These homemade lime popsicles are incredibly refreshing, bursting with bright fresh lime juice—perfect for cooling down on a hot summer day.
Lime delivers a lively citrus punch that I love—the tartness and zing lift your spirits. These popsicles are simple to make and surprisingly popular with kids and adults alike. The only caveat is time: they need a good freeze to set properly, so plan to make them at least the day before serving. Twelve hours is the minimum, but 24 hours is ideal to make sure they come out of the molds cleanly.
Ingredients
Fresh limes: Use fresh limes for both juice and zest—bottled lime juice won’t give the same bright flavor.
Sugar: White sugar balances the tartness; caster or raw sugar can work if you prefer.
Citric acid: Optional, but a small pinch sharpens the lime flavor.
How to make lime popsicles
Using a peeler, carefully remove four or five strips of zest from two limes.
Mix the citric acid into the sugar. Add one cup (250ml) of water to a small pot with the sugar and citric acid. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Turn the heat down to low, add the lime zest, cover and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool while you juice the limes.
To extract more juice, roll each lime on the counter before cutting, or warm them in the microwave for 20–30 seconds (be cautious with steam). Juice the limes, then remove the zest from the cooled sugar syrup.
Combine the sugar syrup and lime juice in a heatproof jug and add enough water to bring the total volume to about 2 1/2 cups (600ml). Chill in the refrigerator until cold—about two hours.
Hot tip: make sure there is room in your freezer for your popsicle molds before you try to fit them in, or there will be tears!
Pour the chilled mixture into your molds, insert sticks and freeze for at least 12 hours—24 hours is best to ensure they are solid and won’t break when removed.
How to serve
To serve, gently remove the popsicles from the molds and enjoy. If they’re stubborn, run the outside of the mold under warm water for a few seconds to loosen them.
How to store
Store popsicles in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They keep well for up to two months in the freezer, although they rarely last that long in my house.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below!
📋 Recipe
Lime popsicles
These lime popsicles are super refreshing and full of zingy fresh lime juice—perfect for a hot day.
Equipment
- Popsicle molds and sticks
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (84ml) fresh lime juice
- 8 strips lime zest
- ⅓ cup (73g) white sugar
- 1 pinch citric acid (optional)
- Approx. 2 cups (500ml) water, plus extra to total 600ml
Instructions
- Carefully peel the zest from 2 limes using a peeler.
- Juice the limes to yield about ⅓ cup (84ml) of lime juice.
- Mix the citric acid into the sugar.
- In a small pot combine 1 cup (250ml) water, the sugar and citric acid. Heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the lime zest, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, strain out and discard the zest, and allow the syrup to cool.
- Combine the cooled syrup and lime juice in a heatproof jug, then add water until the total volume is about 2 1/2 cups (600ml).
- Chill the mixture until cold, then pour into popsicle molds, add sticks and freeze for at least 12 hours (24 hours recommended).
- Remove from molds and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 55 kcal • Carbohydrates: 14 g • Protein: 0.1 g • Fat: 0.1 g • Sugar: 13 g • Vitamin C: 5 mg
Nutritional information is an estimate. For precise values, calculate using the exact brands you use.
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