Celebrate the fourth of July in style with these patriotic popsicles! Naturally dye-free and vegan, these easy red, white and blue popsicles use just 5 ingredients and are refined sugar-free as well.
Remember the pure excitement you'd get over the summer whenever the ice cream truck would swing by? Seeing the same reaction now from my little kids shows this nostalgic feeling is universal!
It's no surprise that the majority of popsicles from ice cream trucks and grocery stores are full of artificial flavors and dyes. That's why I routinely make homemade popsicles using natural ingredients. The kids get a nutritious sweet treat and I take comfort knowing it's healthy. It's a win-win!
These festive red, white and blue popsicles are essentially Bomb Pops but made with real food ingredients in each layer: plant-based yogurt, dates, vanilla extract, beetroot powder (for red color) and spirulina powder (for blue color).
For a patriotic popsicle that doesn't require multiple layers, try these red, white and blueberries and cream popsicles!
Why You'll Love these Red, White and Blue Popsicles
- Healthy popsicles for a hot summer day
- Refreshing
- Festive without using red or blue food coloring
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Perfect for July 4th, Memorial Day or Labor Day!
Ingredients
You only need six simple ingredients to make these vibrant, hydrating popsicles! Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Full-fat coconut cream: This is the base for the white and blue layers. Even if you’re not a coconut fan (my daughter isn’t!), the maple syrup masks the flavor beautifully. For the best results, choose a brand with thick, creamy coconut milk—this post includes a link to my comprehensive review of all the popular brands.
- Fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries: These create the bold red layer and add a tart, naturally sweet berry flavor.
- Coconut water: Adds a boost of natural electrolytes and thins out the red layer to the perfect pourable consistency without affecting the flavor or color.
- Pinch of salt: Enhances the flavor and helps your body absorb all that hydrating goodness.
- Maple syrup: A touch of natural sweetness that also helps each layer blend smoothly and set with the right texture.
- Spirulina powder: Used in the blue layer, spirulina is a blue-green algae known for its vibrant color and potential health benefits. Its bold hue comes from natural photosynthetic pigments—no food dye needed!
How to Make these Red, White and Blue Popsicles
The key to achieving the three different colors is to make the popsicles in layers. Freezing the popsicles for a couple hours between each layer ensures that the colors won't bleed together.
Add coconut water to thin, if needed. If your blender has difficulty getting going, add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut water to thin it out. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more as needed.
See the recipe card for step by step instructions.
Substitutions
I kept this recipe simple by using frozen raspberries and spirulina powder, but there are other ways to create the red, white and blue colors without using artificial dyes. Doing so would create different flavors for each layer as well!
Blue layer: There are very few blue foods to choose from. Blueberries are the only fresh fruit option, but keep in mind that this will yield more of a purple color than a true blue. Another blue powder option is blue butterfly pea powder.
White layer: Using plant-based yogurt is simple and effective as well (not as creamy as the coconut cream). You can make it a little more gourmet by using the blend from my vegan berries and cream popsicles consisting of full fat coconut milk, cashews, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Red layer: Fresh strawberries are a great option, both for their color and flavor.
This homemade popsicle recipe is dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, artificial dye-free and nut-free.
If you give it a try, please let me know! Leave a comment below, rate it above and tag @eatingbyelaine so I can see your creations. Enjoy the summer holidays!
Red, White and Blue Popsicles (Artificial Dye-Free)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Celebrate the fourth of July in style with these patriotic popsicles! Naturally artificial dye-free and vegan, these easy red, white and blue popsicles use simple ingredients and are refined sugar-free as well.
Ingredients
Red Layer
- ½ cup frozen or fresh raspberries
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut water
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- pinch of salt
White Layer
- ¾ cup coconut cream (from a can of chilled full-fat coconut milk)* (or sub vegan coconut yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Blue Layer
- ¾ cup coconut cream (from a can of chilled unsweetened full-fat coconut milk)* (or sub vegan coconut yogurt)
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon blue spirulina powder
- pinch of salt
- optional: ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the red bottom layer. Add all red layer ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds, filling each one about one-third of the way. Place in the freezer for 1–2 hours, or until just set, to prevent bleeding into the next layer.
- Add the white middle layer. Blend the white layer ingredients until smooth. Carefully spoon the mixture into each mold until they’re about two-thirds full. Return the molds to the freezer for another 1–2 hours to allow the layer to firm up.
- Prepare the blue top layer. Add blue layer ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the molds to fill them to the top.
- Freeze completely. Insert popsicle sticks and place molds in the freezer overnight (or for at least 6 hours) until fully frozen. To release, run the outside of the molds under warm water for a few seconds and gently remove the pops.
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 15
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blender
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