Homemade Jello Pops

Just the other day, I was reading a blog post over at The Inadvertent Farmer about homemade juice pops--made from real organic fruit.  That got me thinking about the Jello Pops my grandmother used to make when we were kids.  We always knew she had a few in the freezer.

Granted, I'm sure Kim's real fruit pops are much much healther.  :-)  However, my grandmother's pops had two things going for them that the fruit pops don't.  First, she made them in ice pop molds.  This made them easier to eat as the long slender shape is just easier to fit into your mouth than your average Dixie cup.  Second, and probably most importantly, the gelatin and additional sugar in the Jello pops help them to not freeze rock-hard solid.  The result is a pop that you can suck on or bite and crunch--your choice, without breaking your teeth or causing sharp pains of cold.

Truth be told, I'm sure her recipe probably came from the back of a Jello box years ago, but I found it hanging around on an index card in the family recipe box.  I thought I'd share it with you here today.

Jello Pops
1 3oz package of Jello, any flavor
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water

1) In a large bowl or measuring cup, preferably one with a pour spout, dissolve the Jello and sugar in the boiling water.
2) Add the cold water and stir to combine.
3) Pour into freezer pop molds and freeze for at least 8 hours.

Tips:

• Though it may be tempting, don't try to reduce the sugar, use sugar-free Jello, or substitute Splenda.  The sugar in the recipe is what keeps the pops from freezing rock-solid.
• It's really worth investing in freezer pop molds for this.  Not only are they reusable but the shape is easier to suck on and you don't have to worry about the sticks not being centered in the finished pop.