Print

Whiskey Sour Popsicles (The Ratio That Actually Freezes)

Print Recipe

Boozy, tart whiskey sour popsicles with a marbled bitters-and-aquafaba foam swirl, made with an alcohol ratio precise enough to actually freeze solid.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (about 6–7 lemons)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 2 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the aquafaba
  • 1 tsp Angostura bitters, plus extra for swirling
  • Pinch of fine salt

Instructions

  1. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Do not let it boil hard. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely to room temperature.
  2. Strain the lemon juice through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to remove all pulp and seeds.
  3. Whisk the cooled syrup, strained lemon juice, bourbon, and salt together until fully combined. Taste — it should taste tart and clearly boozy but not harsh.
  4. In a separate bowl, whip the aquafaba with 1 tablespoon sugar using a hand mixer until it holds soft, glossy peaks, 3-4 minutes.
  5. Gently fold the whipped aquafaba into the lemon-bourbon base, leaving visible streaks rather than mixing until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon Angostura bitters and drag a skewer through the mixture a few times to marble it.
  6. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace for expansion. Freeze uncovered for 1 hour, then insert sticks once the mixture is slushy enough to hold them upright.
  7. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until completely solid. To unmold, run the mold briefly under warm water and pull gently.

Notes

Keep the bourbon at or below 1/2 cup for an 8-mold batch — more than that and the pops stay too soft to fully set. Swap bourbon for rye if you want a spicier finish, or for a kid-friendly version, cut the bourbon to 2 tablespoons and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon bitters plus 1/4 teaspoon vanilla to keep the depth of flavor. Aquafaba can be swapped for 2 tablespoons pasteurized egg white if you prefer, but skip raw, unpasteurized egg white entirely since the mixture is never cooked. Pops keep well for up to 2 weeks tightly wrapped in the freezer.

Find it online: https://www.receipster.com/whiskey-sour-popsicles-the-ratio-that-actually-freezes/