Frozen Watermelon-Ginger Margarita Recipe

On a hot summer day, when the sun is beating down, nothing hits the spot quite like a cold slice of watermelon. Or maybe a margarita. Well, why not have both? These frozen watermelon-ginger margaritas, brought to us by recipe developer A.J. Forget, may just be the drink of summer. Ice cold, packed with layers of flavor, and just boozy enough to be the perfect complement to an afternoon by the pool or dinner on the patio, this cocktail recipe effortlessly combines the refreshing flavors of watermelon and ginger into a delicious and easy-to-make margarita. 

Frozen watermelon cubes blended with tequila or mezcal, fresh lime juice, a touch of mint, and a splash of ginger beer creates a well-balanced, slushy cocktail, which delights all of your senses. Stunning red, the watermelon gives not just the base layer of melon flavor, but also a gorgeous color to the drink. Tart lime balances the sweetness of the melon, while mint provides a nice, herbal aroma, and ginger beer a punch of earthy spice. Mezcal imbues the drink with a subtle smokiness, while tequila adds some light floral notes. Regardless of which spirit you choose, this is a drink which might just have your blender working overtime this summer.

For this recipe you will need watermelon, ginger beer, tequila or mezcal, limes, and fresh mint. 

Spread the watermelon cubes in a single layer on a small baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until the watermelon is frozen through.

Add the frozen watermelon, ginger beer, mezcal or tequila, lime juice, and mint to a blender.

Blend on high until smooth.

Divide between four glasses, garnish with a sprig of mint, and serve immediately.

When it comes to mixing a cocktail, using the right ingredients is important. Small mistakes can disrupt the balance and leave you with a final product that is too sweet, too bitter, or missing the mark in some other way. One common mix-up in the mixology world is between ginger ale and ginger beer. It's a simple mistake to make, they sound like they should be the same, but ginger ale and ginger beer are made with fundamentally different processes which lead to very different drinks.

Ginger ale is a variety of soda made with ginger syrup. While it is sometimes used for drinks like a whiskey ginger, it is much sweeter than ginger beer and lacks ginger beer's spicy zing. Ginger ale is typically best reserved for upset stomachs and airplane rides.

Ginger beer, on the other hand, is made by fermenting fresh ginger root and sugar. This process creates a beverage with a strong punch of ginger flavor. Ginger is, by nature, a pungent ingredient, and that pungency is on full display in ginger beer. A proper ginger beer is not only a sweet, ginger-flavored drink, but also a mixer which adds an earthy punch to your cocktail.

When it comes to mixing drinks, ginger beer is almost always the right choice. There are many brands of ginger beer out there, so do your research and pick one with the right amount of kick for your palate.

Tequila and mezcal are both agave-based spirits made in Mexico, but their flavor profiles are very different. In this recipe we leave that decision of which spirit to use in your hands, but it is important to understand the differences between tequila and mezcal before you start mixing.

The biggest difference between the two spirits comes down to flavor, and the flavor difference comes down to how the respective liquors are produced. Both liquors feature agave as the base, and with regular tequila, the agave is typically steamed; meanwhile, mezcal agave is often pit-roasted. So, as a result, tequila has a notably smooth and somewhat mellow flavor profile, whereas mezcal has a distinct smokiness to it.

Tequila and mezcal are often used interchangeably in cocktails. In this recipe, either option will work great, it is simply about deciding whether you would prefer to stick to the original or add an intriguing touch of smoke to your watermelon-ginger margaritas.