I’m a huge fan of dessert and when liquor finds it’s way onto the ingredient list the treat becomes even better. Now add to that something icy cold to help cool down during a hot summer day and my only response will be when where and how. So when I came across a recipe for a home brewed version of root beer made into a float with a heavy dash of home infused vanilla vodka my mouth began to water. And that got me thinking about other frozen treats reimagined with liquor…which led me to popsicles and the 10 amazing boozy versions below. With it being a major summer holiday and all, I can’t imagine a better way to get treat your friends to something functional and homemade.
Check them out below and if you want to go the whole rootbeer float route just make sure you grab a bottle of vanilla vodka since their isn’t enough time for optimal infusion.
Now get to freezing…
BOURBON BUTTERSCOTCH LATTE POPSICLES (recipe from Endless Simmer)
- 16 oz. strong or extra bold coffee, room temperature
- 4 oz. heavy cream
- 4 oz. bourbon
- 2 oz. butterscotch sauce
Add all ingredients into a blender and mix to combine. Pour mixture into popsicles mold.
Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds
COCONUT MANGO WHITE RUM POPSICLES (recipe from Refinery29)
- 2/3 cup white rum
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (about 1 2/3 cups)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 mangoes (about 3 cups)
Peel mangoes and cut away from the seed (or just save yourself a headache and buy the precut – we’ll never tell). Chop into large bite-sized pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine rum and sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves (note: You can always use the stove to heat up this combo and move the process along. Just replace any rum that cooks off in the process).
Pour in coconut milk and whisk together until well-combined. Stir in mango and ladle into molds. Stick ’em in the freezer, and wait with bated breath until this glorious confection is ready.
MINT JULEP POPSICLES (recipe from HonestlyYum)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup mint
- 1/3 cup bourbon
Add sugar and water to a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and add the fresh mint. Using a muddler or wooden spoon, lightly muddle the mint. Let steep until the mixture has cooled to room temperature (~45 minutes). Once cooled, strain through a fine mesh strainer.
Add the bourbon and stir to combine, then pour into your popsicle molds. Place in the freezer. Check back after about 45 minutes (depending on the temperature of your freezer) and add your popsicle sticks. Keep in the freezer until frozen solid.
Once the popsicles have frozen and you’re ready to enjoy, carefully remove them from the molds.
WATERMELON MINT TEQUILA POPSICLES (recipe from HUNGRY GIRL por vida)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh mint, torn coarsely
- 4 cups watermelon, cubed
- juice of 2 limes
- 1/3 cup tequila
In a small saucepan combine water, sugar, and mint. Bring to a boil, to dissovle sugar, and boil 60 seconds. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set syrup aside.
With a stick blender, regular blender, or food processor, puree the watermelon with the lime juice. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds and bits. Stir in tequila and mint syrup. Divide the mixture between popsicle molds, freeze for 30 minutes before adding sticks–contine to freeze until solid 12-24 hours.
MAPLE BROWN DERBY COCKTAIL POPS (recipe from HUNGRY GIRL por vida)
- 2 1/2 cups fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice (about 4 medium grapefruits)
- 1/3-1/2 cup pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet your fruit is)
- 1 ounce bourbon
- a few dashes of bitters (I did about 6)
In a mixing bowl whisk together all of the ingredients to combine. Divide the liquid between the 10 ice pop molds and freeze for 1 hour* before inserting popsicle sticks. Continue to freeze for several hours until frozen solid.
*Recipe Tip -You can soak/saturate the sticks in boiling water before making the pops, so you can insert the sticks immediately without waiting for the pops to set up.*
LEMON PALE ALE BEER POPSICLES (recipe from The Beeroness)
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 4 large lemons)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup pale ale
Mix all together in a pitcher or measuring cup with a spout, stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 6 hours. Run molds under hot water until the popsicles release.
GUINNESS & CREAM POPSICLES (recipe from eat knit & diy)
- 1 can Guinness (about 2 cups)
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 2 tbl. sugar
- 1 tbl. cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pop open your can of Guinness to allow some of the carbonation (and nitrogen!) to escape. Combine heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt and cocoa powder in a pot on the stove and heat gently while whisking until the sugar and coca powder have dissolved. Allow to cool for a bit. Add Guinness and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze to set, about 4 hours.
TROPICAL TEQUILA SUNRISE POPSICLES (recipe from Real Food by Dad)
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 lb, fresh pineapple, peeled and pureed
- 3/4 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup grenadine
Combine and stir pineapple juice, pureed pineapple and tequila. Fill popsicle wells 3/4 way up with pineapple mixture. Pour 1 teaspoon of grenadine into each well.
**NOTES** (1) The recipe makes a total of 32 oz. The amount of popsicles it yields will vary on the mold used. The mold used in the photo yields sixteen 3oz popsicles. (2) If your popsicle mold does not have a top, cover the top with foil and outline each well with your fingers. Cut a tiny slit in the middle of each well and insert popsicle stick.
