Combine 4 cups watermelon juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons honey in a large mixing bowl. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves — you don't want any gritty texture when you freeze it. This takes about 2 minutes of continuous stirring. Make sure nothing's settling at the bottom before moving to the next step.

Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the mixture. Stir well to combine everything evenly. The mint will release its oils and make the whole mixture smell incredible. Don't panic if it looks a little cloudy — that's totally normal and it'll clear up once frozen.

Pour in 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Stir the entire mixture for about 1 minute until smooth. Taste a tiny spoonful and adjust citrus if you like it more tart or sweet. This is your moment to dial in the flavor exactly how you want it.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or large measuring cup. This catches mint bits and any pulp so your watermelon mint popsicles have a smooth texture. I usually do this step twice because the first time always feels like it didn't catch everything (yes, I'm paranoid about chunks).

Pour the strained mixture into popsicle molds, filling them about 3/4 full. Leave a tiny bit of space at the top because everything expands slightly when frozen. Insert popsicle sticks if your molds allow it at this point, or wait until it's partially frozen — honestly, I do whatever I'm in the mood for.

Place the molds in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours, though overnight is even better. I always freeze mine before bed and they're perfect by morning. Don't try to rush this — I learned that lesson the hard way when I tried 2 hours and ended up with slushies instead of actual popsicles.

Once completely frozen solid, run warm water around the outside of each mold for 10-15 seconds to loosen them. Pop them out gently and serve immediately or store them in a freezer bag for up to 2 weeks. The water trick makes them slide right out without any frustration.