You deserve this dazzlingly gorgeous, super refreshing Watermelon Cocktail bursting with watermelon, berries, the spirit of your choice, and fizzy water. Served up in half of a personal watermelon, there’s simply nothing more party ready than these fabulous fresh watermelon drinks that are a fruit salad and a cocktail all in one!
Whether you serve this fabulous watermelon cocktail at your next barbecue, special occasion, or simply on a hot summer day, this festive beverage made with simple ingredients is going to become one of your favourite summer drinks.
Unlike many watermelon cocktails, this one does not require you to hunt down watermelon liqueur or fuss with ice cubes or a watermelon puree and a fine mesh strainer or watermelon syrup. All you need to do is scoop watermelon out in big watermelon chunks that you cut into small watermelon cubes, or use a melon baller to make lovely little watermelon balls.
Watermelon Cocktails
Sure, this cocktail requires just a little knife work, but it makes up for it by not requiring your to break out a cocktail shaker or a martini glass. Besides that, one of the best parts of this fruity cocktail is that it is completely customizable to suit your own tastes.
Whether your usual tipple is vodka, light rum, white rum, blanco tequila, or you favour the spicy kick of jalapeño tequila, you can use it here! If you’re looking to use a home-infused liquor, you can save up empty airplane alcohol bottles and refill them with the spirit of your choice.
Heck, you can even use miniature bottles of white wine or Prosecco. Have some fun with it! Here’s are some quick lists of equipment and ingredients you’ll need to bring this party to life.
Equipment
Ingredients
- Personal Sized Fresh Seedless Watermelon
- Blackberries
- Fresh Mint
- Fresh limes
- 2 Airplane/Miniature Sized Bottles of Liquor, White Wine, or Prosecco
- 2 bottles or cans of carbonated mineral water or plain seltzer
- Orange Liqueur
How to Choose the Best Watermelon
I grew up being told the best way to choose a super sweet, fresh watermelon was to thump it and listen for a hollow sound. That helps, but by itself it is not a guarantee of a great melon.
The most surefire way to choose an excellent watermelon is to follow 4 easy guidelines. I’ve made a handy dandy list for you, because lists are life!
- Your watermelon should feel heavy for its size. That may sound weird, but pick a few similarly sized watermelons up. The heaviest one has the most juice.
- It should have a pretty obvious yellow or orange spot on it. This means the watermelon sat undisturbed on the ground long enough to ripen and become sweet.
- Look for a watermelon that is a little dull looking. Shiny watermelons are not as ripe.
- You don’t need a watermelon that’s going to win a beauty contest. Some webbing or raised scars can be indicators of sweetness.
- Make sure your watermelon is firm and has no cracks.
Tada! Following these rules gives you the closest thing to a guarantee of a great watermelon.
Watermelon Cocktail Recipe
If a watermelon margarita is what you’re after, use a couple of adorable bottles of Patron. You can add an extra shot of tequila if you want these watermelon cocktails a little more boozy.
Are you looking for a Watermelon Daiquiri or rum cocktail? Tiny bottles of rum are going to be what you want here.
Where are my gin people? Gin goes beautifully in this fantastically fruity drink.
Watermelon Vodka Cocktail
Fancy a watermelon vodka cocktail? Use small bottles of good vodka for your cocktails.
I’m pretty partial to Tito’s vodka in general, but any good quality vodka that you love will fit the bill.
Watermelon Cocktail Recipe
For this Watermelon Cocktail, step away from the big watermelons and look for good personal sized watermelons. At our grocery store, they run about $3.00 each, which is pretty reasonable.
I personally think this drink is naturally sweet enough without anything else. But if you picked a watermelon that’s a little anemic in the sweetness department or have a raging sweet tooth, don’t fear! Bump up the sweetness just a little bit with a drizzle of agave or simple syrup.
Watermelon Mocktail
Keep the festive fun going for your friends and relatives who don’t drink alcohol by making these into super fun watermelon mocktails. Skip the hooch and use a bottle of Jones Watermelon Soda, a watermelon seltzer, or a mini bottle of lemon lime soda.
You can use the hole you made to keep the straw in line, too!
What to Serve with This Cocktail
This Watermelon Cocktail is the perfect accompaniment to anything off of the grill. Take Korean Barbecue Grilled Flat Iron Steak and air-fryer salmon for example.
Smoked Whole Chicken is a natural match. Ditto our fabulously habit-forming Mojo Pork or Cuban Roast Pork {slow cooker}!
And if you’re looking for more watermelon wonderfulness, try this fantastic classic Watermelon Margarita a.k.a. Sandia En Fuego or Watermelon Feta Arugula Salad.
