Say hello to the only thing I need to sip on all summer long.
These Watermelon Gin & Tonics are so refreshing and light, and they are super simple to throw together for a hot pool day in the sun.
Gin and I have become good friends over the years. I remember in my early 20s absolutely loathing gin. I think it’s because all that was available back then were your classic English gins. We’re talking straight pine needles. No floral or nuanced flavors going on at all.
Since then, so many lighter, more floral gins have become available, and I use them exclusively. Hendrick’s is a great starting point for gin, and Empress gin has quickly become my newest favorite. It’s SO light and florally, and it works well in tons of cocktails.
Gin and tonics have quickly become one of my favorite hot summer day drinks in recent years. They are so light and refreshing without any cloying sweetness. They’re also the simplest cocktail to make, which is a bonus when you want to be outside as much and as fast as possible.
Watermelon is my favorite part of summer. Seriously. I look forward to summer watermelon all year round. The boys and I go through a large melon in less than a week, and I don’t think we’ll ever tire of it. It’s so darn delicious and refreshing.
In addition to eating it straight from the fridge, icy cold and crisp, I often make watermelon cocktails in the summertime. So given my affinity for both watermelon and gin and tonics this time of year, this cocktail was sort of meant to be.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make These Watermelon Gin & Tonics:
- Watermelon
- Gin
- Limes
- Tonic water
How to Make These Watermelon Gin & Tonics:
- It starts with watermelon juice. You can buy it at the store, but I like to make my own by simply blending sweet, ripe watermelon in a blender until it’s a juice. Strain out the pulp and you’re ready to go.
- Fill glasses with ice and top off with the watermelon juice, gin, fresh lime juice, and tonic water. Garnish with additional watermelon and limes and serve while cold. That’s it! SO simple.
Other Cocktail Recipes You May Enjoy:
- Pineapple Gin & Tonics
- Lemon Lavender Gin Spritz
- Minty Cucumber Gin Coolers
- Chamomile Gin Fizz
- Spicy Watermelon Margaritas
- Watermelon Palomas
Cheers to the most refreshing and easiest summer cocktail! I’ll be sipping on these poolside for the foreseeable future!
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Watermelon Gin & Tonics
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cocktails (easily multiplied) 1x
Description
These Watermelon Gin & Tonics are everything I want in a summer cocktail. Light, bright, slightly sweet, and featuring my all-time favorite part of summer: fresh watermelon. These are incredibly simple to make and are so refreshing! Perfect for hot summer days.
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Juice:
- 2 cups cubed watermelon
For the Cocktails:
- Ice
- 3 oz watermelon juice
- 4 oz gin
- 6 oz tonic water
- Juice of 2 limes
- Watermelon wedges or cubes, for serving
- Lime slices or wedges, for serving
Instructions
For the Watermelon Juice:
- Place the cubed watermelon in a blender and blend until the watermelon is completely pureed and smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl or large measuring cup. Discard any pulp.
- Store in the fridge until you are ready to use – it will keep in the fridge for a few days.
For the Cocktails:
- Fill two glasses with ice. Pour over the watermelon juice, the gin, the lime juice, and top everything off with the tonic water.
- Garnish the glasses with additional lime and watermelon and serve immediately while cold.
Notes
- Feel free to use store-bought watermelon juice for this recipe – I prefer fresh, but this brand is always consistently delicious with great watermelon flavor.
- A floral gin, such as Hendrick’s or Empress, works great here.
- You can also swap out the gin and tonic entirely and make this with vodka and club soda for a watermelon vodka soda. Both versions are delicious!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: cocktails
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
a nice change, refreshing too over straight gin and tonic and perfect for summer, thank you!