Although we usually make cucumbers salty, they lend themselves to sweetness so well. Sugar actually enhances the cucumberness, and the taste of the vegetable is unmistakable. Pureed, cucumbers freeze and maintain a silky texture, so they’re perfect for sorbet, ice cream, and—most of all—ice pops. And because these are packed with cucumbers (vegetables!), yogurt (protein!), and just a little bit of sugar, I have no shame in serving them for dinner on a hot August night. They’re barely sweetened, which makes them more of a snack than a dessert, but if you have a big sweet tooth, increase the sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons.
I have several pop molds, and they’re all different sizes. This makes about ten classic-sized pops, but it will make many more if your molds are smaller. You can also rig up your own mold with small paper cups and wooden craft sticks.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 10 to 12 fresh mint leaves
- 1½ pounds cucumbers (about 3 large cucumbers), peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup thick whole-milk or Greek yogurt
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and let it boil for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mint leaves, and cover the pan. Let sit for 20 minutes. Strain and let cool to room temperature.
- Combine the cucumbers, lemon juice, salt, and yogurt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then add the cooled mint syrup and blend again. Pour the mixture into molds, add sticks, and freeze for at least 4 hours.
