Sweet-tart cherry lemonade popsicles are a summer favorite in my house. You only need 3 simple ingredients and zero added sugar to make them!
Packed with fresh fruit, these smoothie pops have a lovely tart cherry flavor and are a snap to make in your blender.
Jump To:
Recipe notes
These smoothie pops are refined sugar free, not sugar free. That means they're not sweetened with white sugar or other refined sugars, but they do contain sugar from the fruit.
If you're avoiding all sugar, this recipe is not for you. But if you are like me and are looking for whole fruit-sweetened treats, you're going to love this recipe!
The sweetness in this recipe comes from whole fruits: bananas and frozen cherries. See the section on substitutions below, if banana isn't your thing.
To make these, you just combine the lemon juice and fruit in your blender, and puree until smooth. Divide the mixture between your popsicle molds, and freeze.
One last note: You will probably have about a half cup of leftover mix after you fill your popsicle molds. You can either save this and freeze in a second round or drink it right now! I trust you to do the right thing.
Substitutions
The lemon mostly masks the banana flavor, but there is a little bit of banana that sneaks through. If that's not for you, then you can use frozen dates to sweeten this, to taste. Just add them one or two at a time, blending in between, until you reach your desired sweetness level.
You can also do other fun flavors! If you don't have frozen cherries, use the same amount of frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango, etc. The only limit is your imagination.
Storage directions
You cab store these right in the popsicle molds for up to six months.
If you need to free up the popsicle molds, though, remove the popsicles and transfer them to a freezer bag, pressing out any excess air. They will keep for up to three months.
Cherry Lemonade Popsicles Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups frozen cherries
- 1 banana
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- In your blender, puree the lemon juice, bananas, and cherries until you have as smooth a puree as you can get. You can add up to ¼ cup water, as needed.
- Divide the mixture between six popsicle molds, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
You certainly can, if your fruit isn't sweet enough. This recipe, though, is designed to take advantage of fruit's natural sweetness, so you don't have to use a single granule of refined sugar.
Depending on how thick your filling is, you can either pour the mixture into the molds or use a spoon. To pour, I like to transfer my liquid mixture to a measuring cup with a lip, which makes pouring less messy. As you can see in the video, though, I sometimes roll the dice and pour it straight out of the blender into the mold.
Filling popsicle molds can get messy, and that's okay! Just use a damp rag to wipe away any sticky cherry lemonade mixture that spills before you pop these into the freezer.
This can happen with any popsicle recipe, and it's an easy fix! Just hold the popsicle mold under running water for a few seconds. Afterwards, the pop should slide out easily.
The Vegan 8
I absolutely love lemon and when combined with cherries, even better! They look so delicious!
Becky Striepe
Thank you!
Alisa Fleming
I LOVE the sweet-tart sound of these Becky. I've been craving lemonade lately (something about it is so thirst-quenching, you know?), and this looks like a way healthier way to get my fix.
Becky Striepe
I feel the same about lemonade. I crave it when I'm really overheated.
Mel |avirtualvegan.com
I love that they only have 3 ingredients! And cherry anything is a winner for me. They look so refreshing!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Mel!
Cristina MacDonald
Becky, I imagine these pops can be made with whole (pitted) cherries in order to enjoy these delicious seasonal fruits. Should I stick to the 1-1/2 cups or increase/descrease the amount used?
Becky Striepe
That's a good question. I'd start with 1 1/2 cups and taste the mix. You can always add more lemon or more cherries, as needed.
Linda from Veganosity
YUM! My two favorite summer fruits!! I can't wait to try these, Becky!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Linda!
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes
Even just the name of these popsicles sounds addicting! Love the video! it's mesmerizing to watch ;)
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Vanessa! It was fun to make!
Jenn
I love anything cherry. And I love the combo with lemon - sounds amazing! Perfectly refreshing for summer!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Jenn!
Sarah
These look so simple and delicious! I'm going to make these with my kids today!
Becky Striepe
Yay! Enjoy them, Sarah!
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
Oooh, this look so fun and tasty! I'm going to make these for my nephews so they're not eating up all those refined sugar pops this summer.
Becky Striepe
Woo woo!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
You would not believe this, but I just got a popsicle set for my birthday! So now I can make these delicious healthy treats!
Becky Striepe
Oh yay! Perfect timing.
Becky Striepe
And happy birthday!
Dianne
I'd think they'd be a favorite here, too! I've been wanting to get popsicle molds for while, so this might be my push to get them. Hopefully Amazon will have a good deal on them tomorrow!
Becky Striepe
Crossing fingers! I'm on the hunt for some prime day kitchen deals, too!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
Nothing like a cold popsicle on these to days! Cherry and lemon sound like a great combo!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Sophia!
Trinity Bourne
Oh wow - how easy are they!!! Love your ingredients and that awesome simplicity.
Yummy :)
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Trinity!