Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles

My best friend Jada came over on Tuesday and we made popsicles, which sounds like a little-kid activity until you are actually doing it on a day when the temperature hits ninety-five and the humidity is doing everything wrong to everything. We made strawberry lemonade popsicles with real strawberries from Mama's refrigerator. We made the mistake of doing it in the afternoon when the kitchen was warm, so the whole operation took much longer than expected because the blend kept not staying cold enough.

Jada is patient in a way I am still working on. She did not rush the process. I wanted to put them in the freezer before they were fully mixed, and she said let us just wait and do it right. She was correct. I said so. She accepted that graciously. This is why we have been friends since second grade. She accepts my correctness when I am right and my concessions when I am wrong, without making a thing of either one.

We ate the finished popsicles on the back steps while Kayla watched from the kitchen window with the I-want-one look. Mama came out with two more and we all sat on the steps together and talked about things that do not matter and some that do. Jada asked about high school. We are both going to Scotlandville Magnet in the fall. We have been planning this since fifth grade.

I am nervous about high school and I will not admit that to Jada because Jada does not get nervous the way I do. She just shows up. I show up too, but I show up having thought about it for three weeks first. Mama says this is a feature. Thinking ahead keeps you from walking into things. True. But it also means I spend a lot of time in the future when the present is actually fine. The present was fine. Cold popsicle, hot steps, Kayla's commentary through the window, Jada laughing at everything.

If you made it this far, you already know how the afternoon ended — cold popsicles, hot steps, and the kind of conversation that only happens when nobody is in a hurry. Jada was right to make me slow down and blend it properly, and if you want to make these yourself, I’m passing that same advice along: do not rush the mix, and do not put them in the freezer before you’re ready. The waiting is part of it. They’re worth it every single time.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Freeze Time: 6 hours | Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 8 popsicles

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
1/3 cup honey or granulated sugar, plus more to taste
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Blend the base. Add the strawberries, lemon juice, honey, water, lemon zest, and salt to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. Do not rush this — a fully smooth blend freezes more evenly.
Taste and adjust. Taste the mixture and add more honey if you want it sweeter, or more lemon juice if you want it tarter. The flavor will mellow slightly once frozen, so lean a little bolder than you think you need to.
Chill the mixture. If your kitchen is warm, pour the blended mixture into a bowl or pitcher and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before pouring into molds. This keeps the mixture cold and helps it set more evenly in the freezer.
Fill the molds. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top for expansion. Tap the molds gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Insert sticks and freeze. Insert popsicle sticks and place the molds in the freezer. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Unmold and serve. To release the popsicles, run warm water over the outside of the mold for 10–15 seconds and gently pull the stick upward. Serve immediately or wrap individually in wax paper and store in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition (per serving)

Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles — The Ones Worth Waiting For