The Most Refreshing and Simplistic Recipe for Strawberry Lemon Popsicles
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In a house with five kids, a box of popsicles can disappear in a hurry. These homemade strawberry lemonade popsicles are just as easy to keep on hand, but they are made with fresh strawberries, honey or maple syrup, and a little lemon juice instead of a long list of ingredients.
There is no cooking and no powdered lemonade mix. Add everything to the blender, pour the strawberry mixture into your molds, and let the freezer do the rest. This batch is measured to fill eight 100 ml popsicle molds, so you will not have to guess how much fruit to use.
A note about the flavor: My original recipe is strawberry-forward, with enough lemon to brighten the berries. If you want a more tart, true strawberry lemonade flavor popsicle, I included that simple adjustment in the recipe notes.
Table of contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Equipment
- How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
- Tips for the Best Homemade Popsicles
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
- Only three ingredients: Fresh strawberries, honey or maple syrup, and lemon juice.
- No cooking: Blend, pour, and freeze.
- Made with real fruit: Ripe strawberries give the popsicles their color and flavor without food dye or drink mix.
- No refined sugar: You control the sweetness with honey or maple syrup.
- Easy to adjust: Make them strawberry-forward or add more lemon for a tart lemonade flavor.
- Measured for a full mold: This recipe makes about 800 ml, enough for eight 100 ml popsicles.
Three Simple Ingredients for Strawberry Popsicles
Fresh strawberries
Use ripe, red strawberries with plenty of flavor. This is a good recipe for berries that are a little too soft to serve fresh but are still good to eat. Hull the strawberries before measuring them.
Honey or maple syrup
Start with the smaller amount and taste the mixture before filling the molds. Sweet strawberries may only need 6 tablespoons. If your berries are tart or not quite in season, add more sweetener a tablespoon at a time.
Honey gives the popsicles a mild floral flavor and a slightly fuller texture. Maple syrup keeps the recipe vegan and adds a light maple flavor. Either one works well because it blends smoothly into the cold fruit.
Fresh lemon juice
A tablespoon of lemon juice brightens the strawberries without overpowering them. Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch, but fresh lemon juice gives these homemade fruit popsicles the cleanest flavor.
Equipment You’ll Need for Homemade Popsicles
- Blender or food processor
- Eight-cavity popsicle mold with 100 ml cavities
- Eight popsicle sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small funnel or measuring cup with a pour spout, optional
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
1. Prepare the strawberries
Wash the strawberries, remove the leafy tops, and measure 6 cups of hulled berries. Large strawberries can be halved so they blend more easily.
2. Blend the fruit mixture
Add the strawberries, 6 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds.
3. Taste and adjust
Taste the mixture before freezing it. It should taste slightly sweeter than you want the finished popsicles to taste because freezing softens the sweetness. Add up to 3 more tablespoons of honey or maple syrup if needed.
4. Fill the molds
Pour about 100 ml of the strawberry mixture into each cavity, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. Gently tap the mold on the counter to release large air bubbles, then insert the sticks.
5. Freeze
Freeze the popsicles for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the firmest texture.
6. Unmold and serve
Run the outside of the mold under lukewarm water for 10 to 15 seconds. Pull each popsicle out gently. Do not use hot water, which can melt the outside before the center releases.
Tips for the Best Homemade Strawberry Popsicles
- Use flavorful berries. Because strawberries are the main ingredient, bland berries will make bland popsicles.
- Taste before freezing. The sweetness of strawberries changes throughout the season, so the sweetener is written as a range.
- Blend thoroughly. A smooth puree pours into the molds more evenly and freezes without large fruit pieces around the sticks.
- Leave a little headspace. The mixture will expand as it freezes.
- Freeze the mold on a level surface. This keeps the sticks centered and prevents spills.
- Do not force the popsicles out. A few seconds of lukewarm water will loosen them without breaking the sticks.
Variations and Substitutions
For a stronger strawberry lemonade flavor in your popsicles
Use 5 1/2 cups strawberries and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice instead of 6 cups strawberries and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Keep the honey or maple syrup at 6 to 9 tablespoons, adjusting it to balance the extra tartness. This version still makes approximately 800 ml.
