Summer is here, which means pool days, family adventures, and plenty of icy treats! With reusable ice pop sleeves and just 3 simple ingredients, you can whip up these healthy homemade ice pops to keep your kids cool, hydrated, and smiling all season long.

A hand holding a yellow freezer, pop against a baking sheet of ice along with other rainbow colored freezer pops.

How many ice pops is too many in a single day? Asking for a friend. (And for my kids, who seem determined to find the upper limit every summer.)

While I may never have a definitive answer, I do know that these fruity homemade ice pops are one treat I feel great about serving. Made with just 3 simple ingredients – fruit, a natural sweetener, and a splash of juice, yogurt, or coconut water- they’re endlessly adaptable to whatever you have on hand. Watermelon? Go for it. Strawberries and apple juice? Delicious. Peaches? Absolutely.

After years of blender experiments, these combinations have become family favorites:

  • 🍌🍑🍊 Banana, Peach & Orange Juice
  • 🍉🍓🥥 Watermelon, Strawberry, Coconut Water & Lime
  • 🫐🍎 Mixed Berries & Apple Juice
  • 🥭🍍🥥 Mango, Pineapple & Coconut Milk

Because this recipe is so forgiving, it’s also perfect for little chefs. Let them choose the fruit, press the blender button, and – with a bit of supervision – help pour the mixture into the sleeves. Then comes the hardest part of all: waiting for them to freeze!

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Let’s Get Freezing –>

A spread of a fruit and a rainbow color with a small bowl of honey I guess the way background.
Small, puréed, strawberry, honey, and water for Popsicles.
Hans pouring strawberry purée in the freezer, pop tubes against a white background.
Selection of rainbow fruit freezer pops that are frozen on a baking sheet against a white background.
  1. Gather your ingredients.
  2. Place all of the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
  3. Pour the mixture into the ice pop sleeve. Make sure to zip-lock the sleeves closed.
  4. Lay the ice pop sleeves on a baking sheet, and place them in the freezer.
  5. Freeze for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight.
  6. Open the ice pop sleeves, serve, and enjoy!
My hand hand holding a yellow freezer, pop against a baking sheet of ice along with other rainbow colored freezer pops.

Get the recipe: Homemade Fresh Fruit Ice Pops (Otter Pops)

5 stars (1 rating)
Summer is here, which means pool days, family adventures, and plenty of icy treats! With reusable ice pop sleeves and just 3 simple ingredients, you can whip up these healthy homemade ice pops to keep your kids cool, hydrated, and smiling all season long.
Yield: 4 ice pops
Prep: 5 minutes
Freeze Time: 5 hours
Total: 5 hours 5 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Dessert
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Ingredients 

Strawberry Watermelon Ice Pops

  • 1 cup strawberries (see more options below)
  • 2 cups watermelon (see more options below)
  • 4 tbsp honey or other sweetener (see more options below)
  • 1/2 cup coconut water or other liquid (see more options below)

Instructions 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender.
  • Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are completely smooth.
  • Using a funnel, pour the fruit mixture into the ice pop sleeves.
  • Lay flat on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight.
  • Remove from the freezer, open the ice pop sleeve, and serve.

Notes

Fruit Ideas

  • strawberries
  • watermelon
  • cantaloupe
  • pineapple
  • grapes
  • kiwi
  • peaches
  • nectarines
  • blueberries
  • raspberries

Sweetener Ideas

  • maple syrup
  • honey (for babies over 1)
  • agave nectar
  • simple syrup
  • sugar

Liquid Ideas

  • apple juice
  • grape juice
  • orange juice
  • coconut water
  • yogurt – plain whole milk
  • flavored yogurt
  • plant-based yogurt
  • kefir – plain or flavored
  • canned coconut milk
  • water
Age: 9+ months (omit the sweetener for 12 months and younger). 
Yield: this recipe makes roughly 2 cups of popsicle mixture, which turned out to be 4 ice pops for me (my ice pop sleeves hold a lot of the mixture). So depending on the brand you buy, you could end up getting more or fewer ice pops.  
Sweetness: Depending on the sweetness of your fruit and your sweetness preference, I recommend tasting the popsicle base before pouring it into the molds, as you may need a little more sweetener. 
Cooking with Kids: This recipe is great for getting your little ones to help you.

Toddlers

  • Toddlers can help measure and pour the ingredients into the blender.
  • They can help put the lid on the blender and push start. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
  • Once blended, toddlers can help pour the popsicle mixture into the popsicle molds. You may want to pour the popsicle mixture into a smaller measuring cup with pour lip to make it easier on them.
  • Toddlers can help load the freezer tubes into the freezer.

Kids

  • You can pretty much let older kids make this recipe by themselves.
  • They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
  • Kids can pour the popsicle mixture into the freezer tubes and place the ice pops into the freezer.
How to Store: Store ice pops in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Recipe Tips:
  • Using yogurt will give you a creamier base, while using fruit juice or water will make for more of an “ice-pop” popsicle.
  • Use a high-powered blender and puree until super smooth, for the best texture.
  • If the ice pop is too cold for your little one to hold onto, you can wrap the bottom in a small towel or paper towel for them to get a grip on.

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Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).