CUCUMBER GINGER GIN POPSICLES (recipe from ShutterBean)
- 1 large cucumber, peeled with seeds removed
- juice of 2 limes
- 2 oz. simple syrup
- 2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
- 1 cup Reed’s ginger beer
In a blender combine cucumber, lime juice, simple syrup and gin blend until mixture is smooth. Add ginger beer and blend for 5 seconds to incorporated. Fill the ice pop molds with the cucumber gin mixture about 3/4 full. Place molds in the freezer for about an hour and then put the ice pop sticks in the mold. Freeze for 12 hours to guarantee popsicles have set before serving.
MUDSLIDE ON A STICK POPSICLES (recipe from Endless Simmer)
- 18 oz. vanilla yogurt
- 1 banana, medium size (2oz)
- 3 oz. vodka
- 3 oz. Kahlua
- 3 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 3 tablespoons grated chocolate
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, about 1-2minutes.
Freeze for about 1 hour or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 5-7 seconds.
And lets not forget the recipe that started it all
ROOT BEER FLOAT POPTAILS (recipe from Mis-Cakes Oven Adventures)
- 1cup root beer schnapps or vanilla vodka
- 1 1/2 cup of flattened root beer
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Check out the full recipe on her blog and this one may take a bit more time to prepare so maybe opt to showcase this bad boy at the after party continuation on Saturday.
Happy 4th of July and heres to a booze filled weekend!!
Prepare root beer schnapps by placing alcohol in a heavy bottomed 2 quart sauce pan. A different sized sauce pan may affected how much alcohol is left. (You will need 3/4 c). Turn heat to high, keeping your eyes on the pot at all times, heat until it begins to bubble. As soon as it bubbles, set your timer for 2 minutes. You don’t have to wait until it’s full on boiling. When the times sounds remove the pan from the heat right away. Immediately, being very careful pour liquid into a heatproof container. Don’t leave it in the pan. Cool completely.
Once your alcohol is chilled and your root beer is flat combined cream, alcohol and root beer in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.
Carefully divide mixture between your chosen popsicle moulds. I used rocket shaped ones I got from Michael’s. Don’t fill the moulds right to the top. Leave a small amount of room for expansion.
Top with ice pop sticks or reusable ice pop tops with attached sticks. Let the pops freeze at least 24 hours.
– See more at: http://www.ovenadventures.com/2012/08/24/big-girl-root-beery-float-poptail/#sthash.bXpgkkct.dpuf
Prepare root beer schnapps by placing alcohol in a heavy bottomed 2 quart sauce pan. A different sized sauce pan may affected how much alcohol is left. (You will need 3/4 c). Turn heat to high, keeping your eyes on the pot at all times, heat until it begins to bubble. As soon as it bubbles, set your timer for 2 minutes. You don’t have to wait until it’s full on boiling. When the times sounds remove the pan from the heat right away. Immediately, being very careful pour liquid into a heatproof container. Don’t leave it in the pan. Cool completely.
Once your alcohol is chilled and your root beer is flat combined cream, alcohol and root beer in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.
Carefully divide mixture between your chosen popsicle moulds. I used rocket shaped ones I got from Michael’s. Don’t fill the moulds right to the top. Leave a small amount of room for expansion.
Top with ice pop sticks or reusable ice pop tops with attached sticks. Let the pops freeze at least 24 hours.
– See more at: http://www.ovenadventures.com/2012/08/24/big-girl-root-beery-float-poptail/#sthash.bXpgkkct.dpuf
Prepare root beer schnapps by placing alcohol in a heavy bottomed 2 quart sauce pan. A different sized sauce pan may affected how much alcohol is left. (You will need 3/4 c). Turn heat to high, keeping your eyes on the pot at all times, heat until it begins to bubble. As soon as it bubbles, set your timer for 2 minutes. You don’t have to wait until it’s full on boiling. When the times sounds remove the pan from the heat right away. Immediately, being very careful pour liquid into a heatproof container. Don’t leave it in the pan. Cool completely.
Once your alcohol is chilled and your root beer is flat combined cream, alcohol and root beer in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.
Carefully divide mixture between your chosen popsicle moulds. I used rocket shaped ones I got from Michael’s. Don’t fill the moulds right to the top. Leave a small amount of room for expansion.
Top with ice pop sticks or reusable ice pop tops with attached sticks. Let the pops freeze at least 24 hours.
– See more at: http://www.ovenadventures.com/2012/08/24/big-girl-root-beery-float-poptail/#sthash.bXpgkkct.dpuf
1 1/2 c flattened root beer
1/4 c heavy (whipping) cream – See more at: http://www.ovenadventures.com/2012/08/24/big-girl-root-beery-float-poptail/#sthash.bXpgkkct.dpuf
1 1/2 c flattened root beer
1/4 c heavy (whipping) cream – See more at: http://www.ovenadventures.com/2012/08/24/big-girl-root-beery-float-poptail/#sthash.bXpgkkct.dpuf
Style Thirst 