Recipe

Homemade Cuban-Style Milk and Vanilla Popsicles

Name: Homemade Cuban-Style Milk and Vanilla Popsicles
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 472 min
Ingredients: 500 ml whole milk (about 2 cups); 1 can evaporated milk (354 ml / 12 oz); 120 g sugar (½ cup + 2 tablespoons, approx.); 20 g cornstarch (2 heaping tablespoons); 1 pinch salt (optional); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml); 10 small glasses or popsicle molds of 100 ml (about 3½ oz); 10 wooden popsicle sticks; Aluminum foil (only if using cups without lids)

Creamy milk and vanilla popsicles with a cooked base slightly thickened with cornstarch. No eggs, no fruit, no ice cream maker.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

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Preparation20 min
Cooking12 min
Total time7 h 52 min
Servings10 popsicles of about 90 ml
DifficultyEasy

Homemade popsicles, made in molds or plastic cups, are the most welcome treat when the heat is intense, whether in Havana or Miami. This version is dairy and vanilla, with a uniform ivory color and a creamier texture than a water-based ice pop.

The trick lies in the base: cook the milk with a moderate amount of cornstarch until it thickens slightly, without becoming pudding. That slight body helps the popsicle feel smoother when bitten. It contains no eggs, no whipped cream, and requires no ice cream maker, only a saucepan, a freezer, and a little patience.

Ingredients

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Dairy base

500 ml whole milk (about 2 cups)
1 can evaporated milk (354 ml / 12 oz)
120 g sugar (½ cup + 2 tablespoons, approx.)
20 g cornstarch (2 heaping tablespoons)
1 pinch salt (optional)

To finish

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)

For assembly (utensils)

10 small glasses or popsicle molds of 100 ml (about 3½ oz)
10 wooden popsicle sticks
Aluminum foil (only if using cups without lids)

Method

Cooked base

In a bowl, place 120 ml of the whole milk cold and add the cornstarch. Whisk with a fork or whisk until no lumps remain.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, off the heat, mix the rest of the whole milk, all the evaporated milk, the sugar, and the pinch of salt. Stir the dissolved cornstarch again (it settles quickly) and pour it into the saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a spatula, scraping the bottom and corners well. In 8 to 10 minutes, when the first bubbles begin to appear, you will notice the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon.
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Lower the heat and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring always, so the cornstarch loses its raw taste. The mixture must still run easily; if it becomes as thick as custard, add a splash of cold milk. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Cooling

Transfer the base to a glass bowl (strain it if you see any lumps) and place it inside a larger bowl with cold water and ice. Stir occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes, until cold to the touch.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, so it does not form a skin, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Do not leave it at room temperature for hours.

Molding and freezing

Stir the cold base and distribute it into the 10 small glasses or molds, about 90 ml in each, leaving around 1 cm free at the top because the mixture expands when frozen. Use a small pitcher or ladle to avoid dripping.
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If you use molds with lids, close them and insert the sticks according to the mold. If you use cups, cover each one with a small square of aluminum foil fitted tightly, make a small cut in the center, and insert the stick through there so it stays straight.
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Place the molds in the freezer, well leveled, and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, until completely hard.
To unmold, submerge only the exterior of each mold or cup in a bowl with warm water (not hot) for 10 to 15 seconds, without wetting the popsicle. Remove the foil and gently pull the stick; if it does not come out, repeat for a few more seconds.
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Serve the popsicles immediately or wrap them individually and return them to the freezer.

Tips and variations

Texture: The hot mixture should coat the back of a spoon and continue to drip in a thread. If it becomes as thick as custard, add a splash of cold milk and whisk. A homemade popsicle will always form some ice crystals; cooling the base quickly and freezing it in the coldest part of the freezer helps keep them few and fine.

Sugar: Do not reduce it too much or replace it with a sweetener without adjusting the formula, because sugar also influences whether the popsicle becomes hard as stone.

Molds: If you use molds with lids and an integrated stick, skip the aluminum foil. With open cups and no foil, freeze for 1 to 1½ hours until they are semi-frozen, then insert the stick.

Variation: A cinnamon stick in the milk while heating gives a different touch; remove it before cooling.

Storage: Once unmolded, wrap them individually in wax paper or freezer bags and store for up to 2 weeks. If you are looking for another frozen dessert, but made with fruit and water, try homemade mango ice pops.

Homemade Cuban-Style Milk and Vanilla Popsicles