Got this idea yesterday when cleaning my pantry – spotted that lonely box of pistachio pudding mix collecting dust behind the oats. Remembered seeing “easy pudding pops” floating around online forever. Figured, why not? Summer’s here, my kid’s whining for icy treats daily, and honestly? Boxed pudding ain’t exactly rocket science. Grabbed my stuff.
The Hunt & Gather (Mostly in My Own Kitchen)
First, dug out the recipe scribbled on a sticky note from who-knows-when. Needed:
- That box of pistachio pudding mix (finally, your time to shine!)
- Whole milk – recipe said 2 cups. Measured carefully… mostly.
- Whipped topping – the kind from the tub. Found it hiding behind the pickles. Cool Whip vibes.
- Crushed pistachios – had some salted ones. Took extra time smashing ’em on the counter with a mug. Therapeutic.
- Popsicle molds – OH. Right. Where are they?! Ten minutes of cabinet diving later… success. Washed off last summer’s mystery flavor residue.
Mixing Things Up (Literally)
Okay, action time:
- Dumped the pudding powder into my biggest bowl. That artificial green smell? Intense.
- Poured in the 2 cups cold milk. Whisked like crazy. Got tired fast. Switched to an electric hand mixer on low. Glug glug, milk splash on the counter. Oops. Kept mixing until it looked like thick, weird green paint. Tasted it. Yep, sweet pistachio chemical goodness.
- Next, scooped in about half the tub of whipped topping. Aimed for “light and fluffy.” Used a spatula to fold it gently into the pudding sludge. Tried being fancy. Mostly just plopped and stirred. Saw streaks of white fading into the green. Kept folding until it looked kinda like pistachio cloud filling.
- Threw in half the crushed nuts. Reserved the rest for later. Gave one more stir.
Looked… edible? Poured this green fluff into the popsicle molds. Messy. Drips everywhere. Stuck the sticks in. Sprinkled the remaining nuts on top of each one before the freeze.
The Long Wait (Most Annoying Part)
Shoved the filled molds into the freezer. Slammed the door. Told myself “Patience”. Yeah, right. Checked after 2 hours. Liquid. Checked after 4 hours. Slightly less liquid. Annoying. Went to bed. Forced myself to wait overnight.
Cracking Them Open (The Moment of Truth)
Next morning, coffee in hand, opened the freezer. Green popsicles! Looked kinda legit. Ran hot water over one mold for a few seconds. Wiggled the stick. Pulled… and out it slid! Smooth as anything.
Took a bite. Cold. Creamy. Really creamy, actually. Like, ice cream bar creamy, not ice pop icy. The pistachio flavor punched through – sweet and nutty. Bits of actual pistachio? Crunch! Salt kick? Perfect. Kid grabbed one, face covered in green bliss five seconds later. Success.
So, Was It Easy & Worth It?
YES. Honestly? Mixing pudding and whipped topping? Duh. The hardest part was finding the darn molds and not opening the freezer every ten minutes. Flavor? Shockingly good. Creamy texture from the whipped topping is the game-changer. Way better than just frozen juice. Tastes way fancier than the effort involved. Kid approved? Major win. Gonna make these all summer. Might try chocolate pudding mix next week.
