Lemon Basil Popsicles
Sweet, tart, creamy, and refreshing, these simple vegan lemon basil popsicles are a crisp summer treat perfect for the warmest days. Made with just 6 ingredients these dairy-free popsicles are sure to keep you cool all summer long!
A local restaurant near our home, FOJ (Fountain of Juice), makes some of the most delicious and addictive smoothies. Of their selection, the Lemon Basil Smoothie is our most craved during the summer months.
After digging into the ingredients for the smoothie, I thought it might be a fun twist to turn the refreshing beverage into a frozen treat that’s portable, refreshing, and deliciously dairy-free.
Why We Love Lemon Basil Popsicles
What’s not to love about a frozen treat in the heat of the summer? Some of our favorite reasons we love these popsicles include:
- Refreshing– The combination of basil and lemon make this a truly light and flavorful popsicle.
- Easy to make– Simply blend the ingredients together and freeze.
- 6 ingredients (including water)- Aside from the fresh basil, most of the ingredients are probably already in your dairy-free kitchen.
Dairy-Free Changes to Lemon Basil Popsicles
These refreshing and easy popsicles feature one dairy-free/vegan swap.
- Coconut milk– I suspect the FOJ recipe for their lemon basil smoothie contains yogurt so I’ve swapped in some full fat coconut milk for a creamy finish to these tart and refreshing popsicles.
How to Make Lemon Basil Popsicles
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lemons– Zest and juice from fresh lemons give this popsicle a delightfully tart flavor.
- Simple Syrup– Made from boiling equal parts water with equal parts sugar to balance the lemon’s tartness.
- Basil– Fresh basil, I typically stick to genovese basil.
- Coconut Milk– Full fat coconut milk.
Step-by-Step Directions for Lemon Basil Popsicles
- Make simple syrup: In a small sauce pan stir together water and sugar.
- Boil: Bring to a boil and heat until the sugar completely dissolves into the water.
- Cool: Remove from heat and bring to room temperature- I like to pop the simple syrup in the fridge or make it the day before I plan to use it.
- Mix ingredients: In a high powered blender mix together simple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, and coconut milk.
- Blend on high until completely mixed.
- Freeze: Pour into popsicle mold and freeze at least 4 hours to set.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Blender– A high-powered blender will blend the basil to add both flavor and color to the popsicles.
- Juicer– I used a simple citrus juicer to squeeze the lemons.
- Popsicle Molds– The mold I used is dishwasher safe, easy to remove the popsicles from, and makes 10 popsicles at a time.
- Popsicle Sticks– The popsicle mold comes with re-useable sticks but if your household is running anything like mine in the summer, we have at least 20 popsicles in the fridge at a time and need the extra sticks.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Allow the simple syrup to cool. I can’t state this one enough. If you put the simple syrup hot into the popsicle molds they will separate while they cool and you will get a section of simple syrup at the top and the lemon basil part at the bottom.
Storing Tips
Now that you have your popsicles made, here are a few different ways to store them all summer long (like they will last longer than a week…)
- In the molds: Leave them in the molds and take them out one at a time when you are ready to enjoy one.
- Storage container: Remove them from the molds and store them in a freezer-safe bag or storage container for quick and easy removal when you want to enjoy one.
More Dairy-Free Popsicle Recipes
If you tried this recipe feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
You can also get delicious dairy-free recipes and tips by signing up for my newsletter!
Lemon Basil Popsicle
Light, refreshing, and delightfully vegan, these easy lemon basil popsicles make a sweet meets tart treat perfect for the warmest summer days!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Lemon Juice fresh squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 1 cup Basil
- 1 can Coconut Milk full fat
Instructions
-
In a small sauce pan stir together 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar.
-
Bring to a boil and heat until the sugar completely dissolves into the water.
-
Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.
-
In a high powered blender mix together simple syrup, ¾ cup lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, 1 cup basil, and 1 can coconut milk.
-
Blend on high until completely mixed. Pour into popsicle mold and freeze at least 4 hours to set.
Some of the links above contain Amazon affiliate links. These are products and brands I use in my kitchen daily. They pay me a small commission for the referral at no additional cost to you.