Naturally Red White and Blue Popsicles (Refined Sugar and Dye Free)
These Naturally Red, White and Blue Popsicles are the perfect way to celebrate the 4th. They’re packed with fruit, fun to eat, and are refined sugar- and dye-free. Plus they’re super easy to make. Happy 4th of July!
Who’s excited for the 4th of July? We certainly are around here, as my 3-year-old has been running around the house waving a little American flag for the past several weeks. I think she’s most excited about riding in her new blue wagon for the 4th and equally excited about decorating it with her flags. Also, wearing her blue “stars and stripes” tutu skirt. The girl has her priorities.
She’s also pretty excited about these popsicles. I admit that I’m not particularly crafty when it comes to holiday-themed decorations or food, but when she asked for popsicles I figured I could give a natural red, white and blue layered version a try. When I looked around online I found plenty of options, many of which were made using sugar water and food coloring. While the sugar-water-food-coloring popsicles were cute, I thought I might be able to create a similar party-worthy version, but without the processed ingredients.
These Naturally Red, White, and Blue Popsicles are made by layering a coconut water and blueberry mixture with a slightly sweet coconut milk layer, followed by a strawberry puree layer. The end result is super tasty and pretty darn cute, sure to be a hit at any party or barbecue. They are naturally dye-free, refined sugar-free dairy-free, and gluten-free.
The trick to making the layers work in this recipe is to allow each at least an hour and a half to freeze before adding the next layer. If you try to cheat the freezing time you’ll end up with layers mixing together. They’ll still taste great, but you won’t be able to see the separate red, white, and blue.
There’s a link to the popsicle molds I used at the bottom of this post, though any mold should work. I give suggested measurements for each layer, but keep in mind that the exact amount will depend on the size of your mold. Ultimately you just want each layer to fill a third of the mold. Be sure to taste each layer for sweetness before pouring into the molds, as this is the only time you’ll be able to make adjustments. For sweeter popsicles add more maple syrup, and for less sweetness add less.
Now, onto the recipe!
Naturally Red White and Blue Popsicles (Refined Sugar and Dye Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut water
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk, from a can
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ to ½ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Make the blueberry layer: Add 1 tablespoon blueberries to each popsicle mold. Add 2-3 tablespoons coconut water to each mold, enough to just cover the blueberries. Freeze for at least 1 ½ hours.
- Make the coconut layer: Whisk together the coconut milk with 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup. Taste, adding additional maple syrup until the mixture reaches the preferred level of sweetness. Remove the molds from the freezer, then add 2-3 tablespoons of the sweetened coconut milk to each mold. Add the popsicle stick and freeze an additional 1 ½ hours.
- Make the strawberry layer: Add the strawberries and 1-3 tablespoons maple syrup to a blender. Blend on high until the strawberries are pureed. Taste, adding additional maple syrup until the mixture reaches the preferred level of sweetness. Remove the molds from the freezer and remove the popsicle sticks from the molds. Add 2-3 tablespoons strawberry puree to each mold, then replace the sticks. Freeze an additional 1 ½ hour or overnight.
- To serve, run the molds under warm water to release the popsicle.
