Mexican Paletas: 3 Fresh Fruit Ice Pop Recipes

Quick Summary: Homemade Mexican-style ice pops made with fresh fruit, lime, and sugar substitutes. Three recipes included: spicy strawberry vanilla, blackberry lime, and creamy coffee cinnamon. All you need is a blender, molds, and a freezer. Prep time: 10 minutes | Freeze time: 4+ hours | Makes: 4 paletas per recipe

Jump to: RECIPE | Paletas vs Popsicles | How to Make Them | Flavor Ideas | Substitutions or Additions | FAQ

Paletas are Mexican ice pops made with fresh fruit, a little sweetener, and often a hint of spice or citrus. They’re less sweet than American popsicles and made with real ingredients instead of artificial flavors and neon dyes.

The basic method is simple: blend fruit with liquid and a touch of sweetener, pour into molds, freeze. You can leave chunks of fruit in the puree or strain for a smoother texture.

I’ve included three versions below. Strawberry vanilla has a subtle chipotle kick. Blackberry lime is bright and tart. Coffee cinnamon is creamy and rich, inspired by traditional Mexican coffee flavors. All use Truvia to keep the carbs low, but you can swap in any sweetener you prefer.

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Paletas vs Popsicles

Paletas are, in their simplest form, simply Mexican fresh-fruit ices, traditionally made with all natural ingredients.  Paletas are distinctive to Latin American cultures and the word paleta means “little stick or trowel” in Spanish. 

Paletas are only slightly sweet, as opposed to the sweeter popsicles, and they are hand-made from a variety of fresh ingredients. 

Ingredients might include flowers such as hibiscus, fruits such as pineapples, vegetables like cucumbers, perhaps some spirits like tequila and often with spices like cinnamon or chili pepper.

Popsicles in the U.S. have typically been mass-produced and made from water, sugar and artificial fruit flavors.  American grocery store popsicles are typically red, bright blue or neon-colored icy treats with no chunks of fruit visible and they are generally quite sweet.

How to Make Low Carb Paletas:

1. Blend fruit with liquid (citrus juice, coconut milk, or cream)
2. Add sweetener and spices, blend again
3. Pour into molds (popsicle molds , silicone molds, or dixie cups with wooden sticks)
4. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours
5. Run warm water over the outside of the mold to release

Flavor Ideas

In Mexico and in many Mexican-American communities, you can buy paletas and helados (ice cream) from street vendors who sell them from pushcarts.

Popular paleta flavors in Mexico include:

• Chile-watermelon
• Mango-chile
• Strawberry-horchata
• Tamarind
• Pineapple-tequila
• Cucumber-lime

I chose two fruit paletas based on the type of fruit I had handy in the freezer and then chose a creamy paleta made with coffee, cinnamon, vanilla and heavy cream, simply because I love Mexican coffee flavors. 

Substitutions or Additions

The basic recipe for this treat can be tweaked to your own liking….they all work.  Here are a few ideas:

• Try vegetables as the main ingredient.
• Strain the blended puree for clear popsicles or leave som chunks of fruit in the puree
• The low carb liquid:  I like using unsweetened coconut milk for the icier version and heavy whipping cream for the creamy version.  Lime juice is a classic, but any kind of citrus juice works well. 
• Use different spirits for party pops.  Tequila, of course is typical but rum works well also.
• Change your sweetener. I used Truvia in the recipes above because that is my favorite sugar substitute.  You can use regular pure cane sugar if you are not doing low carb, or any of the sugar substitutes of your choice. 

**Tip: Remember that paletas are less sweet than popsicles so you may want to go easy on the sugar.

Other Sweet Mexican Treats:

There are a lot of hot days in Latin America, which means a lot of cooling sweet treats. Here are my 10 favorites: 10 Popular Cooling Mexican Treats

FAQ

Want more Mexican Recipes? Check out this collection of traditional Mexican recipes, from tamales, to moles, to cocktails to sauces.