Rhubarb and Greek Yogurt Popsicles

I’m kicking off the unofficial start of summer with a whole week of new popsicle recipes, tips, and useful links.  Homemade popsicles are so incredibly versatile I need an entire week to explore all the reasons why you NEED these in your life this summer.   I’m dedicating each day this week to a different kind of popsicle, and today it’s delicious rhubarb and Greek yogurt popsicles, which are probably some of the healthiest of all!  Yogurt naturally pairs well with fruit, and depending on your recipe, yogurt pops will delight everybody from toddlers to sophisticated foodies.

I have to tell you right up front that these are some of the best popsicles I’ve ever tasted.  So if you want to skip over the chit chat and get to the recipe  right now, I won’t hold it against you.  With tart, rhubarb jam marbled through rich (full fat!) Greek yogurt, it tastes like the most perfect bowl of fruit and yogurt you’ve ever eaten.  I added no sugar to the yogurt, but the rhubarb has been sweetened, so they work beautifully together.

The whole pop was rich and creamy, it makes you want to go sit under a shady tree and daydream.   They’re perfect, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Part of why these rhubarb and greek yogurt popsicles are so fantastic is, of course, the rhubarb.  It’s a flavor like no other.  When I was planning out the roster of pops for this week’s posts, I knew I wanted to do a yogurt popsicle, but  I could have chosen a million fruits to layer with it.  Rhubarb has a really clear, tangy flavor that holds up well in a popsicle.  Not too sweet, and so vivid.  Your color and flavor will vary a little bit depending on the rhubarb you have.  Some is very deep in color and intense in flavor, but it can be paler and milder, too.  Substitute any berry, or other pureed fruit, even a good jam will work in these.  But if you want something really special, go with fresh rhubarb, it’s in season right now.

I love to cook with rhubarb when it’s in season–if you’re a rhubarb lover, too, check out my NO BAKE RHUBARB DREAM BARS, or my ROASTED RHUBARB AND DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK ICE CREAM. There’s something about that combination of the bright rhubarb against a creamy background that I just can’t get enough of!

The other reason these popsicles are so great is that I used Greek yogurt, it gives them a luxe quality,  like a tart ice cream.  Greek yogurt is ideal for popsicles because so much of the liquid has been drained out of it to make it thick, that it freezes with a creamy rather than icy texture.  You don’t need to do anything to it, unless you want to.  I like to thin it out a bit to make it easier to get into the molds.  When you thin it with cream you’ll get something akin to ice cream, but you can use regular milk, too.  If you are making these for kids, I’d add some sugar or honey to the yogurt, or use vanilla flavored.  I left it plain for a sophisticated adult palate.

For these popsicles, I made a quick and simple rhubarb jam, and layered it into my popsicle molds with my Greek yogurt.  I used a chopstick to gently swirl the two together to get the pretty marbleized effect.

TIPS ~

• Use Greek yogurt for popsicles, the thick texture freezes into an extra creamy pop.
• Use any fresh fruit to layer or swirl with the yogurt.  Rhubarb has to be cooked, but most other fruit like berries, peaches, or kiwi can be used raw.  Puree the fruit until smooth.

For tons more popsicle inspiration, check out my POPSICLE FEVER PINTEREST BOARD!

Print Recipe

Rhubarb and Greek Yogurt Popsicles

Ingredients

• about 3 stalks of rhubarb about 10-12 oz
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt I used full fat
• milk or half and half or cream to thin the yogurt

Instructions

• Rinse and trim the rhubarb, and then cut it into 1 inch pieces. Put the fruit and the sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of water, into a saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook until the rhubarb is completely soft, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add a little more water if the jam is too thick or sticks to the pan.
• Puree the rhubarb in a food processor until sooth. Refrigerate the puree until it is chilled. You should have at least 1 cup of puree.
• Mix the yogurt with heavy cream, half and half, or milk to thin it. You want it to be thick but have a creamy consistency. There is no exact mount here, but since you are going to be spooning the yogurt into the molds, you want it a little looser.
• When the rhubarb is cooled, it will be thickened as well. Add a little water if you want to loosen it.
• Beginning with the yogurt, spoon alternate layers of yogurt and rhubarb into each mold until they are filled. Insert a skewer or chopstick down into each mold and stir just a bit to mix the layers and create a marbleized effect.
• Insert popsicle sticks in each mold, the sticks will stand up by themselves, so no need for a top or foil covering.
• Freeze until firm, about 4 - 5 hours or overnight.
• To un-mold the pops, fill your sink with hot water. Immerse the mold up to but not over the top edge, and hold for about 15-20 seconds. If the pops don't slide out easily, immerse for a few seconds longer.
• Eat right away or store in plastic baggies in the freezer.

Don’t forget to pin these Rhubarb and Greek Yogurt Popsicles!

And here are a few of my favorite yogurt popsicles from other blogs (if I missed your favorite, let me know in the comments!) —

Blueberry Vanilla Popsicles from The Slow Roasted Italian

Raspberry and White Chocolate Pops from Verses from My Kitchen

Yogurt Popsicles with Homemade Magic Shell from Nest of Posies

Breakfast Popsicles from Caramel Potatoes

Peaches and Cream Popsicles from Tutti Dolci

Peanut Butter Swirl Popsicles from An Edible Mosaic