These Watermelon Mint Popsicles are sweet, refreshing, easy to make, and perfect for hot summer days! Made with fresh sweet watermelon, tangy lime juice, and fresh mint. They're sweetened with agave and are so much better than store-bought ones!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love These Watermelon Popsicles
Simple and easy - You only need four simple ingredients for these popsicles and they come together in no time. All you have to do is toss everything into a blender and pour the mixture into some popsicle molds. The hardest part is waiting for them to freeze!
So refreshing - Fresh watermelon is one of the best fruits for hot summer days because of its high water content. It's so juicy, refreshing, and perfectly sweet. Freezing it into popsicles makes the perfect summer dessert or snack for a hot day!
Better than store-bought popsicles - Homemade popsicles are always the best because you know exactly what goes in! Store-bought ice cream tends to be packed with both natural and artificial sugar, artificial flavors, and colors. Making your own at home is easier than you'd think and they're so tasty!
Ingredients
- Watermelon - Fresh watermelon is the best here. I like seedless watermelon here but if your blender is strong, it doesn't matter too much if it has seeds. I don't recommend using frozen watermelon because blending and refreezing it will cause the popsicles to have lots of ice crystals they wouldn't normally have.
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice provides the best flavor. I've tried adding whole peeled lime instead but I don't recommend it, it makes the popsicles bitter. Lime juice only is the best here.
- Fresh mint - You only need a few leaves to give the popsicles a hint of minty flavor that goes perfectly with the sweetness of the watermelon. I don't recommend dried mint, it won't provide the same flavor.
- Agave syrup - The recipe calls for a touch of agave but it's optional. You can also use other sweeteners like honey or simple syrup. I like adding a little bit of extra sweetness because anything frozen is always less sweet than when it's fresh.
Variations and Substitutions
- Lemon - If you don't have limes, you can use lemons. The tartness of the citrus balances out the sweetness of the watermelon really nicely.
- Different herbs - If you don't want to use mint, you could also use fresh basil or fresh thyme! You only need a few leaves of basil or about 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves.
- Different fruit - This will obviously change the flavor of the popsicles completely but a different type of melon like cantaloupe or honeydew makes great popsicles too. Try my Cantaloupe Popsicles!
- Creamy popsicles - Add 1 cup of canned coconut milk or Greek yogurt to turn the popsicles from sorbet to creamy ice cream!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the watermelon, lime juice, agave syrup (or sweetener of your choice), and mint leaves to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. You can also do this in a food processor.
- Optionally, you can strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl or a measuring cup but I don't find it necessary. I would do this only if there were watermelon seeds that didn't blend properly. If you blend it well, it will be very smooth and it keeps the fiber in.
- Pour the mixture into popsicle molds.
- Insert popsicle sticks into each popsicle right away or transfer the popsicles to the freezer and freeze for 30-60 minutes before inserting the popsicle sticks to prevent them from moving around. The time will depend on the temperature of your freezer.
- If they freeze on top too much before you put the popsicle sticks in, you can carefully pierce them with a knife to insert the popsicle sticks.
- Freeze the popsicles for at least 6-8 hours or ideally overnight.
- To take the popsicles out of the molds, run hot water over the molds briefly and pull on the popsicle sticks to get them out. I like to wiggle them gently to avoid them breaking in half.
- If it's not working, run hot water over the molds briefly again and they should be easy to pull out.
- Lay the popsicles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or place them into a large freezer bag in a single layer and refreeze. Once they're frozen, keep them in the freezer bag or transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
How to Find the Best Watermelon
- Dull - A ripe watermelon will look duller than shiny and should be dark green.
- Orange field spot - Look for a big yellow or orange or yellow spot. This means it's sweet and ripe. If the spot is very light or there isn't one, it could mean the watermelon isn't ripe enough.
- Uniform size - Round watermelons also tend to be sweeter than oval-shaped ones.
- Brown Stem - Green stem means it was picked too early and is not ripe enough.
- Heavy - Always pick a watermelon that's the heaviest for its size; this means it's extra juicy.
Serving and Storing
Store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or a container in the freezer for up to 6 months. You want to always keep them in an airtight container to prevent any freezer burn.
Serve the popsicles as a refreshing snack or add them to cocktails and mocktails! It'd be delicious with this Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita or this Watermelon Coconut Rum Cooler!
FAQs
No, watermelon is very juicy on its own. Water would water it down too much and the liquid would separate.
No, fresh watermelon works the best here. When you blend and refreeze frozen watermelon, it develops too many ice crystals. This is what makes your popsicles crunchy and not smooth. To avoid this, always use fresh fruit.
They should last for at least 3 months. It depends on the strength of your freezer, the temperature, and how much the freezer gets opened.
More Popsicle Recipes
Popsicles are such an easy summer dessert to make and the flavor options are literally endless! Below are 6 of my favorites. Definitely check out the cookie dough ones! You can also go to Desserts to see all the latest ones
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Have you tried these Watermelon Mint Popsicles? Please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my Newsletter for free weekly recipes straight to your inbox, and don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Print📖 Recipe
Watermelon Mint Popsicles
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 popsicles 1x
- Category: Popsicles
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Nothing says summer more than these refreshing Watermelon Popsicles! They're incredibly easy to make, so tasty, and much better than store-bought!
Ingredients
- 5 cups diced watermelon
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tbsp agave syrup (or honey or simple syrup)
- 5-6 fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Add the watermelon, lime juice, agave syrup, and mint leaves to a high-speed blender. You can also do this in a food processor.
- Blend on high until smooth. You can strain the mixture but I don't find it necessary.
- Pour carefully into popsicle molds.
- Insert popsicle sticks into each popsicle right away or transfer the popsicles to the freezer and freeze for 30-60 minutes before inserting popsicle sticks to prevent them from moving around. If they freeze on top too much, you can carefully pierce them with a knife to insert the popsicle sticks.
- Freeze for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- To take the popsicles out of the molds, run hot water over the molds briefly and pull on the popsicle sticks to get them out. I like to wiggle them gently as I pull them out to avoid them breaking.
- Lay the popsicles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a large freezer bag in a single layer and refreeze. The popsicles might be slightly soft so I like to do this to prevent them from sticking together. Once frozen, keep them in the freezer bag or transfer to a freezer-safe container.
Notes
Storing: Store the popsicles in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for 3-6 months.
Gloria says
A super healthy treat for a hot summer day. My grandkids will love these. A great way to enjoy watermelon.
Tammy says
These look so pretty and so refreshing! Such a perfect summer treat to enjoy throughout the season. I cannot wait to make these..so healthy too!
Lisa Grant says
I could eat watermelon everyday in the summer! These make a refreshing summer treat and so much better than store bought popsicles.
Carrie Robinson says
What a refreshing treat for a hot summer day! Can't wait to make these soon. :)
Katie Crenshaw says
These were so easy. They had a lovely flavor and were so refreshing. They make the perfect summer treat.
Tristin says
Love how easy these were to make. Plus, they were a healthy and fun treat to help my kids combat this summer heat.
Jamie says
This is such a very timely treat recipe! This watermelon popsicle looks amazingly delicious! A perfect treat for this hot weather we're experiencing! Loved it!
Marie says
As soon as my son saw these popsicles, he wanted us to make them! I didn't have mint on hand so I tried basil and it was really delicious! The most difficult thing was to wait for the popsicles to freeze :) We'll be making these all summer long!
Moop Brown says
These popsicles are so refreshing and great for summer and I like the nice tang the lime juice adds.
Ramona says
This recipe looks super delicious and I can’t wait to try it out this weekend! Thank you for sharing.