Mexican Cucumber Paletas

If you’re looking for a fun and easy treat that is both delicious and guilt-free, look no further than these Mexican Cucumber Paletas. Between the cucumbers, kiwis, and lime juice, these paletas are absolutely exploding with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The cucumbers make them ultra-refreshing, the kiwis add a bright and tangy tropical flavor, and the lime juice adds just the right amount of acidity to enhance the flavors and tie them all in together. I also like to add some sugar to my paletas to give them an extra touch of sweetness, but this is totally optional. With just a few ingredients and about 30 seconds of work, you can make delicious cucumber paletas for any occasion.

It’s hard to say what I like most about this recipe. I could rave on forever about how easy these paletas are to make, how minimal the ingredients are, how versatile and adaptable they are, and how wholesome they are, but I think my favorite part is just how delicious they are! Seriously these are so good. 

These frozen treats are naturally vegan-friendly, dairy-free, and can easily be made sugar-free if you swap out the sugar for maple syrup or leave out the additional sweetener altogether. If you’re throwing a party and aren’t sure what everyone’s dietary preferences are, you can never go wrong with some nice, refreshing paletas.

You guys, these are the real deal. They’re delicious, simple, quick, healthy, and refreshing. What more could you want in a summer treat? Try them out for yourself and let me know in the comments what you think! Make sure not to miss these delicious Mango Popsicles, Creamy Banana Popsicles, and Lemon Lime Popsicles as well.

What are Paletas?

Simply put, paletas are Mexican popsicles. They are typically made from water or milk and fresh fruits or richer ingredients like chocolate and coffee. Many people believe that paletas’ roots can be traced back to the 1800s, after Mexico claimed its independence from Spain and overthrew Spain’s monopoly on ice.

While paletas and popsicles are similar in many ways, the key difference is that paletas are always made fresh with all-natural ingredients. This differs from most commercialized popsicles, which contain mile-long ingredient lists that are loaded with artificial preservatives, dyes, and high fructose corn syrup. Popular paletas flavors include pineapple, coconut, pistachio, chocolate, banana, lime, and cucumber like in this refreshing recipe.

Key Ingredients

To make these tasty homemade popsicles, you will need the following key ingredients:

• Cucumber. The star ingredient of our paletas, cucumbers offer a mild and refreshing flavor, as well as tons of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Kiwis. These delicious tropical fruits pair brilliantly with cucumbers and are loaded with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
• Lime juice. This ingredient is our secret weapon for enhancing the flavors of our delicious produce and bringing everything together.
• Water. This makes up the liquid component of our paletas and allows everything to blend smoothly together. You can swap it out for coconut water or fruit juice, if desired.
• Sugar. A touch of sugar really brings out the sweetness of the cucumbers and kiwis, making these paletas even more delicious. I use granulated sugar here, but feel free to use a natural sweetener like maple syrup or raw honey.

Health Benefits of Kiwi

Kiwis are sweet and tangy tropical fruits that pack a serious flavor punch and a beautiful pop of color. While they aren’t consumed as popularly as apples or bananas, kiwis are filled with fiber and beneficial nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and folate. These little fuzzy fruits make excellent additions to a healthy diet for the many benefits they provide. According to Healthline, these are some of the top health benefits of kiwis:

• Boosts immunity
• Promotes a healthy digestive system
• Helps to maintain stable blood pressure levels
• Reduces the likelihood of oxidative stress
• Strengthens vision
• Improves heart health

Paleta Recipe Ideas

Looking to switch things up? Here are some of my favorite ways to get creative with this recipe:

• Add fresh mint. This herb pairs wonderfully with both cucumbers and kiwis, so it makes a fantastic addition to these paletas if you want to brighten them up.
• Make them creamy. You can make these frozen treats creamy (and still keep them healthy!) by adding Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, coconut milk, or your favorite dairy-free yogurt alternative to thicken them up.
• Make them boozy. What better way to liven up the party than with some boozy paletas? Try adding some rum or vodka to the mixture before pouring them in the molds, but don’t add too much or you run the risk of them not freezing.
• Make them spicy: Add in some Tajin, chili powder, chamoy, or candied jalapenos for a sweet and spicy treat.
• Swap out the sweetener. You can easily swap out the granulated sugar for a natural sweetener like maple syrup, raw honey, or agave.
• Add more fruit. If you want to swap out the fruit or add in more fruits, go right ahead! Pineapples, mangos, papaya, and apples would all make great add-ins.