Booze-Infused Ice Pops

Only for the over-21 crowd, these frozen treats combine the best fruits of summer with hard alcohol

Nothing says summer like dripping cones and frozen desserts, and these drunken ice-pops make the ideal summertime treat for grown-ups.

You can use the recipes below as a starting point and experiment with any seasonal fruits and alcohol you like, but remember that alcohol has a lower freezing point than juice. It doesn't freeze well, so don't use the exact proportions from your favorite cocktails- you'll end up with a slushy pop. I love making white sangria ice pops for friends, but I halve the alcohol content in my normal drink recipe. For fruit pops, an easy ratio to remember is 1 shot of alcohol (1.5 oz) to 1 cup of fruit juice. So don't expect (and don't try!) to get tipsy off of one ice pop.

You can find ice pop molds everywhere, from your local grocery stores to big-box stores like Target. If you don't have a mold, then you can use small paper cups (Dixie-sized): put the cocktail puree into the cup, cover with foil and then stick a wooden stick into the center of the foil. Freeze. When ready to eat, peel the cup off the frozen pop.

Watermelon "Margarita" Ice Pop

Ingredients:

• 4 cups ripe watermelon, chopped and seeded
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp stevia natural sweetener (truvia, etc)
• 3/4 cup tequila

Directions:

1. Puree fruit and lime juice until smooth (the pops come out pretty if the puree is not perfectly uniform in color).
2. Add tequila and stevia and mix well.
3. Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds with handles.
4. Freeze for at least 5 hours.
5. Enjoy!

Vodka Berry Popsicles

There is some evidence that alcohol increases the antioxidant powers of berries, so think of these pops as your healthy dessert cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh ripe berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries or any combination)
• 3 tsp lime juice
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 4 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Puree fruit and lime juice until smooth.
2. Add vodka, mint, and water and mix well.
3. Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds.
4. Freeze for at least 5 hours.
5. Lick responsibly.