5 Delicious Cider Ice Lollies for boozy Summer Fun!

Cider ice lollies are the perfect adults-only treat for a hot summer's day. But how do you make these ice lollies at home? 

As it turns out, it’s quite easy! Don’t believe us? Let’s prove just that by taking a look at five amazing recipes for cider ice lollies!

1. Blackberry and Cider Ice Lollies

If you prefer rich ice lollies, this one’s for you. The blackberries and cider are a match made in heaven, leaving behind a delicious and creamy flavour as they melt in your mouth. Here’s how you can make them at home:

Let 150 grams of blackberries simmer gently in a mixture of 50ml water and 2 tablespoons of caster sugar for ten minutes or until the blackberries are super soft. Once done, sieve well and mix the juice in one tablespoon of Crème de Cassis before dividing and pouring the syrup into your ice lolly moulds and putting them in the freezer. 

While your syrup is cooling, it’s time to come to the real boozy goodness – pour a litre of cider in a pan and let it bubble over medium heat for a few minutes (until it’s reduced by just under 60%). At this point, you can add two tablespoons of caster sugar along with 200ml of cider (we recommend Once Upon a Tree Blackberry & Dabinett Cider!)  and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Let the boozy mixture cool down for a bit before pouring it into the syrup-filled moulds. Freeze this for a while and then add the lolly sticks (might take about an hour). Wait for 6-8 hours for the lolly to become nice and firm before digging in!

2. Strawberry and Sparkling Cider Ice Lollies

While this recipe is quite straightforward, it is very delicious. It’s also quite different from most of the other recipes here. This one will be a tad bit creamy and acidic thanks to those wonderful fresh strawberries with a bit of a kick because of the sparkling cider.

Recommended cider: Crafty Nectar no.7

First, blitz 400 grams of ripe strawberries (make sure the stalks are removed) along with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar, 4 teaspoons of elderflower cordial and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Any good food processor should do the job well.

Once you’re done, pass the mixture through a sieve and into a vessel of your choosing (we prefer a jug so it’s easier to pour). You can now mix 200ml of your favourite sparkling cider in this fruity slush before transferring the boozy goodness in the lolly moulds. Wait for 6-8 hours after dunking in the lolly stick and you should be good to go!

3. Rosemary and Cider Ice Lollies

These aromatic cider ice lollies are the perfect way to enjoy a warm, sunny afternoon. They’re relatively easy to prepare, too! Start off by mixing:

• 4 cups of craft cider (recommend an eastern counties cider!) 
• ½ a cup of water
• ½ a cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary (chopped)
• 1 stick of cinnamon (snapped in half)
• 2 cloves (whole)

You can mix these beautiful ingredients in a saucepan before bringing them to a boil and stirring gently until the sugar is fully dissolved in the fragrant mixture. At this point, you can reduce the heat and let everything simmer for 20-25 minutes (or till it’s about 3½ cups).

This is where the fun part comes in – pouring it all in the moulds! Well, not really. First, we need to strain the mixture and let it cool till it reaches room temperature. After that, stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and 4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar for some citrusy goodness. Now we can pour the mixture into the lolly moulds. Freeze them overnight (or 6-8 hours if you really can’t wait) and you enjoy these epic cider ice lollies!

4. Cider “Iced” Hard Lemonade

This recipe is to make ice cubes that add fun and flavour to your cocktails and in this case a posh vodka lemonade. Freeze the cider in silicone ice cube moulds for at least 12 hours to fully set.

Coming to the recipe, stir:

• 1½ cups of water
• ¾ cup of sugar
• 1 lemon 
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest (trust us on this, it’ll give it a very nice kick)

In a pitcher until the sugar is fully dissolved. Top it off with a bit of that fantastic lemon zest and you should be good to go for at least five days (if refrigerated). Next, freeze the cider in silicone ice cube moulds and hang tight because it may take a while. Up to 12 hours, in fact.

Once that’s out of the way, mix an ounce (roughly 30ml) vodka along with frozen cider (a low tannin Eastern counties cider works well) and the lovely lemonade we prepared earlier. 

And that’s it! This is the cooler form. If you’d like it as a cider ice lolly, simply pour it into a mould and enjoy. Though we recommend adding a bit more oomph to the lemonade as freezing can soften the flavours a bit.

5. Peach Mojito Spiked Ice Pops
   

If you want some tropical fun in your cider ice lolly, look no further than this peach mojito. To make this fruity indulgence, you’ll require:

• 2 cups of chopped peaches (or nectarines)
• ¼ cup of white rum
• ⅓ cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 2 cups of peach juice (non-concentrate) 
• 1 can of Nightingale Nightbird Cider

Mix all ingredients except the cider really well and give it a good whirl in the blender for a few seconds until the mixture is nice and smooth. Once you are satisfied with the consistency (and flavour!), add in the cider and whiz it for ten or so seconds using the blender. Pour this mixture into your lolly moulds and voila! Twelve hours later you will be greeted by your very own homemade tropical alcoholic popsicles!

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Before you jump right into making some lip-smacking cider ice lollies, remember that being gentle is key. For instance, if your lollies just won’t come out of the mould, don’t try to yank too hard. Instead, dip the mould in some hot water for a few seconds and try again. 

Also, we strongly recommend using fresh ingredients. There’s nothing wrong with going the frozen or canned way, but fresh ones are the way to go for best results.

Have any favourite cider ice lolly recipes of yours? Share them with us an we might just feature them! 

sources/inspiration:
BBC good food
Bonappetit
CraftCiderMagazine