It’s time for some boozy popsicles! These strawberry rosé popsicles are refreshing, sweet, and tart. They are also guaranteed to wow the guests at your next summer get together.
The Inspiration
Recently, I went to one of my favorite restaurants in the Pullman-Moscow area, Lodgepole, where I got to try their “Strawberry Fields” cocktail. It was a refreshing mix of strawberries, sake, lemon juice, and rosé, and it blew me away. I knew I had to replicate it somehow, so I turned it into popsicles!
Also, if you are ever in my neck of the woods, make sure to check them out. They make truly amazing dishes with locally sourced ingredients, and I can’t say enough good things about them.
What is Sake?
If you have never tried sake, fear not! It’s actually delicious and super refreshing, which makes it perfect for summer entertaining.
Sake is simply a fermented rice wine from Japan that goes through a brewing process similar to beer. Making good sake, like making good wine, is an art. Sake masters in Japan spend years as apprentices to hone their craft and work around the clock to produce this tasty beverage. If you would like to know more about how sake is produced, make sure to watch The Birth of Saké on Netflix. It’s excellent.
I find it hard to describe how sake tastes, but I’ll do my best. It’s usually served cool, so I find it crisp and bright, with a strong hint of fermentation. There are many, many varieties of sake, and they all taste slightly different. The one I used for these strawberry rosé popsicles it’s unfiltered sake, which is why it’s cloudy. You can also find completely clear sake.
I live in a super small town, so I don’t have access to a wide selection of sake. The selection at my local Co-Op, however, is more than enough, and I ended up using a relatively inexpensive bottle. If you can’t find sake where you live, feel free to omit it and just use rosé.
Choosing the Right Rosé for Popsicles
Ok. This actually took me a while to figure out. The #1 tip I have is to only use a rosé you would drink on its own. No cheap, funky tasting stuff please.
The second thing I discovered is that rosés that are floral and citrusy seem to complement the flavor of strawberries really well. I have a soft spot for Italian rosés so that’s what I used in this recipe.
Enjoy!
Strawberry Rosé Popsicles with Sake
These beautiful strawberry rosé popsicles get an extra kick from some sake. They are vegan, gluten free, and naturally sweetened, and guaranteed to make you the hit of your next party.
Ingredients
- Yield: 2 cups
- 1 cup of chilled rosé wine
- ½ cup of chilled sake
- 1 cup fresh strawberries,* hulled and halved
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup (or to taste)
Directions
- Step 1 Put all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Step 2 Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any seeds.
- Step 3 Pour the strained mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
- Step 4 Run the molds under warm water and unmold. Enjoy immediately.
*You can probably make these popsicles with frozen strawberries, but I haven’t given it a try. I would expect the mixture to be thicker.
Here are other boozy desserts you might enjoy:
If you like this recipe, please make sure to pin it, share it on social media, or email it to your friends. Don’t be shy! People are always grateful for some cooking inspiration 🙂
Also, if you have any questions or just want to let me know that you liked the recipe, please leave a comment below. Hearing from other adventurous home cooks always makes my day!
I love strawberry popsicles, and these boozy ones are genius! What a fun recipe!
Thank you, Andrea!
Yes way, rose! These popsicles look like the perfect summer treat!
They are! They are so refreshing!
Those popsicles look AMAZING! Love strawberry-flavored frozen treats!
Thank you, Emily! I can’t stop eating fresh strawberries this summer. They are my favorite!
WOW! This sounds amazing! I love that you essentially made your delicious cocktail into a boozy dessert popsicle. Your photography is stunning too.
Thank you, Valentina!
OH yes! Need some of these right away! Its HOT here!!
These popsicles will definitely cool you down! 🙂
I’m typically not a lover of popsicles, but these. Perfect for a hot summer day, yum!
These popsicles sound amazing! We love making boozy frozen treats, so this is something that’s right up our alley. We’ll definitely be making these before the summer is over.
I hope you like them, Kim!
I love popsicles and the boozier the better if you know what I mean. These would be perfect for a BBQ party to send everyone home spinning. ha!! Can’t wait to try these. Love sake. Saving for later.
Thank you, Veena! Let me know what you think!
Boozy popsicles?) Please serve me know! It’s been so hot for the past month here …. and will be perfect to celebrate Friday night!!!)))
Nothing says Friday like a boozy popsicle! 😉
I’ve never tried rosé wine before but it looks so yummy and refreshing! I’ve not heard of that show on Netflix either…I’ll have to check it out! What a unique recipe!! I love it! So going to have to make these before summer over!!
I hope you like them, Amanda!
Ah this is what I need right now! Love strawberries and these popsicles sound great.
I love strawberries too! 🙂
Oh man, this sounds so good, so refreshing. I got hooked on sake when I first try it last year on one Japanese event. I don’t like strong alcohol beverages, but sake fitted my taste so perfectly. This pops are great use of sake. I know my hubby will love it too.
Sake is definitely hard to resist.
I’ve never actually tried sake but I’m so intrigued by these popsicles I may have to! They sound delicious and perfect for this time of year.
I promise that they are super refreshing!
I would have never thought to pair sake with champagne. I am so glad you shared the idea because these popsicles look & sound absolutely delicious!
It’s not actually a sparkling wine, but that combo might be good too. You could find a sparkling rosé and give it a try! 🙂
This is an unexpected twist to a boozy popsicle . It sounds so refreshing!
Oh wow – these look amazing! I love that you used sake in these tasty treats!
I am loving EVERYTHING about these popsicles! They looks so refreshing and delish!
Thank you, Michele!
I love sake, and I love popsicles! I am a huge fan of ‘adult’ popsicles but never thought to incorporate sake- what a great idea! Beautiful photos, too.
Why have I never thought of this? Oh my word. I wish I had one of these right now. I gotta say…genius and making 🙂
Thank you, Heather!
I’ll be sure to watch The Birth of Sake: my indoor workouts always involve binge-watching food and beverage documentaries on Netflix! You’ve made it very easy to select the right wine and sake—thank you. These popsicles sound amazing, so I can’t wait to try them!
Thank you, Michelle! I hope you enjoy the documentary!
I’ve always loved the idea of boozy dessert treats, and these look fabulous. I’m not super familiar with sake, so I’ll be experimenting with that.
Thank you, Debi! I hope you like them 🙂
It’s all my favorite things in one! Summer may be over, but I am definitely pulling this recipe out. I feel like these would be SUPER good floating in Prosecco!
That’s a great idea, Bailey! They will look so festive and fun! 🙂