Lemonade Yogurt Popsicles

Yogurt can be a great ingredient in popsicles because it can help build a creamy base for a pop. Popsicles made with juice alone tend to be a little on the icy side and the yogurt mitigates that, giving the treat a much smoother melt and richer mouthfeel. Still, a popsicle should be refreshing (or you’d just have ice cream, right?), so I used fresh lemon juice to give a lemonade zip to these popsicles.

The popsicle mixture has just lemon juice, sugar and plain yogurt. Vanilla yogurt will work, too,. Regardless of which flavor yogurt you wish to work with, I recommend using a low fat version over a nonfat because the consistency will be slightly better. It won’t be bad with the nonfat, but it might be a tiny bit icier to bite into (the melt is still pretty good, though). I basically just heated the lemon juice, dissolved the sugar in it and then mixed the strong “lemonade” into the yogurt before freezing. The pops are zesty and refreshing, with a slight yogurt tang that goes well with the lemon. Lime also works well in these.

My popsicle molds hold just about 3-oz each. It may vary widely by shape and manufacturer. I used Tovolo Rocket Pop Molds, which I like because of their fantastic shape and good overall design. So, in light of sizing differences, be aware that you might need a bit more or a bit less of the yogurt mixture to make your popsicles.

Lemonade Yogurt Popsicles
1 1/3 cups lowfat yogurt, plain or vanilla
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp sugar

In a small, microwave safe bowl, heat up the lemon juice and dissolve all the sugar into it.
Pour lemon mixture into a medium bowl with the yogurt and whisk until smooth.
Divide into popsicle molds and freeze, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Dip popsicle molds in hot water to release the pops before serving.

Makes 4 (with my mold)