Sometimes it’s just more fun to imbibe sans stemware. And since there are few things that’ll entice people on a sunny day like a frozen treat, cocktail popsicles are my favorite way to get a summer soiree started. For tips on general popsicle making, check out last week’s story and recipe. And here’s what you need to know about bringing alcohol to the mix:
Look to the classics
When you’re first getting started, look to classic cocktails for flavor inspiration, especially drinks with sweet mixers and fruit garnishes. Juices (like pineapple, cranberry, grapefruit and orange) can be added as-is, or as a puree or small dice of the fruit for texture and big impact. If you’re making an Old Fashioned popsicle, for example, turn the traditional muddled cherry, orange and sugar into a combination of simple syrup, freshly squeezed OJ and pureed summer cherries. Top with bourbon and freeze.
Careful with the alcohol
Remember, alcohol is going to affect the way your mixture freezes. For a softer, sorbet-like (and faster-melting) texture, your recipe can be up to 25 percent booze. (Beer and wine have less alcohol than liquor, so you can go somewhat higher with those.) An easy way to think about this is for every ¾ cup of fruit puree, juice, etc, you can add up to ¼ cup of alcoholic drink. If you want something little icier and more solid, use something more like 10 percent alcohol. Since alcohol isn’t very viscous, it will likely thin your mixture; this means the popsicle sticks might not stand straight when you first fill the molds. Simply wait an hour or so and insert the stick when the mixture has started to freeze.
To get you started, here are three fabulous drunken-popsicle recipes.
White Sangria Popsicles
You can make these popsicles with any kind of fruit, but since I think of sangria as the seducer of the punch world, I like to add peaches; there’s no fruit as sexy as a just-picked, juicy peach. And white peaches, at the height of their season, are especially hot.
Makes ten 3.5 ounce popsicles
1½ pounds white peaches (about 4 peaches) (yellow peaches will also work!)
2 tablespoons simple syrup
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons triple sec
½ cup white wine
¼ cup ginger ale
Prep peaches: Pit and roughly cut up three of the peaches and put into the blender. Reserve one peach and cut it into a small dice. Reserve the diced peach.
Blend, stick, and freeze: Blend the remaining ingredients in the blender until smooth, about 15 seconds. Fold the diced peach into the mix after blending. Fill the popsicle molds and insert a popsicle stick into each mold. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
Unmold and serve or store: Dip mold in hot water or run under hot water from a faucet for a few seconds. Unmold and store in plastic sandwich bags for up to 1 week.
Watermelon Vodka Pops
I love how these juicy, fresh popsicles look. The watermelon pulp gently floats to the top of the mold, giving the frozen pop a pretty ombré effect.
Makes eight 3.5 ounce popsicles
4 cups watermelon, seeded, cut into 1” dice (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons simple syrup
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
½ cup vodka
Blend: Combine the watermelon, simple syrup, lime juice and vodka in a blender. Blend until smooth. Stir in the chopped mint and pour into a small pitcher.
Fill and freeze: Fill the popsicle molds and insert a popsicle stick into each mold. If the mixture is too loose (it will depend on how watery your melon is), freeze for 1 hour and then insert sticks into the partially frozen pops. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
Unmold and serve or store: Dip mold in hot water or run under hot water from a faucet for a few seconds. Unmold and store in plastic sandwich bags for up to 1 week.
Irish Coffee Pops
Makes eight 3.5 ounce popsicles
Summer is too hot for a cup of coffee after dinner—serve these creamy, sorbet-like coffee pops instead. If you prefer, you can use Kahlua or amaretto instead of Jameson, or no alcohol at all.
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup strong coffee, cold
3 tablespoons simple syrup
1/3 cup Jameson or other Irish whisky
1 cup whipped cream (optional if you’re counting calories...but it’s worth it!)
¼ cup chocolate covered espresso beans, finely chopped
Combine ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vanilla yogurt, cold coffee, simple syrup and Jameson. Fold in the chopped espresso beans.
Swirl in cream: If you’re using the whipped cream, gently swirl it into the mixture to get a marbled effect.
Fill molds and freeze: Fill the popsicle molds and insert a popsicle stick into each mold. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
Unmold and serve or store: Dip mold in hot water or run under hot water from a faucet for a few seconds. Unmold and store in plastic sandwich bags for up to 1 week.
More from Whitney Chen:
Chill, baby! Make blueberry cheesecake popsicles
Icy and spicy three-pepper gazpacho
Strawberry caramel sauce for sundaes and more
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