Total Time to Freeze

• Generally, ice pops require five to six hours to freeze in a home freezer. The size and shape of your ice pop mold plays a role in the total freezing time. Smaller pops will freeze quicker than large ones, so choose a small mold if you're in a hurry to cool off.

Partial Freeze

• At 30 minutes, ice pops are partially frozen. No longer all liquid, they generally resemble slush at this point. If you are making layered ice pops, the bottom layer should be solid enough after 30 minutes that you can pour the second layer. If you're using molds that do not have built in sticks, you can add craft sticks to the partially frozen pops at the 30-minute mark. The ice pop should be frozen enough that the stick will remain in the center instead of sliding to the side.

Tips for Faster Freezing

• A few techniques can help you achieve a faster freeze. Place the filled ice pop molds at the back of your freezer, where temperatures are colder. A chillier freezer will help ice pops to freeze faster, so adjust your freezer temperature. Avoid ice pop recipes that contain high amounts of alcohol or sugar, which prevent the treats from freezing fully.

Equipment

• Specialized home-cooking equipment can cut freezing time to below the 30-minute mark. If you cannot make ice pops fast enough to satisfy your craving, look into an ice pop machine. One countertop pop maker purports to freeze three pops fully in seven minutes. Another claims to take 10 minutes to freeze three pops. Keep in mind that you may need to freeze the base of the machine 24 hours before you want to make ice pops.