Thirsty Thursday: Watermelon Crush

Watermelon is all the rage right now, so I decided to turn the sweet, juicy summer fruit into a fresh and fruity cocktail.

If you’re like me, you have a never ending supply of watermelon in your refrigerator. When the last bite has been devoured, another shiny green melon appears, as if by some automatic response to the disappearance of the first one.

The cycle repeats itself until the end of the season, because you try to consume as much summer fruit as humanly possible before it bids us adieu until next season.

The ways in which to enjoy a watermelon are endless. I like to slice mine into thick circles and then cut the circles into small triangular wedges and eat it straight off the rind, old-school style. My second favorite way to enjoy the juicy red melon is with a side of booze.

This Watermelon Crush is equal parts hydrating and boozy. It’s a simple mixture of watermelon juice, vodka, and sprite. When I refer to watermelon juice, it’s just watermelon that has been pulsed in a blender until smooth and strained to remove any unwanted chunks–nothing fancy or overly time consuming. Once you blend the watermelon, it will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Anything after that, it starts to lose flavor.

Now that I’m the ripe age 31, I take my alcohol with a side of water in order to stay hydrated and avoid hangovers the next day. Since watermelon is extremely hydrating, you’re killing two birds with one stone when you enjoy this cocktail.

The fresh watermelon flavor is the star of this cocktail. They go down so smooth that you almost question the existence of any alcohol at all, but I promise you, it’s there in all of its boozy glory.

Print Recipe

Watermelon Crush

Sweet, juicy watermelon, vodka, and sprite get combined to create a refreshing summer cocktail.

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 5 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 heaping cups chopped watermelon
• 4 ounces vodka
• 4 ounces lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite) 
• 2 lime wedges

Directions:

1. Add the watermelon to the bowl of a blender or food processor; pulse until smooth. Strain the mixture to remove any chunks. Use immediately or place the watermelon juice in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
2. Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Transfer the strained watermelon juice to the shaker and add the vodka. Give the mixture a few vigorous shakes. 
3. Divide the mixture between two tall glasses full of cubed or crushed ice. Top each glass with 2 ounces of sprite. Garnish with a lime wedge. 

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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