Use frozen strawberries
Frozen strawberries can be used when fresh berries are not in season. Thaw them before blending and include the juice they release. Measure the thawed berries, then adjust the sweetener after tasting.
Make them without added sweetener
If your strawberries are very ripe and sweet, you can reduce or omit the honey or maple syrup. The popsicles will taste more tart and may freeze a little harder. Because removing the sweetener also reduces the total volume, you may need additional strawberry puree to fill all eight molds.
Make smoother popsicles without strawberry seeds or lemon pulp
Strawberry seeds are safe to leave in, and we do not mind them. If you prefer a smoother popsicle, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before filling the molds. Straining removes some of the pulp, so the final yield may be slightly smaller.
How to Store Homemade Strawberry Popsicles
Once the strawberry lemonade popsicles are frozen solid, remove them from the mold and wrap them individually in parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap. Place the wrapped popsicles in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag.
For the freshest flavor and texture, enjoy them within about one month. Homemade fruit popsicles can develop ice crystals when they are left exposed to air, so press extra air out of the bag before sealing it.
This recipe makes approximately 800 ml, enough to fill eight 100 ml popsicle molds. Strawberry size, blender aeration, and the amount of sweetener you add can change the exact yield slightly. If you have a little extra, freeze it in a small cup or ice cube tray.
Full-size 100 ml popsicles need at least 4 hours in the freezer. Freezing them overnight is the easiest way to make sure the centers are completely solid.
Yes. Pour the mixture into small paper cups and cover each cup with foil. Push a wooden stick through the center of the foil, then freeze until solid. The foil helps hold the stick upright.
Fruit popsicles naturally have a firmer, icier texture than creamy popsicles. Honey or maple syrup keeps this recipe from freezing quite as hard as plain fruit puree. Let a popsicle rest at room temperature for 2 or 3 minutes before eating if it is too firm straight from the freezer.
They are vegan when made with maple syrup. Honey is not considered vegan, so choose the sweetener that fits your family.
More Homemade Popsicle Recipes
If your family enjoys keeping homemade treats in the freezer, try my homemade orange creamsicle popsicles or these peaches and cream popsicles next.
Homemade Strawberry Popsicles
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Eight-cavity 100 ml popsicle mold
- Eight popsicle sticks
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh strawberries hulled
- 6 to 9 tablespoons honey or maple syrup to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Halve large berries if needed.
- Add the strawberries, 6 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, and lemon juice to a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Taste the mixture. Add up to 3 additional tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time, if the berries need more sweetness.
- Pour approximately 100 ml into each popsicle cavity, leaving a little space at the top. Tap the mold gently to release air bubbles.
- Insert the sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Run lukewarm water over the outside of the mold for 10 to 15 seconds, then gently remove the popsicles.
Notes
Nutrition
Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
Fresh, strawberry-forward popsicles made with three simple ingredients. This easy blended recipe is sized to fill eight 100 ml popsicle molds and includes an option for a stronger lemonade flavor.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Freeze time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8 popsicles (100 ml each)
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Eight-cavity 100 ml popsicle mold
- Eight popsicle sticks
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
- 6 to 9 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Halve large berries if needed.
- Add the strawberries, 6 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, and lemon juice to a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Taste the mixture. Add up to 3 additional tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time, if the berries need more sweetness.
- Pour approximately 100 ml into each popsicle cavity, leaving a little space at the top. Tap the mold gently to release air bubbles.
- Insert the sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Run lukewarm water over the outside of the mold for 10 to 15 seconds, then gently remove the popsicles.
Notes
- For a stronger lemonade flavor, use 5 1/2 cups strawberries and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Keep the sweetener at 6 to 9 tablespoons and adjust to taste.
- The exact yield varies slightly with the size and juiciness of the strawberries. Freeze any extra mixture in a small cup or ice cube tray.
- For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Estimated nutrition per popsicle when made with 6 tablespoons honey: about 83 calories, 21 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, and 18 grams sugar. Nutrition varies with the fruit and sweetener used.
Recipe keywords: strawberry lemonade popsicles, homemade strawberry popsicles, fresh fruit popsicles, 3 ingredient popsicles, easy summer treat
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make these strawberry lemonade popsicles, leave a rating and tell me whether your family liked the strawberry-forward version or the extra-lemony version. Your comments help other home cooks know what to expect.
