Growing up in Ohio, I never had the good fortune to try a boli―a large Mexican ice pop encased in a clear plastic bag—when I was a kid. For me, cold treats came in a pint at the grocery store or from a Dairy Queen. But for my partner, who is Mexican, Dairy Queen and similar fast food chains that peddled frozen desserts were something special. When he would ask for American soft-serve, his parents gave him a boli: a small let-down at the time, but now a nostalgic reminder of his childhood.

Where we now live in steamy Mazatlán, Sinaloa, frozen treats are plentiful: there’s traditional nieve de garrafa, hand-churned ice creams and sorbets with flavors like leche quemada (cooked milk), passionfruit, and sweet corn; paletas (popsicles); and bolis, creamy milk- or fruity water-based ice pops frozen inside neat plastic bags. This recipe is for one of my favorite milk bolis (also known as bolis de leche), key lime pie. It’s tangy, creamy, and sweet, and tastes just like the classic pie. 

Keep reading about key lime pie bolis (and other creamy boli flavors) on Serious Eats.