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This Watermelon Cocktail made with fresh watermelon juice and sparkling wine couldn’t be easier to make. And it is the most refreshing summer cocktail you’ll drink this summer only second to a Rosé Wine Slushie.
I have an aversion to artificial watermelon-flavored things (candy in particular). But fresh watermelon, I could gobble up for days like in our fresh Watermelon Salad. And with all the fresh watermelon that fills up the produce isles in the summer months, this watermelon cocktail recipe is a go-to!
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Watermelon Cocktails
The goal is similar to a spritz, adding sparkling wine to the juice for a bubbly and refreshing flavor.
- Fresh Watermelon Juice – We use a whole watermelon, and juice it to extract the juice. We also use the juice in our Watermelon Slushie recipe if you have leftover juice.
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Sparkling Wine – We like a sparkling wine that is not overly sweet. Typically, we will go for a Prosecco wine, Cava, or a dry sparkling wine.
We like to garnish the watermelon cocktail with a sugar rim and slice of lime.
How To Make Watermelon Juice
Cut a few slices of watermelon with the rind on and reserve as a garnish.
- Remove the watermelon rind and cut into cubes.
- Place the watermelon cubes into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to do this in multiple batches.
- Strain into a pitcher, using a spoon to press the pulp and only extract the juice. This removes any remaining seeds or chunks.
- Chill the juice in mason jars until you’re ready to make your cocktails.
I like to throw in some mint leaves after I have separated the juice for some added freshness and flavor. Then place in the fridge to cool until ready to use.
The only sweetness in this drink comes from the natural sweetness of the watermelon, so make sure you like the flavor of the watermelon you’re using. If it’s not sweet enough for your liking, you can easily add some simple syrup to the juice.
To Make the Drink Sweeter — Watermelon Simple Syrup:
Just heat up ½ cup of watermelon juice with ½ cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Once dissolved, add it back to your pitcher of juice. I prefer the natural flavor of the juice so I usually leave out the extra sugar, except for the small bit on the rim. Your call.
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How To Make A Watermelon Cocktail
- Start by rimming your glass. In a small plate add sugar. Run a slice of watermelon or lime wedge along the rim of the glass. Then dip the edges in the sugar on the plate.
- Pour watermelon juice in the glass and then top with the sparkling wine. Add garnish.
For a ratio, we like 2 ounces of watermelon juice to 4 ounces of sparkling wine.
Best Sparkling Wine to use for Watermelon Cocktails?
Avoid true Champagne for any sparkling wine cocktails. While they are my favorite beverage on the planet, these are best reserved for sipping alone or for special occasions (not to mention the price of real Champagne starts at around $40).
Instead opt for something in the $10-$15 range, and look for Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy. The later is my go-to, as there’s a nice fruitiness to the wine that will complement watermelon juice.
Wine Tip
Avoid the cheapest sparkling wines (you know which ones I’m talking about; those found in the $4-$5 range that claim to be “California Champagne”). These are usually overly sweet and will alter the natural flavor of the watermelon. You can find some great alternatives for a few dollars more.
More Easy Summer Cocktail Recipes
Or try our exciting Aperol Spritz Slushie.
Watermelon Cocktail (with Sparkling Wine)
Ingredients
- ½ small watermelon, cut up into cubes (approximately 5 cups cut up)
- 15 mint leaves (optional)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 bottle sparkling wine
- watermelon wedges, (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the watermelon in a blender and process until liquefied and smooth (about 20-30 seconds should do the trick). Using a fine strainer, strain the watermelon into a pitcher to get rid of any chunks or seeds. Add the mint leaves to the strained juice and place in refrigerator until chilled (around 30 minutes).
- Place sugar on a small plate. Rub lime wedges around the edge of the champagne flute, and dip tops of flute into the sugar to rim the edges. Twist them a quarter turn in each direction to get the most amount of sugar on the rim.
- Pour about 2 oz of the watermelon juice into a champagne flute. Fill the remaining glass with sparkling wine.
- Garnish with a small watermelon wedge
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
