This recipe originally appeared on Patreon and in the 2025 summer issue of Spooky Little Halloween—The Magazine.
Let’s Halloweenify the iconic summer Bomb Pop! If you live in the U.S., you’ve likely seen and probably enjoyed one of these over the years.
The original version, created in Kansas City by Merritt Foods in 1955, is red, white, and blue and flavored with cherry, lime, and blue raspberry. It’s name was given for its patriotic colors, six-finned shape, and because it was created in response to the Cold War.
Merritt Foods closed in 1991, but not before selling off this iconic popsicle brand to Wells Dairy/Wells Enterprises in La Mars, Iowa where Bomb Pops are manufactured today.
Admittedly, this recipe started in a bar in Wisconsin for me. While on my birthday week getaway at my uncle’s lake house in 2024, I stopped into a local bar with my parents for Friday fish fry and a drink on the cocktail menu caught my eye: a bucket Bomb Pop.
It’s not my usual pick, but that day I was feeling something summery…and by the bottom of my cocktail bucket, I’d decided to turn the Bomb Pop into a Summerween treat.
It wasn’t without its trial and errors. I made this no fewer than three times before finally getting it right and sharing it with my Patreon followers. But I think my persistence paid off for you with this easy-to-make recipe. (Seriously, the hardest part is waiting for the layers to freeze.)
As we head into the depths of Summerween, let’s enjoy one a cool treat together!
Recipe: Halloween Bomb Pops
Halloween Bomb Pops
Halloween an iconic summer treat with stunning colors and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mandarin orange juice
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 4-5 large kiwis (6-7 if small)
- 3-4 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Juice 7-8 mandarin oranges until you have 1 cup of juice, and combine with 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp of honey or granulated sugar. I found mandarin oranges are preferable to achieve the deep orange color I wanted without using food color. Navel oranges or even orange juice were too light.
- Once mixed, fill ⅓ of your bomb pop molds (what I used) with your orange layer, and place in the freezer for 60 minutes. The orange layer doesn’t have to be fully frozen before adding your next layer.
- While your orange layer freezes, peel your kiwis and cut fruit into rough chunks. Place in a blender, and add 3-4 Tbsp of fresh lime and 1 tsp of honey. Blend on liquify until the mixture is smooth. You may need to add additional lime juice 1 tsp at a time if the mixture is too thick to blend.
- After orange layer has had a minimum of 60 minutes to chill, fill the next third of the popsicle mold with the green layer and place back in freezer for another 45 minutes. (We don’t want the green layer fully frozen because the handle will need to be inserted when we add the purple layer.
- While your green layer freezes, add 1 cup of blackberries and 1 cup of water to a small sauce pan. Over low heat, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp of honey. Stir and smoosh blackberries to release their juice. Strain the mixture to remove any berry particles and reserve the juice for your popsicles.
- After the green layer has had a minimum of 45 minutes to chill, fill the final third of the popsicle with your blackberry juice. Be sure it goes nearly to the top so your handle will adhere to it during the final freeze. Insert your popsicle mold handles, then place back in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours to fully freeze. (Overnight is ideal.)
- To remove popsicles from mold, remove the mold from the stand and run it under hot water for 15-20 seconds at a time OR allow it to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing. Squeeze the mold and gently wiggle the handle to release.
- Once you do, enjoy your fresh fruit Halloweenified Bomb Pop!
Recipe notes:
You can use a drop of food coloring to brighten any of these layers. Full disclosure: I did add a bit of purple and black to the purple layer only for these photos because my blackberries weren’t quite as ripe during the final make. This isn’t necessary, though!
Store these in your mold in the freezer for up to six months…but I think you’ll eat them all before then!
More cool Summerween treats
There is no shortage of cool treats and drinks around the blog for summertime! Here are three of my very favorites:
