Fresh Watermelon Cocktails:
Watermelons are filled with juicy goodness. It is very easy to extract the sweet juice, often all you need to do is muddle a few chunks and strain out any seeds. Another option is to de-seed chunks of melon and process them in an electric juicer or blender. The latter will produce more of a puree, but this works surprisingly well in the majority of these drinks. Using the melon for its juice is also a great way to utilize any left over watermelon from your summer picnics, simply bottle the juice and store it in the refrigerator for days of fresh watermelon cocktails.- Big Breezy
- Gallagher Cocktail
- King Carlos Caipirinha
- Melancia Sour
- Peppermelon
- Sunset Strip
- Watermelon Margarita
- Watermelon Wave
Other Melon Cocktails:
Honeydew and cantaloupe melons are not as common in cocktails as watermelon. However, on occasion you will run across a recipe that utilizes them. More often than not, these melons are used as a garnish for a subtle flavor enhancement. A melon baller will be an essential tool for creating perfect little balls to garnish with.- Honey Deuce - honeydew
- Japanese Slipper - honeydew
Melon-flavored Liquor Cocktails:
Midori is, by far, the most popular and well-known melon-flavored liquor and the cocktails that call specifically for that electric green liqueur can be found here. Other melon distilled spirits are available as well. Bols makes both a melon (green) and watermelon (red) that I highly recommend, with the former being a great substitute for Midori. If you are looking for something that is far more tart, DeKuyper's Watermelon Pucker will fit the bill.
Another melon distilled spirit that is used on occasion is a melon-infused vodka. A handful of commercial brands are available and it is very easy to make your own (see Watermelon Infused Vodka). Another fun summertime treat is to infuse an entire watermelon with vodka (rum works as well). Check out this video to learn how to pull that off.
- Dutch Tulip
- Ghostbuster
- Greentini
- Gummi Bear Margarita
- Melon Ball (shooter)
- Melon Cucumber-tini
- Melon Margarita
- Melon Patch
- Pearl Harbor
- Planetary Punch
- Shamrock Smoothie
- Stoplight (shooter)
Read more about melons, find prep tips and more recipes at Local Foods on About.com.
This collection of cocktail recipes is an ongoing project and is updated regularly.
