Anytime is a great time for paletas- popsicles! This guava ginger paleta recipe is super easy, not overly sweet, and perfectly refreshing for kids and adults alike!
What Is A Paleta?
I hope I don’t make any enemies here- but a paleta is similar to a popsicle in much of Latin America. I became familiar with the term when living in Costa Rica- we call any sort of frozen ice treat on a stick a paleta. Simialr to a popsicle in English, except we also call dairy based frozen treats on a stick a paleta in Costa Rica.
I know also that Mexicans claim paletas as their own- especially from the state of Michoacán, where ice cream is a lifestyle. I would argue, however, that paleta is a more universal Spanish term than just Mexican. If you can read Spanish and are a bit nerdy (like me!), check out this article from the authority on Spanish language, la Real Academia Española, that explains the origin and uses of the word paleta.
How Do You Make A Paleta?
A paleta is just like any popsicle- blend fruit, water, dairy, etc, and freeze it¡ That said- we latinos take our paletas very seriously- and the only limit to the recipe for a great paleta is your imagination. Some of my favorite paleta recipes are these Grape and Chia paletas from Lola’s Cocina or these Paletas de Tamarindo from Muy Bueno Cookbook and even these boozy Peach Margarita Paletas from Sweet Life Bake.
That said- sometimes I just want a quick paleta treat for the kids- and that’s how my Guava Ginger Paletas were born. I was shopping at Cost Plus World Market for a fun World Cup party tablescape when I came across guava juice-and I was so excited to see a flavor from Costa Rica that we have a hard time getting in Denver. So excited, in fact, that I ended up buying 3 boxes of juice- that’s a lot of juice!
Instead of just drinking the juice- we made push pop paletas! I added some ginger beer to the guava juice and we froze them up to make this guava ginger paleta recipe especially delicious and refreshing. These would be great with a splash of citrus vodka for a fun adult paleta. Here’s the recipe!
Guava Ginger Paleta Recipe
Guava Ginger Paleta
Anytime is a great time for paletas- popsicles! This guava ginger paleta recipe is super easy, not overly sweet, and perfectly refreshing for kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
- 1 cup guava juice
- 1 cup ginger beer
Instructions
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Combine guava juice and ginger beer in a large cup. Using a funnel or other spout, pour the juice into your paleta molds. Freeze until solid, (four hours or overnight) remove from mold and enjoy!
Love these and you’re absolutely right, paletas aren’t only Mexican. I’ve heard the them used in various parts of Latin America, including Chile and Colombia.:)
Thank you for this lovely and easy paleta recipe.
XO,
Lola