This fresh watermelon popsicle recipe has no added sugar and it only requires 2 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep work to make! It's the best low-calorie frozen treat to enjoy on a hot summer day!
The summer is always brutally hot here in Florida and all I ever want is to cool off with an icy cold, frozen treat. I've been trying to cut out excess sugar from our diet, so ice cream and processed snacks are definitely out, but these healthy vegan watermelon ice pops fit the bill!
These fresh watermelon popsicles are naturally sweet and loaded with juicy watermelon and tangy lime juice that has been blended and frozen into the perfect healthy summer snack. This watermelon popsicle recipe couldn't be any simpler to make since it only requires two ingredients and ten minutes to make!
After you make these delicious vegan watermelon popsicles, you should try this zesty watermelon fruit salsa and whip up a batch of refreshing watermelon mint mojitos to enjoy this summer!
Why You'll Love These Fresh Watermelon Popsicles
These easy watermelon popsicles are a super fresh, naturally sweet, gluten-free, vegan, low-calorie delicious treat that you can feel good about eating! There's no processed junk, preservatives, added sugar, or ingredients that you can't pronounce in these healthy watermelon lime popsicles. These popsicles are also kid-friendly, very easy to make, and picky husband approved!
Tips For Picking the Perfect Watermelon
Before you make the popsicles, you need to pick out the perfect watermelon. Did you know there are a few things you should look for when you pick out a watermelon? My mom and grandpa taught me these tips:
- Shape - Round watermelons are sweeter, oval watermelons are more watery.
- Webbing - Look for watermelons with lots of "webbing" or "sugar lines" because that means they're extra sweet!
- Yellow belly - Every watermelon has a white or yellow field spot on its belly. The spot is where it rested on the field. A more golden yellow spot = a riper watermelon.
- Thump it - A ripe watermelon will have a hollow sound when you give it a good thump.
How Do You Make Watermelon Popsicles?
After you find the perfect watermelon, follow these simple steps to make the easiest summer dessert ever!
First, cut the watermelon up into large pieces. Put the watermelon chunks and fresh lime juice into a large blender cup and blend until the mixture is a smooth puree.
Pour the watermelon puree into BPA-free popsicle molds and put the pops into the freezer for 2-3 hours or until they're solid.
How Long Does it Last in the Freezer?
If the popsicles are stored properly, they will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Watermelon Popsicle Recipe Variations
This vegan watermelon popsicle recipe is very customizable. You could add whole frozen berries (blueberries would look like watermelon seeds!), or layers of frozen pureed fruit to make these pops even more fun.
- Add Coconut Milk: Add ½ cup of coconut milk to the watermelon puree to make creamy watermelon popsicles!
- Layered popsicles - To get solid layers, pour pureed fruit layer by layer into the popsicle molds and freeze for 10 minutes in between each layer. Continue alternating between the flavors you want to use until the molds are filled almost to the top. Leave one inch of space to put the popsicle stick in so the filling won't overflow the popsicle mold.
- Add Mint Leaves: Make the watermelon lime popsicles even more flavorful by adding 4-5 mint leaves to the watermelon mixture before you puree it.
- Watermelon slice popsicles - You could fill up the molds with the watermelon juice but leave 1 ½ inches of space at the top. Freeze the pops for one hour and then add blended kiwi (or diced kiwi) on top and put the pops back into the freezer to finish freezing. Then the popsicles will look like a slice of watermelon with a green kiwi rind!
- Add Tequila - Add two ounces of tequila (or more to taste) to the blender before you blend the watermelon. Watermelon tequila popsicles are the ultimate summer treat for adults to enjoy by the pool or at a party.
- Champagne Popsicles: Jazz up a glass of champagne by serving the watermelon ice pop in the glass for a bubbly and sparkling summer treat!
Substitutions & FAQ
- Watermelon Substitutions: Instead of watermelon, you could use cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, mango, pineapple, or kiwi.
- Lime Substitute: You can use fresh lemon juice instead of lime juice.
- Do You Have to Strain the Watermelon Puree? I don't strain the blended watermelon puree because I like a little texture in the popsicles, but you can strain it if you prefer a super smooth popsicle without any pulp. Plus, skipping this step makes the popsicles even easier to make and you have one less dish to clean.
Tips For Making The Best Homemade Watermelon Popsicles
- Use a seedless watermelon so you won't find any hard black seed pieces in your popsicles. If you use a watermelon with seeds, try to pick out as many of the seeds as you can. The small white seeds are fine to leave, but the black seeds won't blend very well.
- Use fresh lime juice, the stuff in the squeezy bottle does not taste the same.
- Make sure to use a BPA-free popsicle mold, this is the popsicle mold that I use. If you don't want to use a plastic mold, this stainless steel popsicle mold is great too.
- When you pour the watermelon puree into the popsicle molds, leave a ¾ inch gap at the top of the popsicle (above the liquid) to allow for expansion.
- Store the popsicles in the freezer for 2-3 months.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes You'll Love!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Hummus
Tropical Mango Coconut Candy Bites
Watermelon Popsicle Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
- Popsicle Mold
Ingredients
- 4 cups seedless watermelon chunks
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Cut up the watermelon into chunks and then put the watermelon and fresh lime juice into a high-powered blender and blend until you have a very smooth puree.
- Pour the watermelon juice into six popsicle molds. Leave a ¾ inch gap between the liquid and the lid to allow for expansion. Add the lid to each popsicle mold and then freeze it for 2-3 hours or until fully frozen.
Notes
- Use a seedless watermelon so you won't find any hard black seed pieces in your popsicles. If you use a watermelon with seeds, try to pick out as many of the seeds as you can. The small white seeds are fine to leave, but the black seeds won't blend very well.
- Use fresh lime juice, the stuff in the squeezy bottle does not taste the same.
- Make sure to use a BPA-free popsicle mold, this is the popsicle mold that I use. If you don't want to use a plastic mold, this stainless steel popsicle mold is great too.
- When you pour the watermelon puree into the popsicle molds, leave a ¾ inch gap at the top of the popsicle (above the liquid) to allow for expansion.
- Store the popsicles in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 7/8/15 but I updated it with new pictures and better recipe instructions on 6/20/20.
Can I use frozen watermelon?
These look so refreshing!! And such a pretty colour.
Mmmm Watermelon! I have been on a serious melon kick the past few weeks! These look delicious and I'll be whipping some up for the weekend!
Awesome! I hope you like them as much as we do!
Love it. I'll try to make it next time.
Thanks! Enjoy!
This looks so good! I'm gonna have to find one of those popsicle holder, things haha. I don't know what they're called.
Popsicle holder works for me! Haha
These look so refreshing! Can't wait to try!
Thanks!
Fun idea, I try to keep healthy snacks in mind for our kids too. Our 11-year-old is an emotional eater and food-sneaker and is overweight because of it so we have to stay creative with her! Where do you get those little popsicle holders?
Thanks, I found these at Target but I have seen them at Walmart and Publix too! I hope your daughter likes the pops! =)
Dollar tree
YUMMY! Looks perfect for this scorching weekend!
Exactly my thoughts! I need to cool off! Thanks =)