Tropical citrus ice pops are a sweet way to beat the heat

With summer’s hot temperatures pushing triple digits, pretty much everyone I know is embracing all of the ways to cool down, especially if it involves an icy-cold treat.

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Whether your day is spent running errands, shuttling the kids to an activity or even a few hours relaxing in the backyard, there is no other season that begs more for fruit-filled, healthy ice pops on your way out the door.

In an effort to perfect a homemade ice pop recipe that I’ll continue making all summer long, I’ve been experimenting with unique flavor combos to take advantage of the season’s fresh produce. It didn’t take long to discover the one that was the clear winner among my group of taste-testers, and (bonus!) it was the perfect way to get my little ones involved.

To balance out the sweetness from the oranges, we paired each three-level popsicle with tart grapefruit juice and lemons and limes that were dripping with flavor. The result was the perfect combination of citrus, juiciness, tart and tang. And, best of all, the freezer did most of the work while we got to enjoy a few extra sun-filled hours.

Continue reading for a simple recipe that will transport you right to the tropics.

Tropical citrus ice pops

Ingredients:

• 1 orange
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup coconut water
• Lemon sorbet
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 4 large pineapple cubes
• Grapefruit juice

Directions:

1. First layer, the orange layer. Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 orange (peeled and sectioned) and 1/4 cup coconut water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain, then gently pour mixture into the ice pop mold, filling it about 1/3 of the way.
2. Place ice pop stick inside each ice pop and freeze for approximately 3 hours.
3. Second layer, the lemon sorbet layer. Place approximately 1-1/2 cups lemon sorbet in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Mix well until combined and fill ice pop mold to create the “middle layer.” Make sure to keep each popsicle stick inside each popsicle and freeze for approximately 3 more hours.
4. Create the third and final layer, the grapefruit layer. Combine grapefruit juice and 4 large pineapple cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain and pour mixture into the final 1/3 of the ice pop mold.
5. Freeze ice pops overnight, then pull ice pop stick out of mold and serve! (If needed, dip ice pop mold into warm water to help release ice pop.)

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored collaboration between Aquafresh^® toothpaste and SheKnows.