This Watermelon Vodka Cocktail is ready for your next party this summer! Made with juicy and sweet fresh watermelon juice, mint, and a citrusy twist. It's incredibly refreshing, and the perfect cocktail to celebrate the flavors of summertime. It's simple to make with just a few ingredients in under 20 minutes!
Disclosure: This post was originally published in June 2021, but has since been updated with better photos, clearer instructions, and a tastier recipe. We hope you enjoy the new look!
This watermelon cocktail recipe is the perfect summer drink for a hot summer day! Sit out on the patio or by the pool with this summery sip. This warm weather drink is bursting with fresh flavor, and it's simple to make!
Need more summery cocktails? Try this mango mojito, this peach bourbon smash, this refreshing raspberry mojito, or this fruity blueberry gin cocktail.
You may also enjoy this tasty cherry lemonade!
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Refreshing summer cocktail. This drink is bursting with fresh flavors of watermelon juice, fresh mint, lime juice, orange liqueur, vodka, and bubbly club soda. Cool off and delight your taste buds, this drink is summer in a glass.
- Great for entertaining. This fun and seasonal drink is great for your next BBQ, summer parties at the pool, an impromptu happy hour, or even quiet evenings on the porch. Impress guests with vibrant colors and delicious watermelon flavor.
- Elevated yet simple. While the flavor profile is a bit sophisticated, it's made with simple ingredients that are easy to find at any local grocery store during watermelon season. Home cooks of all levels can master this simple drink. No cocktail shaker needed!
- Suits multiple diets. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan, and can be made lower sugar with a couple of simple swaps!
🍉Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Watermelon. Ideally, we look for seedless watermelon, as it's used to make homemade watermelon juice. To find a nice ripe watermelon, choose one that has a large yellow patch on the underside, this means it sat on the ground in the sun for a while and got ripe. Try knocking on it, it should sound a little bit hollow. Look out for any bruises.
- Fresh mint leaves.
- Fresh lime juice.
- Simple syrup.
- Orange liqueur. We like Cointreau. But any triple sec will work.
- Vodka.
- Club soda.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Swap the liquor. Vodka is wonderful in this drink because it's neutral and lets the watermelon flavor shine, but white rum, tequila, or gin would also make excellent choices. Any kind of alcohol you prefer will work!
- Swap the citrus. No limes? No problem. You can use fresh lemon juice, grapefruit juice, pomelo juice, or anything you prefer!
- Add sparkling wine. You can top this drink off with any sparkling wine of your choice instead of club soda. We prefer prosecco or a drier rose, but you can add some sparkling Moscato if you like sweeter drinks.
- Swap the topper of the drink. If you don't have club soda, use your favorite soda water, or even your favorite soda! Sprite or ginger ale make great options. You can also use ginger beer for a gingery twist!
- Use store-bought watermelon juice. If you don't have a blender or you're in a time crunch, you can use store bought watermelon juice. We will say, fresh is hard to beat! Also, if using store bought, you may want to add less simple syrup as many pre-made versions already have added sugar.
✨Variations
- Experiment with flavored simple syrup. For extra flavor, try mixing in a fruit flavored simple syrup, like our blueberry simple syrup, or raspberry simple syrup.
- Mocktail. Simply omit the alcohol in this drink for a delicious drink without alcohol! You can also swap in your favorite vodka alternative. Add about ¼ teaspoon of orange extract (affiliate link) if you'd like for extra citrusy flavor.
- Less or more sweet. Sweeten this drink to taste. If you prefer a more sweet cocktail, add a bit more simple syrup until it's sweet enough for your liking. If you like things less sweet, you can use less or just leave it out entirely.
- Lower sugar. Use your favorite sugar free simple syrup, and omit the orange liqueur for a lower calorie drink. You can also try this sugar free triple sec.
- You can also make your own sugar free simple syrup. To make, start by bringing 1 cup of water to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately, then stir in 1 cup (or 1 cup sugar equivalent) of your favorite sugar free sweetener of choice. For cocktails and syrups, we like using allulose because it won't crystallize as it cools. Allulose is slightly less sweet than sugar, so you will need 1 and ⅓ cups of allulose to replace 1 cup of sugar.
🔪Prep work
- Start with chilled ingredients. Make sure everything (limes, watermelon, vodka, and club soda) are nice and cold for best results.
- Cut a watermelon up into chunks, and remove the rind.
- Wash the limes, and squeeze the juice out.
- Wash and dry mint leaves very gently.
- Measure out all remaining ingredients.
