# The secret to homemade popsicles...why so watery? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496 "2009-02-05T00:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/1 "2009-02-05T00:13:26Z")
Anyone have a good recipe for homemade popsicles? When I just take a nice juice and freeze it, the yummy part kinda separates from the water, so that I end up sucking on an ice cube. Commercial popsicles manage to stay flavorful all the way, for the most part. What’s the secret? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/2 "2009-02-05T00:16:01Z")
Rapid freezing. Doesn’t give it time to separate during the freezing/crystalization process. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/3 "2009-02-05T00:24:04Z")
if you read the ingredients on store-boughten popsicles, you’ll see all kinds of emulsifiers and stabilizers. I don’t know what the homemade equivalents would be; gelatin? tapioca? google around, see what you find. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/4 "2009-02-05T00:27:39Z")
Yeah, when we made popsicles when I was young, we put some jello power into the mix. 😃 But then, we weren’t using real juice either, just koolaid punch for the other half. I don’t remember the proportions offhand. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/5 "2009-02-05T03:59:28Z")
I remember seeing on [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoNI4N3xYmE) on ABC Saturday mornings all the time but I never tried it myself. Unfortunately Timer doesn’t mention any “tricks” for preventing a half water/half juice-sicle. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/6 "2009-02-05T12:41:25Z")
Try this [link](http://www.howstuffworks.com/question499.htm). ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/7 "2009-02-05T12:53:05Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > I remember seeing on [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoNI4N3xYmE) on ABC Saturday mornings all the time but I never tried it myself. Unfortunately Timer doesn’t mention any “tricks” for preventing a half water/half juice-sicle. I’ve been looking for Timer videos forever. Thank you! Robin ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/8 "2009-02-05T17:33:43Z")
It’s a little more trouble, but I’ve made excellent popsicles by putting the juice in my ice cream maker first. When it’s frozen but still soft I spoon it into cups and insert a stick, then freeze solid. One of these days I’m going to try creamsicles. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/9 "2009-02-05T18:31:02Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Try this [link](http://www.howstuffworks.com/question499.htm). I find it irritating that emulsifiers aren’t available to consumers. Try making a frappachino in your blender at home. Without carrageenan, it comes out as crunchy watery coffee instead of slushy goodness like you get at Starbucks. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/10 "2009-02-05T21:53:05Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I find it irritating that emulsifiers aren’t available to consumers. Try making a frappachino in your blender at home. Without carrageenan, it comes out as crunchy watery coffee instead of slushy goodness like you get at Starbucks. Try throwing in a frozen banana. It would probably help if we had those industrial blenders that they have too. Like [this](http://www.willitblend.com/videos.aspx) one. But really, coffee, banana and ice cream/fro-yo is a fantastic [combo](http://www.jugojuice.com/component/option,com_jugomenu/task,view/id,52/Itemid,4/). Good thing we don’t have the [Jugo Juice](http://www.jugojuice.com/) chain here in Chicago, or I’d gain ten pounds ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/11 "2009-02-05T22:22:56Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I find it irritating that emulsifiers aren’t available to consumers. Try making a frappachino in your blender at home. Without carrageenan, it comes out as crunchy watery coffee instead of slushy goodness like you get at Starbucks. I had no idea… hmmm. It looks like gelatin is the ticket, from what I can see. Although avoiding a “frozen jello” texture must be a bit of a challenge. Perhaps pectin? ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/12 "2009-02-05T23:02:20Z")
Memories of a neighbor family when I was a kid regularly having homemade Kool-Aid “pops” in their freezer just came back to me (made in what was probably a Tupperware™ container). Unfortunately I can’t help if there was a trick beyond freezing plain Kool-Aid though. The resulting texture was different than a colored ice cube and different than a grocery store popsicle. I remember it as being “filmy” and stained my clothes like you wouldn’t believe. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/13 "2009-02-05T23:49:30Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I had no idea… hmmm. > > It looks like gelatin is the ticket, from what I can see. Although avoiding a “frozen jello” texture must be a bit of a challenge. > > Perhaps pectin? Well, I called my mom to ask her about the mix, she even checked her metal recipe box, couldn’t find it written down, but here’s what we remember from talking it out. Start with: one pack jell-o mix, (regular size - weighs 85g and basic directions call for mixing up with 2 cups water.) 1 packet of unsweetened kool-aid mix, (weighs 6g, makes up 8 cups.) 1 cup of sugar. Empty the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups boiling hot water, and mix thoroughly. Add 2 cups ice-cold water, and mix again. Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze overnight. The consistency is not like store-bought popsicles, but I enjoyed them a lot. There was indeed something just a bit jelly-like about the texture after you’d been sucking on them for a while, but I think that’s better than getting ice that has had all the flavour sucked out of it. If anybody mixes this up, please post to let us know how it went! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/14 "2009-02-05T23:54:45Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > I’ve been looking for Timer videos forever. Thank you! > > Robin …but then you’re just going to hanker for a hunk of, a slab or slice or chunk of, ..hanker for a hunk of cheese. Funny how it feels when you lay your eyes on something from your past for the first time in years. It’s like it fires off little young synapses that have lain dormant for all those years… ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/15 "2009-02-06T00:57:38Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I find it irritating that emulsifiers aren’t available to consumers. Try making a frappachino in your blender at home. Without carrageenan, it comes out as crunchy watery coffee instead of slushy goodness like you get at Starbucks. Can’t you [buy it online](http://www.mondofood.com/iota-carrageenan-p-604.html)? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/16 "2009-02-06T04:28:29Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Well, I called my mom to ask her about the mix, she even checked her metal recipe box, couldn’t find it written down, but here’s what we remember from talking it out. > > Start with: > one pack jell-o mix, (regular size - weighs 85g and basic directions call for mixing up with 2 cups water.) > 1 packet of unsweetened kool-aid mix, (weighs 6g, makes up 8 cups.) > 1 cup of sugar. > > Empty the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups boiling hot water, and mix thoroughly. Add 2 cups ice-cold water, and mix again. Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze overnight. > > The consistency is not like store-bought popsicles, but I enjoyed them a lot. There was indeed something just a bit jelly-like about the texture after you’d been sucking on them for a while, but I think that’s better than getting ice that has had all the flavour sucked out of it. > > If anybody mixes this up, please post to let us know how it went! 🙂 This is the recipe that my family has used for years and years, and it is great! The Jello gives it a better consistency than just using juice or Kool-Aid, which freezes too hard and ice-like. You can bite into the popsicle without breaking a tooth! When I want to make fruit juice popsicles, I use unflavored gelatin, dissolved in the juice (I believe I had to simmer the juice and gelatin over a low flame until it dissolved, but I can’t find my recipe right this second…I think it may be on the package of Knox Gelatin, though). And we make Fudgesicles with Chocolate instant pudding mix and four cups milk. Or I’ll use vanilla or white chocolate pudding, and add fresh fruit. ---
**Author:** ![unicorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/35a633/32.png) [@unicorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unicorn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/17 "2010-04-14T18:56:37Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Anyone have a good recipe for homemade popsicles? When I just take a nice juice and freeze it, the yummy part kinda separates from the water, so that I end up sucking on an ice cube. Commercial popsicles manage to stay flavorful all the way, for the most part. > > What’s the secret? Thanks for all the secret ways to make popsicles. But does anyone have a good way to get them out of the mold with out half melting them? Thanks:) ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/18 "2010-04-14T19:07:17Z")
I wonder how popsicles using agar agar would turn out. Agar doesn’t have to be heated to such a high temperature, so you wouldn’t have to boil the juice. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/19 "2010-04-14T19:56:47Z")
> [@unicorn](#): > > Thanks for all the secret ways to make popsicles. But does anyone have a good way to get them out of the mold with out half melting them? Thanks:) Attack of the zombie popsicles! Aaagh!! :eek: Um, it’s been long enough that I don’t clearly remember that part, except… Run the outside of the mold under very hot water for no more than a second or two. Do not let any hot water get inside the mold. Then start carefully pulling the popsicle stick, while bracing against the mold. Results not guaranteed. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496/20 "2010-04-14T20:37:49Z")
[Popsicle Maker](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/zoku-quick-pop-maker/?pkey=x%7C4%7C1%7C%7C4%7Cpopsicles%7C%7C0&cm_src=SCH) we have that is awesome. Zoku from Williams-Sonoma. It freezes in 7-10 minutes so the texture is like store bought (no big crystals) and they have a screw mechanism to get the popsicles out. I highly recommend it. It would easily do 3 sets of popsicles before needing to refreeze the block. We’ve tried ice tea, smoothy (Naked), chocolate milk, Kool-Aid, apple juice. They are all great. I am convince that the fast freezing and more homogenous popsicle is the key to enjoyment- you don’t need to make them overly sugary sweet. \*Two hints for users: 1. keep the Zoku “block” upside down in the freezer to keep gunk and ice crystals out. 2. Just wipe out the slots with a warm wet rag when you are done and only thaw and wash it every 4 or more uses. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-to-homemade-popsicles-why-so-watery/484496.md?page=2)