Strawberry Popsicles (Small Batch)
These homemade Strawberry Popsicles (Small Batch) are made with fresh strawberries and are the perfect cool-down treat for summer. They’re vegan, dairy free, eggless, and gluten free.
Happy Summer 2020!
The first official day of summer was on Saturday, so what better way to kick that off than with homemade Strawberry Popsicles (Small Batch)?!
Although honestly, I’m afraid to see what 2020 brings us this summer.
Every year I go strawberry picking with my dad. Fortunately, this year we were still able to go despite the changes.
You had to wear your mask when buying your basket and while riding the tractor to the field. You didn’t need it on while picking berries as long as you weren’t near other groups.
Since I have so many strawberry recipes on the blog already, I needed to make something new.
Every year I make fruit popsicles and strawberry slushies, but I’ve never published my strawberry popsicle recipe before. Until now.
These strawberry popsicles are pretty simple and straight forward: fresh strawberries, lemon juice (to make the berries taste even better), sugar, and water.
All you need is a blender and popsicle molds. Oh and a freezer.
No ice cream maker. No churning. Just blend and pour.
And since I’m asked a lot about food allergies, popsicles are the perfect dessert for that! Since strawberry popsicles only have 4 ingredients, they’re also vegan, dairy free, eggless, and gluten free.
How To Make Strawberry Popsicles
Homemade strawberry popsicles are super easy to make! Add your strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water to a blender (affiliate link).
Once blended, transfer your mixture to your molds. Most blenders have a pour spout so you fill straight from the blender.
Prep them to hold the sticks and freeze.
That’s it!
Can I reduce the sugar in strawberry popsicles?
One question I get a lot about popsicles is “can I reduce the sugar? That’s too much!”
In addition to sweetening the pops, sugar lowers the freezing point and reduces ice crystals, ensuring you have a popsicle “soft” enough to bite into without breaking your teeth on an ice cube.
I know it’s tempting especially if your strawberries are sweet on their own. However, I urge you not to change it.
If you insist, please be aware you may end up with hard icicles that’ll stick to your molds.
What can I substitute for the sugar?
This strawberry popsicle recipe has only been tested with granulated sugar. I do not know what will happen if use agave syrup, Splenda, honey, or another substitute of your choice.
If you do substitute out the sugar, please share your results in the comments! That way others will know what does (or doesn’t) work.
Can I substitute another fruit for the strawberries?
Yes! I make this popsicle recipe a lot using other fresh fruit. Blueberries, raspberries, and even peaches are great substitutes for fresh strawberries.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! I focus on small batch recipes, but you’re welcome to make as many as you’d like. Please keep the proportions the same when increasing. The sugar plays an important part when freezing.
What can I use to make popsicles?
I love my popsicle mold because of their iconic fudgesicle shape. You can buy the Norpro Ice Pop Maker on Amazon (affiliate link).
However, if you don’t have a mold, you can easily use paper Dixie cups, which are sold near paper plates in stores. Wrap the tops in foil and make a small hole to hold the sticks in place.
You can buy popsicle sticks either on Amazon (affiliate link) or at the store in the craft section.
Bonus tip: My popsicle mold is hard to clean by hand, so I use a bottle brush to reach inside.
How To Unmold Popsicles
Since you’re making a small batch of strawberry popsicles, you can run each mold under lukewarm (not hot) water for a minute or so. Be careful you don’t get water inside the mold!
After a minute under running water, carefully pull the popsicles out of their molds. If they won’t release, run it under water again. Do not force them out or your pops may break.
Alternatively, you can fill a large deep container with water then let the entire mold (minus the tops!) sit in the water for 30-60 seconds then remove. This method is handy if you’re unmolding a lot of pops at once.
If you’re using paper cups, you can cut them to unmold.
How To Store Homemade Popsicles
Once unmolded, place the popsicles in a single layer on wax or parchment paper then place in a freezer-safe container for short-term storage. Eat these within a week.
If you want the popsicles to last longer, once they refreeze solid wrap each one in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag or container. Eat these within a month.
Other Small Batch Popsicle Recipes
Looking for more small batch popsicles? Here are more recipes for homemade popsicles:
In the mood for ice cream? Check out my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream.
