Keep Homemade Ice Pops Soft And Creamy With This Pantry Staple

Homemade ice pops are one of those treats that seem simple to prepare but don't always turn out right. Instead of creamy, delicious pops, you could end up biting into an icy chunk resembling frozen juice rather than a sweet dessert. But the difference between a hard brick ice pop and a creamy smooth pop is a simple staple in the kitchen: cornstarch.

Most people grab sugar or cream to solve their texture issues, but cornstarch does its job fairly quietly by controlling the formation of ice while the mixture is freezing. Water naturally wants to freeze in a crystal state, and the larger the ice crystals, the icier and harder the final pop will be. Cornstarch acts as a stabilizer by increasing the liquid's viscosity slightly. This thicker base slows down the rate of ice crystal formation so that you have a smaller and more equal distribution of them. This results in a softer, creamier pop that will hold its shape. Another benefit of cornstarch is its ability to give your mixture a little body before it even hits the freezer. If you have ever blended fruit with juice, or made some canned fruit popsicles, you know the mixture can be very thin and watery. Add a bit of cornstarch, and that watery liquid now has a much silkier texture. And you can keep the popsicles frozen in a cooler too, if you're on the go.

Cornstarch doesn't impart any flavors of its own, which is precisely what makes it so useful for homemade ice pops. It does not mask flavors, but makes the texture more appetizing. What makes cornstarch especially versatile is how easily it adapts to different bases. In fruit-based pops, like a breakfast parfait popsicle, this prevents the dreaded crunch of ice shards. In fruit, dairy, or coconut milk pops, it helps maintain creaminess so that they are even closer to ice cream on a stick.

Some folks like to whisk the cornstarch into a little warm liquid first to ensure it dissolves completely. This method will give you a smooth slurry that will integrate into the base and leave little to no lumps. Others just throw it in the blender with the fruit, yogurt, or milk, and let the blender do its job.

One of the perks of this trick is that you can be creative with flavor combinations. There are some great kitchen hacks out there, but this one will earn a permanent spot in your kitchen because it doesn't complicate anything, and there are no special ingredients required. Moreover, cornstarch is cheap, shelf-stable, and probably already sitting in your pantry. So for your next batch of pops, pause and take a moment to stir in that spoonful. You'll taste the difference when you take your first bite.