Homemade Popsicles with Greek Yogurt

Homemade Popsicles with Greek Yogurt are the perfect treat for your family!

As summer approaches I have been searching for the perfect summertime treat for my family, and Homemade Popsicles with Greek Yogurt are the perfect solution. At the bakery I am used to baking pastry and other sweets best enjoyed with a cup of coffee. But as the warm weather approaches, I want to be able to have something that is creamy, delicious and refreshing for my family that is still as amazing as any baked good I could give them.

My husband is in LOVE with these. He literally told me they were the best thing I have ever made him, which is almost offense because of how simple they recipe is.

Like every great treat, you must start with good ingredients, and I feel like I found the perfect base for the ideal popsicles: creamy Greek yogurt. I have shared my simple recipe for Greek yogurt here! Using Greek yogurt not only makes this popsicle perfectly creamy in texture, it also makes it a guilt free snack for me and my family.

Can you freeze yogurt like popsicles?

The simple answer is yes, it is that simple. You can simply buy any flavored or unflavored yogurt and put it in a mold to freeze. Often times the difficulty comes when you are trying to achieve a good texture. If you are using a yogurt with a high amount of water, you will have an icier popsicle. I prefer a creamy tasting popsicle, so that is why I started using Greek yogurt.

Are Greek yogurt popsicles good for you?

Greek yogurt is loaded with probiotics (I like to call them happy bacteria), which is so good for gut health. It seems that so many people suffer from tummy problems these days, and yogurt may be a part of the solution.

Calcium is so important for good bone health, and I always feel that I’m chasing enough calcium in my diet. This yogurt helps me meet that requirement while also getting so many other good things! And for my child’s growing bones, I love to know he is getting plenty of calcium too!

Using homemade Greek yogurt that has been allowed to ferment for a full 24 hours has additional benefits. A full day of fermentation allows the yogurt to have the greatest possible number of probiotics. Also, during the 24-hour fermentation process, the “happy bacteria” digest the sugars in milk, otherwise known as lactose. The end result is a yogurt that is often better tolerated by those who have lactose intolerance. Now, if you’re ALLERGIC to dairy, no amount of fermentation will change that!

How to make popsicles creamy and not icy?

The key to smooth and creamy homemade frozen yogurt is to limit excess water that can make it icy. Greek yogurt is perfect because it has been strained of most of its liquid whey. Similarly, if you were to add fresh fruit and a sweetener to your yogurt, the fruit would release water that would create an icy texture in the final product. Jam or fruit preserves are the perfect way to add flavor and sweetness without extra water. Choose the jam that works best for you, whether that be homemade preserves, organic jam, or sugar free!

I mixed my Greek yogurt, jam and honey with a spoon. Using a blender or a whisk will work, but they may add air to the mixture causing the yogurt not to be as dense and creamy.

The Importance of Summer Treats

Some of my best memories as a child are the ones that include a hot summer day and ice cream. Summer was filled with caring for the garden, taking walks to our grandma’s house and creating games outside to stay busy so that our mother wouldn’t invent a chore for us. The days were sometimes hectic with five siblings, but the evenings were the times that always felt peaceful. We would all gather on the porch with some treat and reminisce about the day. Even my three-year-old nephew can manage to be peaceful for a couple moments when he is handed a creamy popsicle.

Pop them out of the Mold!

Make sure to let your popsicles sit in the freezer for at least six hours. When it has been long enough, get your popsicles out and run the mold under hot water. Then they should slide right out of the molds. I like this(CLICK HERE) shape of mold as well as the reusable sticks they come with, so I do not have to keep using popsicle sticks.

I strained my yogurt till it was extra thick, making the mixture for the popsicles difficult to just spoon into the molds. I used a piping bag and squeezed the mixture in, but you can also use a Ziploc bag with the corner cut to squeeze the mixture into the molds. This works really nicely because it allows you to fill each part of the mold with filling, preventing any air pockets.

Best Type of Greek Yogurt for Popsicles

My homemade Greek yogurt recipe is located HERE. I recommend making your own because you can really control how thick your yogurt is. If I know that I am making popsicles I strain my yogurt to be extra thick. The less water content in the mixture, the creamier the popsicle. You can use store bought yogurt, but make sure it is Greek style yogurt.