Pumpkin Lollipops (or Sweet Potato or Persimmon or Lucuma)

Lollipops don't require artificial flavors or colors or even fancy molds.  All you'll need to make these lollipops are canned pumpkin, canned sweet potato, persimmon pulp, or lucuma pulp*, plus water, sugar, and some sticks.  You'll also want to have a candy thermometer (my favorite is the Maverick because it's digital and you can set an alarm to warn you when you reach the desired temperature - but any candy thermometer will do). 

The texture of these lollipops is a bit different than a typical lollipop.  When you bite them, they have a slight crunch, like maple candy (my favorite candy on the planet).  However, sucking the pops is definitely an option.  I gave one to my gluten-free cousin (she is so happy when I make anything that she can eat), and she sucked on one pop for at least ten minutes.  She smiled the whole time, in a closed-mouth-I'm-sucking-on-a-pop kind of way.

The lollipops taste like a super sweet candy version of whatever you make them out of (pumpkin, sweet potato, persimmon, or lucuma).  If you make them out of pumpkin, they would be a such a fun treat for a Halloween party; it's mid-August - time to start thinking about one of the best holidays of the year!

Good Ship Lollipop - Homemade Shirley Temple Lollipops

The Good Ship Lollipop sails the open seas bringing joy to everyone except her photographer (Jonathan balked at taking the photo above: "So cheesy!").  The Good Ship Lollipop's passengers are two homemade Shirley Temple lollipops made with grenadine and lemon. 

The Good Ship Lollipop's passengers were my very first homemade lollipops.  Believe me, it's much easier than you might think.  You can do it!  I was prepared to have to make multiple batches before getting it right, but the lollipops worked swimmingly on the first try (Well, technically it was the second try.  During the first try, I forgot to take the plastic wrapping off of my new candy thermometer before putting it in the hot candy - oops!).

Maple Bacon Lollypops and Absinthe Lollypops from Lollyphile

Visit Food Interviews to hear from Jason Lewis, founder of Lollyphile.

Maple bacon lollypops from Lollyphile are the first excuse I've had to give some tongue on this blog. We've had our share of foreplay. The post that comes to the top of my mind is one of me in an absinthe fairy costume. Is it coincidental that the other Lollyphile lollypop flavor is absinthe? I think not.



After I asked Jason of Lollyphile really nicely and told him about the absinthe cupcakes (I didn't mention the costume), he was kind enough to send me samples of his two lollypop flavors. I was VERY excited about them!


You should know though, that my tongue didn't come out right away. The lollypops and I started off with some simple caressing and there was lots of eye contact (it may have been only one-sided, but in this case, I'm OK with that).

The maple bacon lollypops were heavenly. I love anything maple and I'm also a huge fan of the sweet and salty combination. The little bacon bits in the pop were, shall I say, orgasmic.

The absinthe pop was a bit too licoricey for my tastes, but fans of absinthe certainly enjoyed these lollypops.

What's a Girl to Do With Maple Bacon Lollypops that She Hasn't Licked Yet?

I had to resist the temptation to jump all of the lollypops at once.

I had some raisins and I now had maple and bacon. Things were beginning to sound like breakfast.

Coming up next: Oatmeal raisin cupcakes with maple glaze, topped with chocolate covered raisins and maple bacon lollypops.