Herbal Tea Popsicles to Cool Off
The dazzling heat of a bright summer day makes it a perfect time try a few new herbal refreshments. The herbs are growing wildly in many yards and gardens, new flavors are popping up at your local farmer’s market, and the eager thirst of children buys you a little grace as you experiment with new recipes.
Herbal teas are one of my favorite ways to keep kids hydrated—offering budget-friendly variety, nourishing minerals, and a sense of seasonal joy. And what better way to bring tea to the summer table than frozen into popsicles?
Let’s have some fun!
A Few Tips Before You Start
These recipes are good places to play with ingredients—adjusting flavor and texture as you go.
Until you find your family’s favorites, stick with small batches, so you can keep exploring without having to work your way through a freezer full of the same flavor. The recipes below make about 1 quart (enough for ~12 popsicles).
Steep gently. Keep in mind that the tea’s most light and lovely flavors may emerge in minutes; if you are converting the skeptical, avoid long steeping times for these brews, which can make them more bitter.
Infuse stronger than usual. If you’ve ever made homemade ice cream you already know that flavors somehow become much milder when frozen. Pump up the popsicle flavors by using at least 150% of the dry herbs you would normally use for tea.
Want to win over skeptical kids (or partners)? Let them help gather the herbs and flowers, stir in the honey and fill the molds. Just forewarn them that herbal pops tend to be a milder and more subtle adventure than the punchy store-bought ones.
New to herbal teas and not sure where to start? I’d highly encourage you to check out my Herbal Tea Essentials mini-course. For just $25, you'll get all the guidance you need to confidently brew herbal infusions for wellness, pregnancy, and family life—without the overwhelm. Learn more here →
🍓 Berry Bloom - A refreshing summer treat
1 cup Hibiscus flowers
1/2 cup Lemon Verbena
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, pureed (strain if your crowd will balk about seeds)
Honey to taste (start with about 1/4 cup)
🌼 Soothing Summer Wind-down
Great calming herbs to help settle the kids at the end-of-the-day
1 cup Chamomile flowers
1/2 cup Lemon Balm
1/2 cup Lemongrass
Lime Juice - 1/2 -1 squeezed (about 2 Tbsp)
Honey to taste (start with about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
Make your tea base.
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil (or slightly less if using fruit or cream). Stir in 1½–2 cups of plant material. Remove from heat, cover loosely, and steep for 15–30 minutes (too long makes it bitter).Strain and press.
Once cool enough, strain and squeeze out the herbs to extract the good stuff.Sweeten and flavor.
Stir in honey, fruit puree, juice, or any extras. Taste and adjust.Freeze.
Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Optional Upgrades
Creamy pops – Blend with coconut cream, yogurt, or milk (note: ice crystals may still form, though adding powdered milk may help)
Fruit Swirl – Make your own fruit puree by combining a small amount of your tea liquid + peeled fruit or rinsed berries in your blender
Layer – Make beautiful pops by freezing different mixtures in layers
Brighten – Add a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange, or a little zest to brighten up the flavors
Boost – Use concentrates such as elderberry syrup or frozen fruit juice to make the flavors seem more like ‘regular’ popsicles
For the adventurous – A scant drop or two of food grade essential oils such as lime, orange, mandarin, grapefruit, (or even bergamot for the mature tastebuds) can spice it up.
Want More Herbal Tea Magic?
If you’re brand new to herbal tea and not sure where to start, or you’ve ever wondered how to make pregnancy-safe infusions, what herbs pair well together, or how to build healthy tea habits for the whole family—you’re not alone.
In fact, this blog post was inspired by all the questions I kept hearing from my Get Well Soon students and pregnant mamas…
“Is this safe for pregnancy?”
“How much herb should I use?”
“What’s the difference between infusions and tea bags?”
That’s why I created Herbal Tea Essentials—a mini-course for every mom who wants to feel confident using herbal teas for wellness. Whether you’re expecting a baby or just want to create nourishing habits your kids will grow up with, this course gives you:
Everything you need to know to start using herbal teas
Pregnancy-safe guidance and family-friendly recipes
A rhythm for real life—not a rigid list of do’s and don’ts
