Sangria Pops

I couldn't let this week past (the first week of summer, woohoo!) without sharing one of the first pops recipe of the season. This hot and sunny weather calls for frozen desserts like ice creams, all kind of ice creams (cones, sandwiches...), cold and refreshing drinks like horchata, lemonade or one of my latest obsessions: agua fresca de sandía which is a mexican drink that in spanish translates to watermelon water, you should try it cause it's great to cool off on a hot summer day, healthy and alcohol-free.

Even though some days the humidity here makes it quite difficult to function like a normal human being I still love this time of the year; makes me feel happy to know that the sun is still shining while I'm preparing dinner, I don't have to rush to shoot the pictures for my recipes before the sun goes down at 5pm, I go every morning to my rooftop garden to pick tomatoes when they are perfectly ripe so I can make watermelon gazpacho (my family loves it!), I don't have to blow-dry my hair, I wear brighter colors and my favorite sandals. The list of advantages could be endless but let's kick off summer with these boozy pops! Sangria + popsicles, life is good.

PS: after shooting the photos for this recipe I made a yummy refreshing sangria slushy with the almost-melted pops. :-p 

Receta en español aquí!

Sangria Pops
(makes 6 pops approx.*)

Ingredients
1 cup red wine.
1 cup orange juice.
1 tbsp lemon juice.
3-4 tbsp coconut sugar, or more to taste.
Orange slices.

Directions

Squeeze oranges and lemon.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together wine, orange juice and lemon juice. Gradually add in the coconut sugar and taste it to get the right level of sweetness for your taste buds. I added 3 tablespoons of coconut sugar but you can use your favorite type of granulated sugar or even agave syrup, though I'm sure agave will make this sangria taste quite different than the classic one.

Whisk until all the sugar is dissolved.

Insert a thin orange slice into each ice pop mold. Pour in the sangria and place in the freezer. If you're using a mold that doesn't include the sticks then you'll have to wait an hour or so to insert the wooden sticks, otherwise they will float.

Freeze until firm, preferably overnight.

To remove popsicles run hot water over the outsides of the molds for a few seconds and carefully pull the sticks.

*Notes: I made 6 pops but depending on the size of your molds you'll get a couple more or less.