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Refreshing watermelon juice infused with aromatic basil and local honey, Watermelon Basil Popsicles are the perfect summer treat.
Who doesn’t love a cold popsicle on a hot summer day? Popsicles are honestly one of my favorite things about summer. They are sweet, cold, and there are so many different flavors and types to choose from.
What I love most about these watermelon basil popsicles is that they are still so sweet while being made with just three simple, natural, and healthy ingredients: watermelon, basil, and honey.
Finding Flavor Tip: Add a watermelon basil popsicle to a glass of wine or prosecco and you have a really fun summer cocktail!
HOW I PICK MY WATERMELON FOR WATERMELON BASIL POPSICLES
There are a ton of different tips out there, to picking out the perfect watermelon. I really do not know if there is a perfect science to it but this is how I pick out my watermelon at the grocery store.
My number one tip is if the dark green lines on the watermelon are two finger widths wided. I heard this tip a while ago and it seems a little silly to me, but I have always gotten a really great watermelon!
Second is size! Bigger is not alway better when it comes to choosing a watermelon. I used to think that the bigger the watermelon the sweeter the juice, but you can get a small watermelon that is just as sweet and delicious. A small watermelon will be more than enough for the watermelon basil popsicles recipe. So, choose the size that is right for you, so you don’t have as much go to waste!
Lastly, get a watermelon that is symmetrical. It does not matter if it is round or oval, just as long as it has a uniform shape. This will guarantee that your watermelon has consistent flavor throughout.
HOW I CUT MY WATERMELON
Cutting watermelon can be tricky and sometimes really messy (I would not blame you if you bought pre-cut)! This is how I cut my watermelon to reduce the hassle and mess.
- Cut off both ends of the watermelon.
- Set the watermelon vertically on one of the ends that you just cut off.
- Run your knife down between the pink part of the fruit and green part, to remove the rind. Do this around the whole watermelon.
- When all of the rind is removed, slice into cubes or triangles.
WHY I USE LOCAL HONEY
I like to use local honey for three main reasons.
- When I eat local honey, I notice a reduction in my seasonal allergies. The bees that make the local honey are pollinating the same plants and trees that are causing my mild allergy symptoms.
- By buying local honey, I am supporting a local small business!
- Local honey just tastes better in my opinion.
WATERMELON BASIL POPSICLE MOLD TRICK
You do not need to have popsicle molds to make watermelon basil popsicles! I repeat, you do not need to have popsicle molds to make this recipe.
I tested a method to make watermelon basil popsicles using two things that you probably already have at home; small dixie cups and plastic spoons. You could also use popsicle sticks, but surprisingly it was really hard for me to find food grade popsicle sticks at my local stores.
Simply fill the cups up with the watermelon basil popsicles mixture, put in a spoon, and freeze. The mixture should be thick enough that the spoons will stand on their own, when placed in carefully.
When frozen, just rinse the cup under warm water or peel off the paper dixie cup and eat!
WATERMELON BASIL POPSICLES
Ingredients
- 4 cups Watermelon Juice
- 1 tbsp Local Honey
- 1/2 cup Chopped Basil
Instructions
- Add about 4 cups of cubed watermelon to a food processor and process on low for about 15 seconds or until the watermelon turns into liquid. *You can also use store bought watermelon juice*
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped basil and 1 tbsp of honey to the watermelon juice and blend together.
- Add mixture to popsicle molds or paper dixie cups, about 3/4 full.*If using dixie cups, don't forget to insert the plastic spoons before freezing*
- Freeze for 4-6 hours or until frozen.
- After frozen, run molds or cups under luke warm water to release the popsicles from the molds. Enjoy!
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