Lemonade Popsicles

These 3-ingredient lemonade popsicles are so easy to make from scratch. Skip buying them in stores and make a batch of these fresh and bright lemonade popsicles at home.

This homemade lemon popsicle recipe only take a couple of minutes to put together and are always a crowd pleaser - perfect for cooling down on a hot summer day! They only take 3 simple ingredients with one of them just being water.

Is there anything as refreshing as a pitcher of homemade lemonade on a hot day? These lemonade popsicles definitely come to mind! They’re so fun to enjoy as you can be mobile with it without worry about spilling a cup of lemonade.

It’s much easier to float in the pool with a popsicle than a drink! It’s the perfect summer treat and our favorite popsicle recipe!

While it might be easy to just buy popsicles at the store, I much prefer making my own, just like I do with these orange creamsicle popsicles.

I get to control what goes into these and can skip filler ingredients, stabilizers, and decide just how tart or sweet I’d like my lemonade mix to be. Everyone has a different preference for tartness so it’s much easier to DIY!

Got questions about cooking with lemon? Check out my complete guide to lemon uses in cooking.

Why this lemonade popsicles recipe works

• This easy lemon recipe doesn’t require a lot of work. You simply bring water to a boil, whisk in the sugar, and then the lemon juice. 
• It’s great for when lemons are in season. More than once I’ve somehow ended up with multiple lemons sitting in a bowl on my countertops so making lemonade popsicles is a great way to use them up before your lemons go bad.
• They are bursting with flavor without having to add artificial flavors.
• Popsicles are the perfect way to cool down in the summer!

The ingredients to make this recipe

Seriously, only 3 ingredients are needed to make these homemade popsicles!

Regular granulated sugar is used to sweeten the lemonade popsicles. 

Freshly juiced lemon juice is key for this recipe. You can also add in some lemon zest as well to add to the lemon flavor, like we do in this Meyer lemon curd.

You will also need popsicles molds or ice cube trays (for mini popsicles), as well as popsicle sticks, to make this recipe.

The full list of ingredients and amounts to make homemade lemon popsicles can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Recipe variations and add-ins

• Substitute honey or maple syrup for the sugar if desired. You can also use a sugar free sweetener.
• If you have an abundance of basil or mint, you can mix it into your lemonade and turn this into a basil lemonade or mint lemonade popsicles.
• If you have strawberries, you can add some strawberry puree to the mix to make a strawberry lemonade popsicle.
• Feel free to swap lemons for any type of citrus - you can use lime juice make lemon lime popsicles.
• You can even freeze them with some chunks of fruit: try strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, red candied cherries, or any other small pieces of fruit like mango to make mango lemonade popsicles!
• Make them beautiful by freezing some edible flowers in them - they'll look so pretty for those summer parties.
• Mix in a few shots of vodka or other alcohol of choice to turn these into adult popsicles.
• Add in ¼ cup of cream or yogurt (try this sous vide yogurt for extra tang) to make them creamy. If you do this, add at least 1 teaspoon of lemon zest in to ensure a nice lemon flavor.
• Try using this cranberry lemonade instead of regular lemonade.

How to juice a lemon without a juicer

With as much as I use citrus in cooking, I don't own a citrus juicer. I find juicing citrus by hand to be effective using these tips:

• Hold your citrus over a small strainer over a bowl to juice to catch any seeds or unwanted pulp.
• Use a fork to tear and twist the pulp to get any extra juice out.
• You can microwave it for 10-20 seconds before squeezing it to get if softer and easier to squeeze.
• Cutting citrus lengthwise makes it easier to get the juice out.

Step by step instructions to make lemon popsicles

1. In a small pan, bring water to a simmer and whisk in sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in fresh lemon juice (and zest if using) until fully incorporated.

2. Take the mixture and carefully pour into popsicle mold, place the lid on and insert the popsicle sticks. Place the popsicles in the freezer and freeze for 5 hours or overnight.

Remove lid and enjoy the popsicles!

Expert tips

1. If desired, you can add lemon zest to the mixture or garnish the popsicles with the zest before serving.
2. Use any size popsicle holder - you can even use an ice cube tray and make mini popsicles.
3. Try to enjoy these popsicles as soon as possible. While they can last a while in the freezer, the popsicle molds aren't 100% airtight and can lead to freezer burn on them over time.
4. I do not recommend using bottled lemon juice. It’s best to use freshly squeezed lemon juice as bottled juice tends to have a bit of a bitter aftertaste. It also doesn’t have as bright of a flavor profile as freshly squeezed!
5. The easiest way to get your lemonade into the popsicle mold is by using a funnel. This way you can get every last drop without any accidental spills!
6. Do not skip allowing the sugar water to cool. When hot, it could potentially melt your popsicle mold.

More summer recipes

If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