Cucumber-Chili Mexican Paletas

Name: Cucumber-Chili Mexican Paletas
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumber, plus 1/2 unpeeled cucumber chopped into 1/2-inch chunks; 1/2 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced; 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup lemon or lime juice; 9 (3-ounce) plastic cups; Popsicle sticks

1 Ratings

1 Comments

Prep 10 min
Total 4 hr 10 min
Servings 9

Sweet, spicy and cool popsicles made with fresh cucumber and zippy jalapeño pepper. MORE+ LESS-

By Girl Versus Dough

Updated November 6, 2014

Ingredients

cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumber, plus 1/2 unpeeled cucumber chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

1/2

fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1/4

teaspoon chili powder

2/3

cup granulated sugar

1/3

cup lemon or lime juice

(3-ounce) plastic cups

Popsicle sticks

Steps

Hide Images

1

In a blender, combine cucumber, jalapeño, chili powder, sugar and lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
2

Pour mixture over a fine-mesh sieve into a spouted measuring cup; discard extra pulp.
3

Pour reserved mixture evenly into 9 (3-ounce) cups. Top each cup with 4-5 pieces of unpeeled chopped cucumber and stir.
4

Break popsicle sticks in half and place in the center of each cup. Place cups in freezer for 4 hours until firm.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

In a world without popsicles, we’d all be overheated in the summer.

And if we’re overheated in the summer, we have to stay inside in the air conditioning all day. And if we stay inside in the air conditioning all day, we start watching TV. And if we start watching TV, we start watching re-runs of Jersey Shore. And if we start watching re-runs of Jersey Shore, we get a spray tan and put way too much gel in our hair and starting calling people names like “Snickers” or “Vibe Time.”

Thankfully, we don’t live in a world without popsicles. We live in one where delicious creations like these refreshing Cucumber-Chili Mexican Paletas exist, and we never have to worry about turning into a Jersey Shore understudy and alienating ourselves from normal society. What a relief!

These paletas are the perfect combination of spicy, sweet and cool. The fresh cucumber pairs surprisingly well with the zip of jalapeno pepper, and the sugar’s sweetness is offset by a dash of lemon or lime juice. Top it all off with a pinch of chili powder and you’ve got the coolest new way to chill out this summer.

Start by chopping up your ingredients and placing them in the blender (I used only half a jalapeno, but feel free to add the whole thing if you’re a big fan of spiciness).

Blend the mixture until smooth, then pour it over a fine-mesh sieve into a spouted cup (the spout makes it easier to pour into the cups later). Discard the extra pulp.

Pour the liquid evenly into small cups (or divide it among popsicle molds, if you have them). Be sure to leave enough room to plop in a few chunks of extra cucumber for added texture and color.

Place a popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

That’s it! Dig in, cool off and wipe away the sweat from that spray-tanned face.

More Popsicle Recipes

Pomegranate, Nectarine, and Raspberry Popsicles Recipe
Mexican Coffee Popsicles Recipe
Dirty Pirate Popsicles Recipe

Stephanie (aka Girl Versus Dough) joined Tablespoon to share her adventures in the kitchen. Check out Stephanie’s Tablespoon member profile and keep checking back for her own personal recipes on Tablespoon!