You guys!

 

I’ve missed you.

I took a brief hiatus from Ice Cream Dreamland to focus on some grown-up things, like finishing grad school (yay!), planning a wedding (double yay!) and trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet (yuck).

Also… I had a birthday. Hello, 27! It’s nice to meet you.

Although most people don’t consider 27 to be a milestone birthday, I sort of disagree. This year marks my official ascent into the *late* twenties, and that’s a pretty big deal. At 26, you’re still sort of in that “mid” twenties range, where you can still get away with the I-don’t-have-to-be-an-adult-all-the-time thing. But now, I’m a full-fledged grown up.

I’ve got no excuses. It’s time to get to get my ish together, people!

And by ish, clearly I mean popsicles. Because what better way to celebrate entrance into a new age bracket than with a fun summer treat?

I realized earlier today that this is the second frozen citrus pie concoction I’ve written about lately, but I just couldn’t help it. After a brutal winter, it’s finally warm and sunny in Ohio, and I just want things that remind me of summer and sunshine. Plus, key limes aren’t always easy to find in our neck of the woods, so I wanted to jump on the opportunity when I saw them at our local grocery store.

I made these pops in my handy Zoku Quick Pop Maker, which is by far my most favorite kitchen gadget of all time (and believe me, my kitchen has seen a LOT of gadgets).

I just love it. It ‘s fun and easy to use and looks super cute sitting in my freezer. Oh, and the best part? It makes frozen pops in less than ten minutes!

It took some major pleading and negotiating with my better half to get him to agree to the Zoku. Then, one Valentine’s Day, it just arrived magically on the doorstep (with all the accessories, I might add. Brownie points.)

This was the very first recipe that I made in the Zoku, and it was a real winner. I believe my fiancé referred to these pops as an “instant return on investment.”

These pops are tangy, fresh, and bursting with summertime flavor. Of course, you can use any ice pop molds to make this recipe, it just might take a little longer (and by a little longer, I mean hours and hours).

Happy scooping! 🙂

 

Key Lime Pie Ice Pops

Adapted from Zoku Quick Pops by Jackie Zorovich and Kristina Sacci

Yield: 6 Ice Pops (in the Zoku)

You will need:

For the ice pop

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup key lime juice (fresh or store bought)

2 tbsp honey

Decorations

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Thin lime slices (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk all of the ice pop ingredients together until well incorporated.
2. Fill ice pop molds halfway with mixture, then freeze until completely hardened.
3. Add a layer of graham cracker crumbs atop the frozen layer, packing down with a chopstick or similar object.
4. Fill the rest of the mold with the key lime mixture, or add in another layer of graham crumbs. (Just be sure your last layer is ice pop and not graham cracker – the crackers will crumble all over the place).
5. Freeze thoroughly, then enjoy the sweet summery goodness!