These festive Popsicles are great for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or all summer long. See how I made these without "blending" the fruit, and just a small amount of real sugar used. You can use Truvia, Splenda or another zero calorie sweetner if you prefer.
Recipe makes 10 popsicles.
I originally recommended the Nopro Frozen Ice Pop Maker. It was great at first, but after several washings I noticed this weird residue on the metal plate that surfaced every time it became wet. It may be because I put it in the dishwasher. Nowhere on the box did it state anything about how to wash or care for it. But I later noticed a note on the Amazon listing that said “hand washing recommended”. Apparently the product becomes unusable if you put it in the dishwasher.
In any case, I was able to very easily return the item on Amazon for a full refund since it was less than 30 days since I purchased it. The return process was easy and free.
Since then I tested 3 other popsicle makers (listed in order of preference).
Fox Run - Frozen Ice Pop Maker
American Ice Pops - Frozen Ice Pop Maker
Xing-Rui 10-Cavity Slicone - Frozen Ice Pop Maker
The one I found to be best, is the Fox Run Frozen Ice Pop Maker (very similar to the Nopro). Here are the specifics on my criteria and testing:
First, I only considered popsicle makers with wooden sticks. I like the classic look of a wooden stick verses plastic. And the shape of the pop itself had to have a classic popsicle shape. Second, I wanted a popsicle maker that made a set of 10 pops since I already developed recipes based on 10 popsicles. Last, I wanted something that costs $20 or less.
The Xing-Rui Silicone Frozen Ice Pop Maker
This one was ok, but I didn’t like it for a 2 reasons. 1.) The pop cavities bulged out a little when I filled them with fruit and yogurt. They didn’t hold their shape well. 2.) I can’t see the filling through the cavities since this pop maker is red. It’s hard to see how full they are as you add layers of different flavors to the pop.
American Ice Pops Frozen Ice Pop Maker
I found this pop maker to be very good. You can even remove the plastic cavities individually from the plate. The cavities were just slightly smaller in size (2.25 oz vs 3.0 oz). Otherwise, they held their shape well and removed fairly easily. But the price was $22.
Fox Run Frozen Ice Pop Maker
The price was $18.99 and they provided a coupon to save $3.60. With Amazon prime, I did not pay shipping. They hold shape really well. You can see through the semi-transparent plastic. They slide out fairly easily. But as stated on the listing “hand washing recommended”… this time, I did NOT put this popsicle maker in the dishwasher. I washed it by hand several times and it’s holding up great. The popsicles turn out beautifully.
For all ice-pop makers, you have to run the cavities under hot water for about 30 seconds in order to remove the pops. Anything aluminum cannot go in the dishwasher. Hope this info helps. Happy popsicle making!
