice pop molds. If necessary, place foil over top of molds and insert sticks (foil will keep the sticks in place and at the right depth). Freeze at least 4 hours until fully frozen.

2. Microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil in 15-second increments, stirring after each time, until completely blended. Cool at room temperature — do not place in the refrigerator. Store covered at room temperature.

3. Run molds under hot water for a few seconds to remove ice pops. Dip into chocolate coating; the coating will harden.

Per serving: 366 calories; 26 g fat; 18 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 3 g protein; 40 g carbohydrate; 33 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 7 mg sodium; 28 mg calcium

Adapted from chocolateandcarrots.com