Planning a barbecue this summer? Make sure you’ve got this tasty Watermelon Daiquiri on the menu to really get the party started. This rum cocktail has summer entertaining written all over it and it will make a great addition to picnics and garden gatherings. In our opinion, it’s so delicious you’ll want to make one even if it’s snowing out! What’s more, it’s super easy to turn this refreshing cocktail into a fantastic mocktail so the whole family can get involved.
Watermelon Daiquiri
PREP TIME 5 min
QUICK TIPS
INSTRUCTIONS
Put a handful of ice in a strong blender
Add the rum, watermelon liqueur, lime juice and watermelon cubes
Blitz until just smooth and serve in a cocktail or coupé glass
Garnish with a wedge of watermelon and sip away
How to make the ultimate Watermelon Daiquiri recipe?
Traditionally, a Daiquiri is a mixture of a delicious rum muddled with a little simple syrup while fruity Daiquiris include a hero fruit that’s blended in to make a vibrantly coloured sweet cocktail. This Watermelon Daiquiri is a little different as it also includes a measure of watermelon liqueur to boost the fruity deliciousness. If you can’t find watermelon liqueur, then a delicious flavoured gin would be a perfect addition too. Try O’Ndina Gin, a gorgeous small batch gin made with oranges and lemons from Southern Italian orchards and herby notes. The citrusy goodness makes this gin a great match for the Watermelon Daiquiri.
How to make watermelon juice?
How often do you buy a hunk of a watermelon and only get halfway through? Save the leftovers and make watermelon juice instead! Chop your remaining watermelon into cubes, ditching the seeds as you go, and blitz it in the blender. If you’re not making a Daiquiri like our recipe above, push the watermelon puree through a sieve to remove the thick pulp for tasty and smooth watermelon juice. Drink immediately as a refreshing breakfast juice or pour into ice cube trays and freeze to use in future Daiquiris.
For a slushie cocktail, put the cubes of watermelon on a tray and freeze them ahead of time. Once frozen, store the watermelon in freezer bags to keep them extra fresh. When the hot weather calls for cocktails, blitz the watermelon in the blender with the other cocktail ingredients following the method above and there you have it! Insta-worthy frozen cocktails in a flash.
How to choose a white rum?
When it comes to choosing the white rum, choose a subtly sweet rum such as Jamaican distilled Wray and Nephew white rum that’s full of character and flavour but won’t overpower the fruity goodness. For a Caribbean vibe, try Maison La Mauny Rum, where you can pick your level of booze from 40%, 50%, 55% or 62% ABV.
How to serve Watermelon Daiquiri?
The Watermelon Daiquiri is the ideal crowd pleaser on long balmy afternoons in the sun. Serve this bright and beautiful cocktail in a cocktail or coupé glass if you have, or cute tumblers would work just as well. Garnish with pretty-in-pink wedges of watermelon, a slice of lime and a sprig of mint to up the wow factor. Pair this summer cocktail with all the best barbecue food, like scrumptious prawns or chicken satay sticks. Nibbles like fish tacos are also a perfect match for summer Daiquiris to transport yourself to the beach.
For family get-togethers, you can make a non-alcoholic version by omitting the liqueur and rum for sparkling apple juice instead.
How strong is a Watermelon Daiquiri?
Adding watermelon does reduce the ABVs in this rum based cocktail. Obviously, the final number will depend on how juicy your watermelon is and the exact amount of ice you are using. A good estimate is between 8-10% ABV making it a bit less than a glass of vino and way more exciting!