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 am excited to try the PB Banana ones.
Um, yeah, are these for the kids? I'm thinking I don't want to share.
I recently posted a list of popsicle recipes on my blog that I had made, but wow, your recipe list is amazing! I can't wait to make some of these, uh, for the kids, of course…. 🙂
These look so good! I can't wait to try them.
It was just yesterday that I was wondering if they still made pudding pops… now i can just make my own. All of the variations look delicious.
what a wonderful post! And just in time for our upcoming Bible school. It would be so much fun to make Popsicles with the kids. I love the idea of mint choc and the lemon blueberry.
Wow, these look so yummy!!! I was thinking something way less creative when I first saw the title. I will definitely be trying these! Thanks!!!!
These are soo cute…i think my hubby is going to have a love-hate relationship with those mint oreo ones! P.S. I LOVE that star shaped mold….where did you get that one????
Oh wow…I'm really excited about the Pina Colada and the Cherry Almond Fudge!! Well, and the Strawberries and Cream (when said notebook or random scrap paper is located… =)
yummalicious….is that a word? I am headed over to the big Wally world tommorow to get my supplies. Blueberry lemon cheesecake…. now you KNOW that is for ME!
I am all over those mint chocolate cookie pops, and my son will like the strawberries and cream. Thank you, I can't wait to see what you come up with next.
I have never seen such scrumptious looking fudgesicles in my entire life! I think my husband will be more excited to try these than anyone!
These look incredible! I love the variety of flavors you gave us. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! 🙂
These look incredible! I love the variety of flavors you gave us. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! 🙂
Those strawberry and cream ones look so neat! I am going to load up on pudding flavors next time I am at the store.
I want some of these right now, they look so good!
i love making popsicles with yogurt- can't wait to try pudding- even better!
All of those look so good! I'll definitely have to try them!
All of those look so good! I'll definitely have to try them!
Wow, Sara! You outdid yourself with this post. Pudding pops were one of my favorite things when I was little. I wonder why Jell-o doesn't make them anymore. Can't wait to try these!
Wow! I'm drooling they look so good.
I'm so going out tomorrow to buy popsicle molds AND maybe some dixie cups so I can do smaller versions for the kids at summer camp with popsicle sticks! 🙂
Katie
I know what I'm doing tomorrow… Yummy!
These look so yummy! Can't wait to spend time in the kitchen with my kids!
If it weren't for my current issues with gestational diabetes, I would make every single one of these flavors!!
I love it!
Oh…my…goodness…I am all over the mint chocolate cookie pops!!! 🙂
I don't know which one to try first. They all look yummy!
Mmmmmmmm…I am going to have to run out and buy some of the molds so I can make these!
My children will officially love you forever.