Nothing says kids and summer time like something frozen on a stick! Making home made popsicles totally makes me feel like a child again. I realize that if your kids are like mine and eat 27 popsicles a day that the most economical thing to do is head to Costco and buy a box of otter pops, but take a break every once and a while and have some fun creating your own flavor combos in homemade popsicles. There’s something magical about it! Kids love helping out and these recipes are so quick and easy that you won’t mind extra “helpers.”
You can pick up all kinds of shapes and sizes of molds just about anywhere these days. The ones in this picture are from Target and Walmart. They’re only a couple of bucks too. Totally worth the tiny investment! You can use the plastic sticks they come with, or just buy a bag of popsicle sticks and then you can make multiple batches.
I started thinking about pudding pops about a month ago and I couldn’t stop dreaming about different flavor combos that sounded good. I kept a list on my fridge and kept adding to it thinking I’d just try out as many as I could and then post the best one. Problem: they were ALL good! So since my family has had pudding pops coming out of their ears for the last month, you all will as well. I’m going to share all of them with ya! First of all, read this:
Notes on dairy:
I tested a lot of different dairy combos from non-fat milk to low-fat to whole milk to heavy cream. You can choose what you put into these. Just know that the higher the fat percentage the creamier the end product. Don’t go up to full cream though, that doesn’t work so well. My most favorite result was half and half so that’s what I wrote in most of the actual recipes. You can absolutely substitute low-fat milk (or even soy milk if you’ve got allergy issues), it just makes the pops a little icier whereas the half and half obviously makes them richer and more creamy. Also, I used the sugar free puddings, and Jello brand definitely tastes the best.
Are you ready for this?? Here we go! (The first one is totally my favorite)
Mint-Chocolate Cookie Pudding Pops
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 3/4 C half and half
10 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 1 heaping cup)
1/4 t peppermint extract
Blend pudding mix, extract, and half and half in a blender until smooth. Stir in crushed cookies by hand. Place in molds and freeze.
* I loved Aubri’s idea in the comments- try banana pudding with crushed nutter butters. Yum!!
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Pudding Pops
1 small box cheesecake instant pudding
1 3/4 C half and half
1 C blueberries
1 t lemon zest (or more if you like your lemon!)
In a blender mix cheesecake pudding mix and half and half until smooth. Add in lemon zest and blueberries and pulse a couple of times to break up the blueberries. Place in molds and freeze.
Cherry Almond Fudge Pudding Pops
1 small box instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding
1 3/4 C half and half
about 20 cherries ( 1 1/4 C) pitted and halved
1/4 t almond extract
1/3 C mini-chocolate chips
Blend pudding mix, half and half, and almond extract in blender until smooth. Add in cherries and pulse 2-3 times. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Place in molds and freeze.
Piña Colada Pudding Pops
1 small box instant coconut pudding
1 13.5oz can coconut milk
1 8oz can crushed pineapple
1/3 C shredded coconut
1 T fresh lime juice
optional: coconut extract*
Blend coconut milk, lime juice, and pudding mix in a blender until smooth. Add crushed pineapple and shredded coconut and pulse a couple of times to incorporate. Add extract if desired. Place in molds and freeze. * the coconut flavor was more mild than I expected. If you want a boost, add a little coconut extract.
These might be my 2nd favorite!
PB Banana Pudding Pops
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 C milk
1 ripe banana*
1/4 C Peanut Butter
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Place in popsicle molds and freeze. *Bananas that aren’t quite ripe yet tend to taste especially bitter when frozen, so make sure you use a sweet, ripe, banana.
Strawberries and Cream Pudding Pops
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 C milk
6oz vanilla yogurt (strawberry is great too)
12 medium strawberries (about 1 3/4-2 C roughly chopped)
2-3 T sugar
remove stems from berries and pulse with 2 T sugar in a food processor until completely smooth. Taste and add more sugar if needed. You should have just over a cup of puree. Set aside.
In a blender combine pudding, yogurt, and milk and blend until combined. Layer or swirl the pudding mixture with the strawberry mixture in popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
Other
Posts from Kids Week:
Hand-Tossed Ice Cream
Edible Playdough and Finger Paint
Homemade Hot Pockets
Giveaway
Questions & Reviews
I cannot WAIT to make these! These are great ideas!!!!!!!!!
My little boy was looking at the pics of the pops with me and he pointed to the strawberry ones and said, "Let's make those." I guess they looked the yummiest. Please post the recipe!!
My kiddos are a little young for these still but that doesn't mean I can't make them for myself, right? 🙂
Yum! I am definitely going to have to try the mint chocolate. I must be thinking in the same wavelength because I posted about pops today, too.
my fave is pina colada. i know it's kids week, but to make it an adult snack, i can add a splash of white rum maybe. 🙂
These look delicious! My mom made chocolate pudding pops for us once when we were little – I still remember them! I used to love them (even the store bought ones by Jello.) Banana was my absolute fave…ooh – chocolate and vanilla swirl, too. Dang it. Now I want one. ((Sigh.))
What great ideas! Now I need to run out to Target to find the molds!!
These all look so good I can't even decide which to make first. I'm going to make the kids vote!
These look so good-especially for a hot day like today. On my way to the kitchen right now to whip up a batch.
I'm drooling, these all look so fantastic! I love me some pudding pops and I can't wait to try these!