Iced coffees aren’t the only way to stay cool this summer – why not try a coffee ice pop?

Essentially a frozen coffee on a stick it’s perfect to enjoy on your way to work, as an afternoon snack or anytime you fancy it.

Whether you call them icy poles or ice blocks, there’s no denying the iced treat is the perfect snack during a long summer day and the good news is, they’re really easy to make.

SIMPLE COFFEE ICE POPS

To keep as much of the flavour as possible after freezing, it’s best to use strong coffee for your ice pops. The best results come from using cold brew coffee or coffee that hasn’t been warmed up. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds and there are many simple recipes to make it at home.

After preparing your coffee add sweetened condensed milk, milk and the coffee to a bowl and mix together. You can add more of either ingredient until you get a balance you like. After you have perfected the mixture, pour it into your ice pop mold and place it in the freezer until they’re solid.

Tip: Put your mold in the freezer first, this should make it the pops freeze quicker.

This is a simple recipe, but there are many mouth-watering variations you can try using chocolate, caramel, coconut and fruit flavouring. Here are some of our favourites:

CREAMY COCONUT ICE POPS

This version splits the coffee and flavouring in two, creating a delicious, layered dessert. First divide the coffee between each mold, filling each about 1/3 of the way up. Next blend coconut milk, honey and vanilla together and when the mixture is smooth pour it onto of the coffee. Once the molds are full, add the sticks and put them in the freezer.

Key lime Pops

This time, blend together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, key lime juice, vanilla extract with a pinch of salt and orange flower water. As with the creamy coconut ice pops, add the coffee to the molds first and then add the mixture on top, before adding the sticks and placing in the freezer.  

PIÑA COLADA POPS

Fancy something with a little more punch? This recipe uses the same ingredients of the iconic cocktail and instead freezes it for a very refreshing, fruity treat. First blend cream of coconut with pineapple and mango puree, fresh lime juice, dark rum and a pinch of salt. Next, pour your coffee

into your ice pop mold, filling to around 1/3 of the way up. Use the Piña Colada mixture to fill the mold, add the sticks and put in the freezer.

SWEET CHOCOLATE TOPPING

One very tasty trick with these ice pops is to add a chocolate layering. To do this add chopped chocolate and coconut oil to a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until almost melted. Then, take it off the heat and continue to stir until it’s completely smooth. Leave to cool for around 20 minutes before using.

You can either use the chocolate mixture to dip the ice pops in or pour it over to create a pattern. Before they cool, you can also sprinkle nuts, sweets or any other tasty topping over the chocolate to add a sweet finishing touch.