Melon Cucumber-tini

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/10/21
Melon Cucumber-tini Cocktail

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Melons and cucumbers are a perfect pairing. The duo comes together in spectacular fashion in the melon-cucumber-tini. This easy three-ingredient vodka martini is very refreshing and makes a delightful summer drink. It's fantastic for brunch and barbecues, or anytime you're entertaining and need a drink that's a little extraordinary but still quick to mix up.

The recipe features a melon-flavored vodka, which is paired with freshly muddled cucumber. Add a dollop of simple syrup, and you get a well-balanced melon cocktail that everyone is sure to enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices cucumber, divided

  • 2 ounces melon vodka

  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Muddle 3 slices of cucumber in a mixing glass.

  3. Add the vodka and simple syrup, and fill with ice.

  4. Shake well.

  5. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  6. Garnish with the remaining cucumber slice. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • There are a handful of "melon" vodkas on the market. This recipe was intended to use vodka flavored with a blend of various melons, including honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Some vodkas use watermelon alone, and that will work just fine.
  • You can also make your own melon vodka. It's an easy infusion that should take about a week and can be created with your own custom blend of melons.
  • For the cucumber, you might want to use an English cucumber rather than the average slicer. The English variety is less bitter because the seeds are smaller. Since they are so tiny, it's usually not bothersome if a few sneak through the strainer.
  • If you're using cucumber with larger seeds, you might want to fine strain the drink. This simply entails pouring through the shaker's regular strainer as well as a fine-mesh strainer that's placed over the glass. The second strainer should catch all the seeds and cucumber bits.

Recipe Variations

  • If you're entertaining, mix up a small pitcher rather than individual drinks. Simply multiply each of the ingredients for the number of servings you need, stir it well with ice, and strain it into the serving pitcher. Store it in the refrigerator and it will be ready to pour into cocktail glasses.
  • Make this drink tall by straining it over ice in a collins or highball glass. Fill it with ginger ale or a citrus soda. You could even use your favorite sparkling wine.
  • Another option is to make cucumber-flavored simple syrup, which would reduce this to a two-ingredient drink. It's incredibly easy and a lot like making ginger simple syrup, you'll simply need to switch to slices of cucumber.

How Strong Is a Melon Cucumber-tini?

The majority of commercial flavored vodkas are bottled at just 70 proof, but if you do a homemade infusion, you'll likely use an 80-proof vodka. Taking an average of the two, the melon cucumber-tini should have an alcohol content in the 24 percent ABV (48 proof) range. It's equivalent to drinking a cosmopolitan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
179 Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 245mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)