Refreshing, fruity, and zesty, these tasty Mexican popsicles are a surefire way to cool down this summer. Boasting fresh fruit and lime, these simple 5-ingredient treats are a breeze to make, and they taste so much better than store-bought popsicles.
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You can get creative with Mexican popsicles, using any kind of fruit you want. Peaches and strawberries are great, but there are so many others to experiment with, including watermelon, blueberries, kiwi fruit, or in fact any combination of fruits.
Known as ‘paletas’ south of the border, these icy Mexican popsicles are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Swap the sugar for sweeteners and they are also low in carbs! They make a welcome treat for kids and grownups alike. Nobody can resist their sweet, fruity flavor.
All you need to make these Mexican popsicles is a blender and some silicone popsicle molds. They keep for months, so you might like to double or triple the recipe. That way, every time you are in the mood for a refreshing icy treat, all you have to do is open the freezer and grab one!
Get even more use out of your popsicle molds by making my easy cake popsicles. And when it gets too hot to turn the oven on, this no-bake chocolate cheesecake is always one of my go-to recipes!
Main Ingredients
The key ingredient in these traditional Mexican popsicles is the fruit. This gives plenty of color and flavor to these sensational frozen treats. This is what you need to make your own ‘paletas’ at home:
- Fruit: The main flavor. Use peach and strawberries or any soft fruit you prefer. Fresh fruit is fine to use here or you might like to use frozen or canned fruit and/or berries instead. I always like to keep some fruit in the freezer for those super hot days that come out of nowhere!
- White sugar: To add sweetness. Feel free to change the amount of sugar used in this recipe or even swap it for your favorite sweetener. If you don’t have such a sweet tooth, you can even leave it out altogether.
- Lime juice: For a tangy kick. This is the magic ingredient in Mexican popsicles! Lime is used in so many Mexican recipes, both sweet and savory. Here, it contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the fruit and sugar. Lemon juice can be subbed for lime juice.
Instructions Overview
You will need a blender and some silicone popsicle molds.
Simply add the ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. The mixture can then be divided between the molds and frozen for several hours.
Easy peasy Mexican popsicles!
Common Questions
The main difference is that paletas, or Mexican popsicles as they're also known, are made with fresh and natural ingredients such as fresh fruit. Regular popsicles can be like this but they are often made in bulk and contain artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. With paletas, whether you're making your own or buying them from a paleta truck, you can be sure of delicious fresh fruit in there.
The cold temperature of this icy treat can soothe the pain of a sore throat, which is yet another reason to enjoy popsicles. The main reason to make and eat these though is they're delicious and nobody can dispute that! So, if you're suffering with a cough or sore throat, whip up some delicious south of the border popsicles.
There are various reasons why different popsicles freeze differently. For example, having a very high water content will give you very hard popsicles since water basically just turns into ice when frozen. Fruits with a high water content like watermelon will result in very hard popsicles unless you combine the watermelon with another kind of fruit or add more of something that stops them freezing too hard. Ingredients such as sugar and alcohol would help with that issue. If your popsicles aren't freezing properly give them a little longer. I always make mine a day ahead so they have all night to freeze.
Keep these in the freezer else they’ll melt! They will keep for up to 3 months in there.
You need to make these popsicles at least 6 hours ahead to give them enough time to freeze completely. In fact, depending on the shape and size of your molds, they might take even longer.
These popsicles make a refreshing treat during the warmer months. Serve them frozen and enjoy the beautiful fruity flavors.
Try watermelon, plum, mango, papaya, pineapple, blackberries, or a combination of fruits. Cucumber and mint might be interesting! I like to try new fruits every time I make these.
Make 2 or 3 different fruit mixtures and then layer them in the molds for striped popsicles. Sometimes I like to add some chopped strawberry or a couple of blueberries in the mold before adding the liquid mixture to add a texture contrast.
Chopnotch Tips
- This recipe is a great way to use up leftover fruit which is past its prime.
- Remember that fruit high in water content (such as watermelons) will mean you should add less water to the mixture. They will freeze the same but taste weaker. Not sure how much to add? Well, if the blended fruit mixture tastes good to you, that means the finished popsicles will too.
- Some Mexican desserts have a spicy kick. Chili powder isn’t unusual in chocolate desserts, for example. Why not add a couple of thin jalapeño slices for an unusual touch?
- Because they can take six or more hours to freeze fully, I like to make them ahead and freeze them overnight. That way you know the following day they’ll be ready to enjoy.
- The amount of sugar (or sweetener, if you prefer) is up to you. Sweeter fruits won’t require so much sugar added.
I can’t think of anything more refreshing and cooling than these authentic Mexican popsicles. They take 5 minutes to make and you can use any kind of fruit you want.
Related Recipes
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Recipe
How to Make
Mexican Popsicles
Ingredients
- 1 cup peaches, chopped
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Add chopped peaches, 1 tablespoon of sugar, ½ cup of water, and 1 ½ tablespoons of lime juice to a blender and blend well until smooth. Pour the mixture into silicone popsicle molds, insert popsicle sticks, and then repeat this process with the chopped strawberries and remaining sugar, water, and lime juice.
- Place the silicone molds into the freezer for at least six hours, but preferably overnight. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is a great way to use up leftover fruit which is past its prime.
- Remember that fruit high in water content (such as watermelons) will mean you should add less water to the mixture. They will freeze the same but taste weaker. Not sure how much to add? Well, if the blended fruit mixture tastes good to you, that means the finished popsicles will too.
- Some Mexican desserts have a spicy kick. Chili powder isn’t unusual in chocolate desserts, for example. Why not add a couple of thin jalapeño slices for an unusual touch?
- Because they can take six or more hours to freeze fully, I like to make them ahead and freeze them overnight. That way you know the following day they’ll be ready to enjoy.
- The amount of sugar (or sweetener, if you prefer) is up to you. Sweeter fruits won’t require so much sugar added.
