3-Ingredient Pineapple Popsicles Start With Canned Coconut Milk

Just like Giada de Laurentiis's three-ingredient sorbet, this pineapple popsicle is too easy not to make. While pineapple provides most of the flavor, and anything from honey to agave nectar to corn syrup can bring the sweetness, coconut milk is the most irreplaceable ingredient, providing both taste and texture.

All you need to do is blend nine parts pineapple, one part coconut milk, and a bit of sweet syrup before pouring them into molds and letting them sit. But unlike other popsicles, which are essentially just flavored ice, these turn out exceptionally creamy thanks to the same principle behind three-ingredient, no-churn ice cream: using enough fat. Full-fat coconut milk can be an alternative for heavy cream in recipes like this because, just like dairy cream, it inhibits the formation of large ice crystals. Were you to use low-fat coconut milk, you would have to add so much that its flavor overpowers the pineapple to get the same texture.

Be sure to also blend your mixture extremely thoroughly. While this, of course, eliminates big chunks of fruit and distributes flavors evenly, doing so also reduces ice crystal growth further. You need to introduce a bit of air into your mixture if you want a creamy texture; otherwise, you end up with just a delicious ice block. Provided you observe these principles, you can expand on this recipe to create any number of new flavors with additional ingredients, new fruits, and even booze!

A key component behind this simple, three-ingredient recipe is the balance of moisture, sugar, and fat. While sugar and fat may keep the concoction creamy, you need enough moisture for your treat to melt properly when licked and for you to get all of that flavor. You'll need to maintain this ratio for the best product, but that doesn't mean you can't adjust it for new and better flavors. 

If you want to substitute the pineapple for another fruit, try to stick with something that has the same rough percentage of water. Pineapple is around 87% water, so raspberries, oranges, and cranberries are the best substitutes. Still, peaches, blueberries, watermelon, and strawberries are pretty close, so they should also work without needing to make any major changes to the recipe. You'll want to avoid adding bananas since they're only 74% water, and apples may be too fibrous to create a smooth texture.

If you want to make some boozy poolside ice pops, try adding one part liquor to five parts of your fruit blend. This is a solid ratio to ensure there's a noticeable amount of alcohol, but not so much that your treats have trouble freezing. Sprinkles of herbs like mint and rosemary are also great at upgrading their flavor. Just be sure to chop them extra fine so they don't interfere with your popsicles' texture and spread evenly throughout your mixture.