Easy Lime Popsicles
Homemade 3-ingredient Lime Popsicles are a cool and refreshing treat! Made with just a handful of ingredients, these all-natural popsicles are bright and citrusy and perfect for hot summer days.
If you love the tart flavor of fresh limes, you are going to fall hard for these Lime Popsicles! This easy recipe will teach you how to make your own batch of tasty frozen pops, and includes all of our best tips and tricks for making perfect popsicles every single time.
Why You’re Going to Love This Lime Popsicles Recipe
- This recipe is SO simple! All you need are fresh limes, sugar, and some water. Briefly heat the mixture on the stove to dissolve the sugar crystals, then pour it into your favorite popsicle mold.
- You will also love the fresh lime flavor. There is enough sugar in this recipe to offset the slight bitterness of the limes, but not so much that the tart lime flavor can’t shine through.
You should also try our recipes for Lime Sherbet, Lime Ice Cream, and Lime Sorbet. We have a lime frozen dessert for every skill level, and this popsicle recipe is the easiest to make!
Ingredients in Homemade Lime Popsicles
- Water – Water is actually the first ingredient in lime popsicles! Lime juice on its own is too tart and strong for a dessert, so we will water it down and sweeten it to make the popsicle mixture perfectly balanced.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is perfect for making popsicles, but you can also make this recipe with honey or agave nectar if you prefer.
- Lime Juice – Be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice for this popsicle recipe. Bottled juice is just not the same.
- Sliced Limes – These are optional, but I love the way that these popsicles look with real lime slices inside! Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to cut the limes super thinly so that they are edible. If you like, you can remove the rind.
- You’ll also need a popsicle mold and popsicle sticks if your mold requires them. See our best recommendations for popsicle molds toward the bottom of this post.
If you have any questions about making lime popsicles at home, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you!
How to Store Homemade Popsicles
Store these Lime Popsicles in the freezer, in their mold until ready to enjoy. If you decide to remove them from the mold, wrap each popsicle individually with plastic wrap before storing them in a freezer-safe, airtight container.
Homemade popsicles are best if enjoyed within 2-3 weeks, but often will stay fresh for much longer than that, up to 3 months
Tips for Making This Lime Popsicles Recipe
- Use quality ingredients – When making homemade popsicles, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome. Fresh lime juice is key!
- Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to popsicles, but it also helps with the texture. Popsicles without enough sugar in them will be hard and icy.
- Stir until the sugar has dissolved – If you aren’t sure, rub the juice mixture in between two fingers. If you feel grit, keep stirring! Any sugar that isn’t dissolved will end up at the bottom of your ice pop molds, and we don’t want that.
- You can also use agave or honey in place of the sugar if you like! Just make sure that whatever sugar you’re using, it’s fully dissolved.
How to Unmold Homemade Popsicles Easily
There are a few different methods to easily unmold homemade popsicles. The one that works for you will depend on your specific popsicle mold. None of them are complicated!
The trick to easily unmolding popsicles is to heat the very outer layer of the pops so that they release from the mold, without melting them in the process.
Method 1: Dipping in Hot Water. This method involves filling a large bowl or container with warm water. Then dip your tray of popsicles briefly into the water for 20-30 seconds until the popsicles are easy to remove.
Method 2: Running Water. Instead of filling a bowl with water, just turn the kitchen sink on and let it get warm. Hold the popsicles under the stream, moving them around, for about 30 seconds until you can get the popsicles out of the mold.
Method 3: Room Temperature. Take the popsicles out of the freezer and set them on the counter until they soften enough to be easily removed. This method can backfire if you forget about them, so be careful, or set a timer!
If you’re using a silicone popsicle mold, you may not need to do anything. If it’s flexible enough, the silicone can be peeled away from the popsicles easily!
Lime Popsicle Variations
- Coconut Lime Popsicles – Replace two tablespoons of water in this recipe with coconut syrup or cream of coconut.
- Mixed Fruit Popsicles – Just use fruit purees or juices in place of some or all of the water! Strawberry puree, watermelon juice, mango juice, or orange juice would all be delicious here.
- Spicy Lime Popsicles – add a dash of chili powder to the mixture to give this treat a bit of a kick!
How Long Do Popsicles Take to Freeze?
It takes at least 4 hours for homemade popsicles to freeze. It might take longer than that too, depending on your freezer temperature and the shape of your molds. If in doubt, let them freeze overnight!
Why Are Homemade Popsicles So Hard?
Popsicles that you buy from the store have high amounts of sugar and often include additives to keep them from freezing completely solid.
In comparison, you’ll find that your homemade popsicles will freeze much harder than you might be used to. It can be helpful to wait a few minutes to enjoy them after they come out of the freezer.
When making homemade popsicles, it is important to add enough sugar. Sugar decreases the freezing point and keeps the popsicles somewhat soft.
More Homemade Frozen Treats
Be sure to check out all of our easy homemade popsicle recipes! Once you start making popsicles from scratch, you’ll want to make all different varieties.
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Easy Lime Popsicles
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- Optional: thinly sliced limes
Instructions
- Add the water, sugar, and lime juice to a small saucepan.
- Heat over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pour the mixture into the popsicle molds, If desired, add thinly sliced limes.
- Insert the popsicle sticks.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid.
- To remove from the mold, run the outside of the mold under warm water for about 10 seconds, being sure not to get any water into the inside of the mold. The popsicles should easily pop out of the mold with a little pressure.
- Serve and enjoy!
