My three-ingredient Watermelon Lemonade Popsicles are completely natural and have very little added sugar, but they are the most refreshing — and delicious — way you can imagine to beat the heat. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free.
The other night, we went out for a walk at midnight, with Lily and Leo. It was a clear, still night with a beautiful sky overhead. Orion was out with his dogs too, keeping us silent, celestial company, and there was not a sound, not even from the street nearby where the city buses sometimes rumble noisily along in the night. It was all rather beautiful. Except.
I was busy waving off the gnats and wiping the drops of perspiration beading my forehead. Lily and Leo had their tongues hanging out all the way to the ground. It was not yet May, but the heat was stifling, oppressive even.
All along I could not stop thinking about this: Watermelon. Lemonade. Popsicles.
I had just made a stash of them for Jay, but they were calling out to me in that desperate moment. And can you blame me?
In summer, Jay has two questions that he asks me about a million times each day. Mommy, can I have a glass of lemonade? Mommy, can I have a watermelon milkshake?
I created these Watermelon Lemonade Popsicles to shut him up.
But seriously, these are a delicious weapon to fight the blistering heat that’s been visiting us on and off this Spring in the D.C. area. Already we been through a couple of 90-plus degree days and today, after a bout of crazy-rain — rain that pours down in sheets all night and all morning, and leaves puddles in the backyard and floods in the street — we are heating up again.
People would ask me, after we first moved to D.C. which can get rather cold in winter, if I missed the sunshine and heat of Bombay. I’d tell them that at least in the summer, I couldn’t tell the two cities apart.
But even on the most unbearable of days, there are so many reasons to be thankful for spring and summer. And one of the top reasons, for me, is the availability of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables and the ability to eat so many delicious things. And you want them to be easy to make, so you can enjoy as much time out of the kitchen as possible and out having fun. Like these Watermelon Lemonade Popsicles.
Here’s the recipe.
- 5 cups chopped watermelon (red part)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups filtered or distilled water
- 4 tbsp sugar (use more or less depending on how sweet or tart you want your lemonade to be
Make lemonade by mixing 2 tbsp of the sugar with the water and 3 tbsp of sugar.
Blend the watermelon cubes until smooth and there are no lumps. If your watermelon juice is not sweet enough, add the remaining tablespoon of sugar and blend.
Divide the lemonade between eight popsicle molds, filling them halfway. Freeze for two to three hours.
Now divide the watermelon juice among the popsicle molds, filling all the way to the top. Pop in the popsicle sticks.
Freeze for six to eight hours or until completely frozen.
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More popsicle ideas:
Pineapple Cheesecake Popsicles
So simple but so yummy! We used to make basic lemonade popsicles but adding the watermelon is a game changer and means less sugar! We’ve also tried it with kiwi!
I love the idea of kiwi popsicles!