A few months ago, I vowed to eat more desserts. My first week I made an amazing pineapple and rhubarb crumble. It was delicious, but it made me realize something.

Crumble is best with ice cream. Yes, the dairy-free girl said that. I missed the ice cream. I tried making some non-dairy versions, but it was too much work. Believe it or not, I am a very lazy person when it comes to cooking.

After that I was at a standstill. Not wanting to using dairy limited me on one side, and Manatee’s resistance to gluten limited me on the other side. I was stuck in the too-healthy middle.

I wanted sweets, but how could I satisfy my sweet tooth?

It was then I realized I need to re-think desserts. As I was sitting on the couch craving something sweet, Manatee went for his nightly popsicle. Yes, even the clean Manatee has his kryptonite: sugar-free popsicles.

A light bulb went on.

I could solve my dessert dilemma and help Manatee overcome his last non-clean habit: I would make my own popsicles.

I started doing research and was dismayed that many of popsicles on the internet involved dairy in some form.

I began to establish my criteria for the popsicles:

No dairy allowed. 

It couldn’t take longer than mixing together a batch of cookies. Ideally, it should be less work.

It needed to have a minimum number of ingredients, focusing on fresh produce. 

It needed to contain as little sugar as possible, preferably it should use agave nectar and that should also be kept to a minimum.

I started with watermelon and blueberry popsicles.

Watermelon and Blueberry Popsicles1

They satisfied my need for sweet but didn’t have the texture of popular processed versions.

I talked around and did some research on homemade popsicles in general. To get a smoother texture, I would need to strain the fruit. All recipes seem to call for a sweet fruit, water, an acidic element, and sugar in some form. Not happy with any existing recipes, I cobbled together my own.

I decided to focus on my efforts on blackberries. 

Washing blackberries

I knew I also wanted to use limes and agave nectar.

The result was a smooth and tangy homemade ice pop that will refresh and nourish your body. Great for summer snacks, weekend treats, and especially for dessert on warm summer nights. 

Blackberry and Lime Popsicles

Makes six 7.2 ounce ice pops

5 cups blackberries
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 tablespoons lime juice

Puree the berries in the blender.

Using a fine mesh strainer or chinois, strain the berries into a medium sized bowl.

Whisk together the berries, lime juice, water, and agave nectar. It should taste a little too sweet because you will lose some sweetness in freezing.

Pour berry mixture into popsicle molds. Make sure to leave a 1/4 inch space at the top of the mold to allow for expansion.

Freeze for at least 5 hours.

Un-mold and enjoy!

Homemade Blackberry Popsicle pics

Notes:

Blackberries can stain. Don’t be like me and wear a white shirt when making them. Yes, there was a reason, I didn’t photograph every step of the process and why I will no longer be wearing that shirt.

Straining is optional. It really doesn’t take that long, but if you like blackberry seeds, leave them in. It will make for a more rustic pop.

If straining, make sure to really push down on the berries as you strain. This allows you to get more juice for your buck.

Homemade Blackberry Popsicle pics

Recipe Review:

I felt like cheering when I took my first bite.

The texture was smooth and the flavor was sweet blackberry with a slight lime tang. All natural, all good for you, all refreshing. 

Even with straining, they didn’t take long to make. Manatee was even impressed.

And with popsicles, that takes a lot.

I am also proud of how much sugar I cut out. Most recipes call for 1/2 to 2/3 cups of sugar. I got out with just 3 tablespoons of agave nectar.

No dairy.

Easy and quick.

Amazing flavor.

Yes, I think we can call this recipe a success in my book.

Homemade Blackberry Popsicle pics

Now, if you don’t mind, I have some popsicles to eat. Unlike cookies, these babies melt.

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What are your favorite summer treats? Any flavor requests for round 3 of popsicle making?

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