It’s hot outside—like the kind of hot that makes people believe in global warming. Naturally, most of us hang out by the pool or head to the beach whenever we have a day off, but no pool or beach day is complete without some refreshing drinks to enjoy. Here are 10 easy ice pops that are so refreshing you can’t resist them. I used these popsicle molds because they’re easier to travel and work better with alcoholic drinks, which melt faster, than normal molds. The popsicle sleeves are a little long and can hold a lot of liquid so you might want this smaller sleeve.
1. Coconut Limeade
The coconut limeade pop is simple and sweet. To make this pop, combine 1 cup of limeade and 1/4 cup of cream of coconut. If you’d like to make it alcoholic, add 1-2 ounces of lime vodka. The cream of coconut can be found in most grocery stores by the sodas or drink mixers.
2. Starbucks Pink Drink Imitation
I know this drink is like the holy grail for some of you so I looked up what’s in it, asked my Starbucks barista friend, and came up with a recipe. All you need to do is combine 1/2 a cup of strawberries, 1 cup of green tea, 2 tablespoons of coconut cream, 1/4 cup of condensed milk, 1/2 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of strawberry syrup. Blend all of these together and pour into bags.
3. Frozen Coffee
This one is good for any occasion. I quite literally woke up the morning after I made these pops and had one for breakfast. All you have to do is make coffee however you like it and freeze it in the popsicle sleeves. Any morning with this popsicle is a good start.
4. Strawberry Lemonade Sangria
Sangria is a godsend, honestly. If sangria were a person it would be the crazy aunt that you love to hang out with for a good time but don’t want her around anywhere else. This strawberry lemonade sangria pop is a made from pink Moscato, so it’s sweet but if you don’t like your drinks or popsicles too sweet then you can use a white wine instead.
To make, blend 2 cups of strawberries, 3 cups of lemonade, 1 shot of vodka, a full bottle of pink Moscato and 1/4 cup of orange juice. This one is great to bring for a group event because it makes a lot of ice pops.
5. Creamy Margarita
This popsicle is from Host the Toast. It’s for people who love creamy drinks. It’s a little out of the ordinary but it’s very sweet and has a hint of tangy flavors from the splash of orange juice and slice of lime. If you don’t like very creamy drinks then this watermelon margarita popsicle might be better for you.
6. Watermelon Mint Tequila Pops
These popsicles from Hungry Girl Por Vida are perfect for the watermelon lover. I wouldn’t say they’re light (low-calorie) but they taste like it. This recipe asks you to use mint leaves, which can be a bit of a hassle to get ahold of but they’re worth it for that fresh taste.
7. Jack Frost
I know why this popsicle is called Jack Frost (because it looks blue and frosty when frozen) but really this is the most summer flavored drink you can get. It’s from Pear Tree Kitchen and has pineapple juice, blue Curacao, white rum and cream of coconut. It tastes like a blue piña colada so I imagine that if you wanted to go even simpler on this recipe you could simply combine rum, piña colada mix and blue Curacao to get similar results.
8. Pink Lemonade
This pink lemonade is made from fresh strawberries but not fresh lemons (because life is short and ain’t nobody got time for that). To make combine 1 cup of strawberries, 2 cups of (already made) lemonade, and a splash of orange juice. I used Simply Lemonade and it came out wonderfully. The sugar that is already in the lemonade made it perfectly sweet.
9. Rum and Coke
It’s simple. Get some rum, get some coke, mix it and freeze it. This makes for the easiest beach day. I know I usually want to enjoy a drink or two at the beach but it takes so much effort to bring the alcohol, soda, cups and ice. This solves all of your problems and all you have to do is pack them in a bag and go.
10. White Sangria Popsicles
This last popsicle is made from The Brewer & The Baker. It’s made from fresh fruits and white wine, which is great for people who want something that isn’t super sweet. Let’s be honest, I’d be pretty damn happy with a pitcher of sangria to myself (and pretty damn drunk too) but turning this into a popsicle allows me to more easily track how many drinks/popsicles I’ve had. Plus there’s no watering it down with ice (say hello to Mister Hangover).
Next time you’re planning a day outside, make some ice pops. They’re delicious and remind you of childhood (except you didn’t have alcoholic drinks yet, I hope).