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
My kids would love these, they would say "Did Sara make these?" They think you are super mom, so hopefully my stock will go up when I take credit for them 🙂
These look yummy, and not to mention perfect for summer!
tari.mcdonald @ gmail . com
Never would have thought of the blueberry-lemon cheesecake combo. Brilliant!
geez ladies….you have really outdone yourselves here!!
these all look great!
you know, I have a 2 year old who's a SUPER picky eater. Picky like, he will only eat bread, cheese, macaroni and popsicles. I have been creative in my popsicle making, trying to sneak in healthy things like carrot juice, yogurt, and fruit puree. The little guy can't get enough of the healthy goodness, and I feel ok about him eating 4 popsicles a day!!
Where is the Strawberry and Cream RECIPE??????
What the crap? I'm trying to lose weight here! 😛
So cute!! Ah, I am going to try these for SURE!
Wow, these all look so good! I don't know which ones to make first!
I can't wait to try to mint chocolate! YUM!
I really wanted the strawberries and cream recipe … where is it???
Forget the kids- I want to make these for my husband and me to eat after the kiddos go to bed! These look SO tasty with endless possibilities.
I lived off banana creamies during the 4th month of this pregnancy and I'm ready for a little variety in my frozen treat selections. These look great!
These sound like something my kids will really enjoy. Both making them and eating them. And then probably inventing some freakish and hopefully delicious flavors of their own.
Yummy! I can't wait to try them out.
OMG I really want the Mint Chocolate Cookie Pops NOW!!!!! wowzer!!!
Gosh where to begin? Maybe I'll just start at the top and work my way through all the flavors…Yum!
YUM! my kids… and I will LOVe these! I have only tried freesing boring old pudding, never adding anything else! This is so much better!! THANKS!
Wow! What more can I say! WOW!
It's amazing to think that we've never thought to do something so delicious with those popsicle molds. Gone are the days of plain juice! These are beautiful. And yummy. Thanks for sharing!
I am going to walmart to get some molds. Cant wait! these look amazing!
My son will be in heaven!
Those look so good and fun!
Yum! There is a local popsicle store here called LocoPops that make gourmet popsicles like these. Now I don't have to empty my wallet there–I can make my own at home. Thank you!!!
I'm impressed with your creative flavors. When I think 'pudding pops,' I totally see Bill Cosby in my mind. =) Thanks for bringing back a bit of my childhood nostalgia.
Yum-o! Can't wait to try this with my kiddos!
yummie!
Am I the only one having flashbacks to the 80's jello pudding commercials with Bill Cosby?!
I just bought those molds from target! So far I've just filled them with smoothie mix and plain juice. These look like great treats!
I am ALL over the pina colada pops!
Holy cow! Those put anything out a box to shame!!
I thought I was being creative a few weeks ago when I made them with a box of chocolate pudding and another of vanilla pudding. These are delicious.
Yum! These look so easy and delicious.