Strawberry Popsicles (Small Batch)
Homemade Strawberry Popsicles (Small Batch) are the perfect cool-down treat for summer. They're vegan, dairy free, eggless, and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced strawberries (roughly 8 ounces)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Add strawberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to popsicle molds or paper cups then insert wooden sticks. Freeze until firm, roughly 4 hours but preferably overnight.
Once unmolded, place the popsicles in a single layer on wax or parchment paper then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 1 week.
For longer storage, once they refreeze solid wrap each one in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze up to 1 month.
Notes
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles, Margarita Popsicles, and Watermelon Yogurt Popsicles.
- Got more strawberries? Check out my other strawberry recipes including ice cream, cake, frosting, and more.
Recommended Products
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Thank you for this. I have been looking for easy to make fruit Popsicles since I bought two sets of popsicle molds last summer. Can’t wait to try it with blueberries and raspberries. Cheryl
Let me know how they turn out!
Tried your recipe with Blue Agave and it was hit with my taste testers. They said with the lemon and Agave, it brought out more of the strawberry flavor.
Just a note: Substituting Agave for sugar is not a 1:1 ratio, so I had to figure out how much Agave to use. I went with 3 TBSP, but pending on what type of Agave one uses, I would recommend using 2 TBSP to start and tasting mixture to see if a third TBSP would be needed.
Thanks for sharing about the agave substitute! This will help anybody who wants to use it as a substitute.
Can I just add dates to make them healthier?
I haven’t tried it, but popsicles are pretty versatile so probably. Let me know how it turns out!
Can different fruit be replaced for the strawberries ( pineapple for example) and still following the rest of the recipe?
Yes for the most part! Any fruit puree can be used. If you’re using pineapple juice, I have a separate recipe for that (uses fewer ingredients): https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/pineapple-popsicles/
I plan on trying this recipe but I’m curious what the lemon juice does for the recipe?
Makes them taste better by balancing the sweetness.
I’m going to try this white chamoy instead of lemon juice I hope it turns out good
I’ve never tried it, so let us know how it goes!
Hello 😃
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Haven’t tried it but should be able to! You’ll probably want them to thaw first so it blends easier.
These were really good! I used 1/4 c of orange juice and frozen strawberries, so I had to supplement with a little bit of water to help everything purée but the flavor is really good. They are perhaps a bit too sweet, so I would reduce the sugar next time.
The sweetness definitely depends on your berries. Just don’t reduce it too much or you’ll bite into a solid block of ice!
I enjoyed this recipe, I added extra lemon juice and a half tablespoon extra sugar after I tried it before freezing but after eating it, I think I will keep to the recommended amount of sugar next go around!
Glad you enjoyed the popsicles!
I made these for my toddler but ended up with extra strawberry juice, can I keep to use at a later time?
You can freeze the juice for future popsicles.
I just made these, can’t wait till they’re ready. They smell heavenly thank you for sharing!
Enjoy!
These were delicious! My kids really enjoyed them!
Perfect!
Does your popsicles have chunks of the fruit in them? I can’t seem to get my strawberries to blend to a puree
It’s smooth puree so it sounds like either you need a more efficient blender or perhaps your berries aren’t juicy enough and need a touch more water?
Hi! Can I try honey instead of sugar? Thanks
Probably but I haven’t personally tried it.
Made them in my vintage popsicle maker that has 4 popsicles to a tray. The recipe amount was spot on for 4 popsicles – no waste. However, 1/4 C sugar for the recipe or 1 T for each popsicle (15g) is a bit too much on the sugar side and I felt they were a bit too soft and had a hard time releasing from the molds. I’d cut the sugar in half and add a teaspon of vodka (adult popsicles) to keep the from freezing too hard if that became a problem. Also, if you use less lemon or something else in lieu of it (juice?), you don’t need to balance the acidity with the sugar (sugar acts as a ‘base’ in cooking).
If your popsicles were too soft, either you didn’t let them freeze long enough or you kept them in a warmer part of your freezer (near the front or on the door). Next time try putting them in the very back for maximum cold temperature. As for the lemon juice, it adds a little more depth of flavor and balances the sweetness so the popsicles aren’t one note. You can leave it out if that’s what you want to accomplish with your end result. Don’t think the vodka is necessary but you can try it and find out.
i made the popsicles, but changed the sugar for erithrytol and added a tablespoon olive oil for softer texture. Also did I strain after blending to eliminate seeds.
Hey as long as they turned out good for you!