Tropical Pineapple and Mixed Berry Ice Pops {Zoku Quick Pop Maker Recipe}

Summer vacation starts next week! I can’t wait for hot days hanging out in our neighbourhood, running through the sprinkler, and sitting on the steps eating popsicles. I remember way back when I would experiment with making popsicles in those plastic pop trays that you put in the freezer overnight. Fun, but as a kid it took FOREVER! There were never popsicles ready when I wanted one.

I was really excited to try out the Zoku Quick Pop Maker for this very reason. The Zoku claims to make ice pops in as little as seven minutes right on your counter top. Here’s what you get in the box: the pop maker, six sticks, six drip guards, and the Super Tool remover.

The Zoku Quick Pop Maker is so simple to use. Just put the unit in the freezer for at least 24 hours before first use. When you’re ready for some ice pops, insert the sticks, pour in your liquid, then watch it freeze! Zoku advertises you can get three batches of three pops before needing to refreeze the Zoku, but you only get six sticks with this set. That works out okay with four of us in the family, but I would really like to get another set of sticks so I can make a few extra pops for the next day.

This set doesn’t come with any recipes, so I came up with my own. I wanted to make healthy as well as delicious ice pops so I skipped the sugary drinks for my pops. I’ve mentioned before that both hubs and Kay are dairy-intolerant so unfortunately yogurt was also out. Instead I whipped up some Tropical Pineapple and Mixed Berry Ice Pops with coconut milk, frozen mixed berries, pineapple, and a touch of vanilla and cinnamon.

I decided to get creative with some beautiful local strawberries I had in my fridge. I cut them into thin slices and gently pressed them on the inside of the pop molds using a pair of chopsticks. I inserted the Zoku sticks in and poured the berry-pineapple-coconut mix in. They were the most tasty pops evah! Everybody wanted seconds, and because they were just fruit and coconut milk with no added sugar, I was happy to oblige. Healthy and delicious!

This little machine does exactly what it says it does. It took 8 minutes for the first batch to be frozen solid all the way through, and 11 minutes for the second batch. By the time the second set was frozen, we’d already eaten the first so I gave the sticks a quick wash and popped them back in the Zoku for a third batch that froze in about 15 minutes.

One important thing to note is that the pops need some sugar content for them to release from the mold. Water, carbonated beverages, and artificially sweetened liquids will stick inside the molds. I never added any sugar to my mixes though – the natural sugars in the fruit worked just fine. The included Super Tool screws onto the handle and pulls the ice pop out. It worked every time, and I never had any trouble with ice pops getting stuck inside.

I’ve been using our Zoku Quick Pop Maker every day, and I think it’s going to get a lot of use this summer. Aren’t you craving one of these fun ice pops now? It’s like a Rorschach inkblot test crossed with some abstract art. The girls thought they were extra delicious like this.

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The Zoku Quick Pop Maker comes in six colours and is available at Amazon.com. Connect with Zoku on Facebook and Twitter for new products, promotions, fun recipes, and treat ideas.

Disclosure: I received a sample item for review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. This West Coast Mommy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.