Watermelon Cocktail
Slice a thin wafer off of the top and bottom of the watermelon. Just remove enough for it to sit without rolling. Slice the watermelon in half midway between the two wafers you removed.
Work with one side of the watermelon at a time. This will yield two single serve cocktails.
Use a paring knife to cut a straight line about ⅓ of the way across the cut side of the watermelon and about 2-inches down. This is going to be the “platform” where your mini bottle of alcohol will be held.
Now use the melon baller or spoon to scoop out the remaining ⅔ of the watermelon. Be sure to leave any juices in the watermelon.
This should leave ⅓ of the watermelon intact. Carefully scoop the under side of that ⅓ of the watermelon with your melon baller or spoon to create a 2-inch thick shelf.
Now use the small end of your melon baller to cut a hole in the shelf. The hole should be as far from the cut edge as you can comfortably make it. Invert your lidded alcohol bottle to be sure the hole is the right size to allow the opening of the bottle to fit in the hole you’ve made.
If you need to, widen the hole a little with your melon baller to accommodate just the opening and neck of the bottle. Now use the melon baller or a sharp knife to carefully create an opening on the underside of the shelf so that when you up-end the alcohol bottle, it will flow into the empty part of the watermelon.
Fill the emptied side of the watermelon with watermelon balls and blackberries. Smack 2 mint leaves and tuck them among the fruit.
Repeat this with the other watermelon half.
You can now finish making your cocktails or place the prepared watermelons on a rimmed sheet pan, drape with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.
To Finish Preparing Your Watermelon Cocktail:
Squeeze 2 lime wedges per watermelon half over the melon balls. Add a shot of orange liqueur to each watermelon half.
Open the mini bottle of alcohol and carefully insert it into the opening in the watermelon that you created for it. The alcohol should flow freely into the watermelon.
Pour enough chilled carbonated mineral water or plain seltzer in on top of the berries and watermelon that the bubbles rise to within ¼-inch of the rim of the watermelon. Garnish with another mint leave or sprig and 2 more lime wedges.
Repeat this with the other watermelon half.
Serve with a straw and, if desired, a spoon or fork to eat the fruit when you’re done sipping!
Watermelon Cocktail
Rate RecipeEquipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- paring knife
- Melon Baller or Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 personal sized watermelon well chilled
- 2 miniature bottles alcohol gin, tequila, vodka, rum, white wine, or prosecco
- 2 chilled bottles of carbonated mineral water or plain seltzer
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 lime cut into 8 wedges
- 2 shots orange liqueur
- 6 mint leaves or more to taste
Instructions
- Slice a thin wafer off of the top and bottom of the watermelon; just remove enough for it to sit without rolling. Slice the watermelon in half midway between the two wafers you removed.
- Work with one side of the watermelon at a time. This will yield two single serve cocktails.
- Use a paring knife to cut a straight line about ⅓ of the way across the cut side of the watermelon and about 2-inches down. This is going to be the “platform” where your mini bottle of alcohol will be held.
- Now use the melon baller or spoon to scoop out the remaining ⅔ of the watermelon. Be sure to leave any juices in the watermelon.
- This should leave ⅓ of the watermelon intact. Carefully scoop the under side of that ⅓ of the watermelon with your melon baller or spoon to create a 2-inch thick shelf.
- Now use the small end of your melon baller to cut a hole in the shelf. The hole should be as far from the cut edge as you can comfortably make it. Invert your lidded alcohol bottle to be sure the hole is the right size to allow the opening of the bottle to fit in the hole you’ve made.
- If you need to, widen the hole a little with your melon baller to accommodate just the opening and neck of the bottle. Now use the melon baller or a sharp knife to carefully create an opening on the underside of the shelf so that when you up-end the alcohol bottle, it will flow into the empty part of the watermelon.
- Fill the emptied side of the watermelon with watermelon balls and blackberries. Smack 2 mint leaves and tuck them among the fruit.
- Repeat this with the other watermelon half.
- You can now finish making your cocktails or place the prepared watermelons on a rimmed sheet pan, drape with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.
To Finish Preparing Your Watermelon Cocktail:
- Squeeze 2 lime wedges per watermelon half over the melon balls. Pour a shot of orange liqueur into each watermelon half.
- Open the mini bottle of alcohol and carefully insert it into the opening in the watermelon that you created for it. The alcohol should flow freely into the watermelon.
- Pour enough chilled carbonated mineral water or plain seltzer in on top of the berries and watermelon that the bubbles rise to within ¼-inch of the rim of the watermelon. Garnish with another mint leave or sprig and 2 more lime wedges.
- Repeat this with the other watermelon half.
- Serve with a straw and, if desired, a spoon or fork to eat the fruit when you’re done sipping!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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