Watermelon is one of my favorite ingredients to mix up in a cocktail on a hot, summer day.  And this Fourth of July, I’m bringing you multiple watermelon cocktail recipes to quench the thirst of your party goers!  The juicy sweetness of watermelon lends itself to pretty much any liquor. But my absolute favorite is mixing watermelon with gin. I smash some watermelon in my glass, add gin, a squeeze of lime, top with lime seltzer and boom, you have my very own cocktail at hand, “Dee’s Watermelons.”  I hope you enjoy these festive cocktails this Fourth of July!  Cheers.

Dee’s Watermelons

Ingredients:

• Watermelon cubes
• 3 oz. gin
• Lime
• Perrier Lime Seltzer

Directions: In a Collins glass add the gin and some watermelon cubes and mash.  Add ice, juice of a half a lime, and top with seltzer. Give the cocktail a little stir, garnish with watermelon cubes or a lime wedge, and enjoy!

Sandia Watermelon Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. blanco tequila
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. fresh watermelon juice
• ½ oz. fresh lime juice
• ¼ oz. ginger syrup (1:1)
• Tools: shaker, strainer
• Glass: rocks
• Garnish: watermelon balls soaked in Fresno chile juice (optional) and mint sprig

Directions: Shake all of the ingredients together with ice.  Strain into a rocks glass and garnish!

Watermelon Tequila Fizz

Ingredients:

• 2 cups watermelon puree about 1/2 individual watermelon
• 1/2 cup tequila** silver
• 2 cups sparkling wine or champagne* chilled

Directions: Divide watermelon puree into four glasses.  Add two Tbsp of tequila to each glass.  Stir well.  Top with ½ cup of sparkling wine or champagne, garnish with a watermelon wedge and serve!

Spicy Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:

Watermelon juice

• 1 small seedless watermelon, or half of a larger watermelon

Chili-salt rims

• 1 part kosher salt
• 1 part ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
• Lime wedges

Ingredients per margarita

• 2 ounces fresh watermelon juice
• 1 ½ ounces tequila, preferably 100% agave silver or blanco tequila
• ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce fresh orange juice
• ½ teaspoon agave nectar or simple syrup, more to taste
• 1 thinly sliced jalapeño round (¼th inch wide, a little goes a long way!)
• Optional garnish: 1 tiny watermelon wedge

Directions: Scoop out watermelon into a blender and blend into a smooth juice.  Strain out pulp.  Then to prepare your glasses, mix salt and chili powder in a plate.  Rim your glasses with a lime wedge and dip glass into salt/chile mixture.  To make the margs, shake the watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, agave nectar, jalapeño round and ice together.  Strain into prepared glasses and enjoy!

Watermelon Frozé

Ingredients:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle rose wine
• 3 cups watermelon, cubed
• juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 cup lime seltzer
• 3 ounces watermelon vodka (optional)
• 4 small wedges watermelon
• Directions: Pour rose into 2 ice cube molds and freeze for at least four hours. Place watermelon on baking sheet and freeze at least four hours as well.  Add frozen watermelon, lime juice, rose cubes, seltzer, and vodka into a blender.  Blend of high until smooth.  Pour into four glasses and garnish with a watermelon wedge.

I hope you enjoy these cool, refreshing cocktails!  Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July!

Cheers,

Danyelle