We are so lucky to have popsicles. Not only are they delicious, they offer respite from sweltering heat, and make a fantastic base for Frosé. But alcohol is unfriendly to ice crystal formation, and making one of those trendy pink slushies requires at least two pops. But you don’t have to make a slushy; a popsicle can do wonderful things to a cocktail in its melted state.
A pop that’s mostly made of fruit puree, fruit juice, and sugar offers a pretty stellar combination of cocktail ingredients that cool as they flavor. I like the Outshine brand, but any popsicle with a similar ingredients list will do (a fruit-flavored paleta would be absolutely stellar). Pick your favorite flavor, then blend that pop with a shot of booze and a little citrus juice. Pour it over ice. There: You just made a fruity, fun, summery cocktail.
I haven’t tried all of the possible variations—how could I?—but it’s very plug-and-play method, kind of like the jam jar cocktail. You provide the alcohol and a little acid, and the popsicle provides the sugar, body, and modifying fruit flavor. Vodka works well with virtually every popsicle flavor, but it’s fun to get clever with your flavor matching. My personal favorite is a blend of cachaça, a mango-flavored Outshine popsicle, and lime juice. To make this sunny treat, you will need:
1 1/2 ounces cachaça
1 mango-flavored Outshine popsicle
1/2 ounce lime juice
Scrape the popsicle off the stick and into a blender, or a cup wide enough to accommodate the head of an immersion blender. Add the booze and lime, then blend until the popsicle is just melted. Pour into a lowball glass, filling any remaining space with ice. Garnish with a popsicle stick (for a bit of whimsy), then drink and repeat with another liquor and another popsicle until you are (tragically) out of popsicles.