📋Instructions
Add watermelon chunks to a blender, and blend on high for 1-3 minutes. (Image 1)
The time it takes will depend on your specific model, but you want the mixture to be completely smooth. There may be some foam on the top. (Image 2)
If desired, run the juice through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl to get rid of some of the foam. (Image 3)
Next, add mint leaves to the bottom of a mixing glass, and muddle gently. Be careful not to over-muddle, or you will bruise the mint. (Image 4)
Add in lime juice. (Image 5)
✨Pro Tip: When making a cocktail for the first time, we like to suggest adding the liquids that cost the least, and then add the more expensive liquids (the liquors) last. That way, if you make a mistake when mixing, you don't have to throw away expensive spirits!
Pour in simple syrup (Image 6) and the watermelon juice. (Image 7)
✨Pro Tip: Add more simple syrup and/or watermelon juice for a sweeter drink. You can always taste it, then add more later.
Add in the orange liqueur (Image 8) and the vodka. (Image 9)
Stir to combine. (Image 10)
Add ice cubes to a rocks glass, and pour in the watermelon mixture through a Hawthorne strainer. (Image 11) Top with club soda. (Image 12)
Garnish with a watermelon slice and a mint sprig. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- If you don't have a mixing glass and Hawthorne strainer, you can just use a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and a fine mesh strainer to strain the cocktail. Or, don't worry about straining at all if you don't mind mint leaves in the drink.
- Chill all ingredients before mixing drinks. This will help it keep from melting as quickly if the ingredients are mixed when they are cold.
- Use fresh ingredients. Use freshly squeezed lime juice, and fresh watermelon juice whenever possible for the best flavor!
- Don't bruise the mint. Don't over muddle the mint, or this will bruise it and make it bitter. You only need to muddle gently for about 4-5 turns, until the scent of mint is released.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is best enjoyed right away once it's been poured over ice with club soda added. You can mix up a batch without ice and club soda, and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Yes, certainly! Start by scaling up the number of servings you need, and measuring those ingredients out proportionally.
Muddle the mint leaves in the bottom of a large pitcher or punch bowl, then add in the lime juice, watermelon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, and vodka. Right before serving, pour in the club soda and ice. You can also choose to leave the ice out and let people pour the drink over ice in their glasses.
Yes, you can make the watermelon juice up to 5 days in advance, squeeze lime juice up to 2 days in advance and store them in the fridge in separate airtight containers.
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Watermelon Vodka Cocktail
Ingredients
- 5-6 mint leaves
- ½ ounce lime juice (juice of ½ a lime)
- ½ ounce simple syrup (to taste)
- 3 ounces fresh watermelon juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- soda water to top (add as much or as little as you want to this, to taste!)
Instructions
- In the bottom of a mixing glass, gently muddle the mint leaves. Pour in ½ ounce of lime juice, followed by ½ ounce of simple syrup, 3 ounces of watermelon juice, 1.5 ounces of vodka, and ½ ounce of orange liqueur. Stir to combine.
- Strain into an ice-filled glass and top with club soda. Garnish with a watermelon wedge and a fresh mint sprig. Enjoy!
- This recipe is best enjoyed right away once it's been poured over ice with club soda added. You can mix up a batch without ice and club soda, and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Notes
- If you don't have a mixing glass and Hawthorne strainer, you can just use a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and a fine mesh strainer to strain the cocktail. Or, don't worry about straining at all if you don't mind mint leaves in the drink.
- Chill all ingredients before mixing drinks. This will help it keep from melting as quickly if the ingredients are mixed when they are cold.
- Use fresh ingredients. Use freshly squeezed lime juice, and fresh watermelon juice whenever possible for the best flavor!
- Don't bruise the mint. Don't over muddle the mint, or this will bruise it and make it bitter. You only need to muddle gently for about 4-5 turns, until the scent of mint is released.
- To make a large batch: Start by scaling up the number of servings you need, and measuring those ingredients out proportionally. Muddle the mint leaves in the bottom of a large pitcher or punch bowl, then add in the lime juice, watermelon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, and vodka. Right before serving, pour in the club soda and ice. You can also choose to leave the ice out and let people pour the drink over ice in their glasses.
- To prep ingredients in advance: Make the watermelon juice up to 5 days in advance, squeeze lime juice up to 2 days in advance and store them in the fridge in separate airtight containers.
- If making this drink for the first time. When making a cocktail for the first time, we like to suggest adding the liquids that cost the least first, and then adding the more expensive liquids (the liquors) last. That way, if you make a mistake when mixing, you don't have to throw away expensive spirits!
- Sweeten to taste. Add more simple syrup and/or watermelon juice for a sweeter drink. You can always taste it, then add more later.
Alex David says
Nice article, Brianna and Chamere. Thank you very much for the recipe for Watermelon Wine Spritzer with Strawberries. It is worth trying. It is a perfect drink for guests this summer. I appreciate your efforts in collecting and presenting this information to us. Keep providing such information in the future too.