Skip to main content

Watermelon Cosmo

Muddled watermelon vodka fresh lime juice Triple Sec and kosher salt strained into two coupes and garnished with a ball...
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely

The ’90s seem to be back and with it comes a renewed appreciation for the chic icon of the era: the Cosmopolitan cocktail. Consisting of vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice, the garnet-hued sipper is a fun drink to get the party started. Sweet, but not cloying. Fiery, but not brutal. This summertime version swaps out the cranberry found in the original for watermelon juice, lending a refreshing seasonal twist that makes it even more delightful. You don’t need to fuss with juicing watermelon or blending and straining it, either. You simply muddle a few fresh pieces in a cocktail shaker, add the remaining ingredients, shake, and strain. This process extracts the melon’s precious juice and preserves its vivid color.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    5 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes 1

Ingredients

1 cup 1" cubes fresh watermelon, plus 1 watermelon ball for serving
2 oz. vodka
¾ oz. triple sec
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
Pinch of kosher salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Muddle 1 cup 1" cubes fresh watermelon in a cocktail shaker with a muddler until broken up and pulpy.

    Step 2

    Add 2 oz. vodka, ¾ oz. triple sec, ¾ oz. fresh lime juice, and a pinch of kosher salt to shaker and fill with ice. Cover and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.

    Step 3

    Strain cocktail into a martini glass and press 1 watermelon ball onto rim of glass to garnish.

Read More
Sticky-sweet mall-style bourbon chicken gets a fall makeover.
Full of crunchy veg and a miso-maple dressing.
A fancy-feeling dish that comes together in 20 minutes.
A fam-favorite, 30-minute dinner we have on repeat.
Canned purée delivers rich body and deep flavor, without the nonna-level cook time.
Canned pumpkin, you shouldn’t have!
Enchiladas meet pumpkin in this cozy weeknight dinner.
Known as okayu, this Japanese comfort food will warm you from the inside out.