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Watermelon is trending everywhere right now: menus, bottled drinks, my whole feed. This Watermelon Frosé Cocktail is my favorite way to use it. Frozen watermelon blended into bright pink sorbet, topped with chilled rosé, and served in a glass rimmed with sumac sugar. A few minutes of blending, no cooking involved.
Table of Contents
Make It Ahead
Cutting the watermelon is the hardest and messiest part of this recipe. You’re breaking a whole melon into small chunks, and there’s juice everywhere no matter how careful you are. But luckily, this all happens the day before! Make sure you grab seedless watermelon so you’re not picking seeds out while you dice.
The sorbet itself can be made well ahead. Blend it and freeze it in an airtight container the day before you’re planning on using it. The rosé keeps it from freezing into a solid block, alcohol doesn’t fully freeze in a home freezer, so you’ll pull it out scoopable instead of a brick. If it’s been in there a few days, let it sit on the counter a few minutes or give it a stir before you scoop.
Ingredient Swaps
Fruit Swap: Cantaloupe and honeydew are the easiest swap, they cut and freeze exactly like watermelon with no seeds to deal with. Mango and pineapple work too, just core or pit them first. Strawberries are good here as well, hull them before freezing and don’t bother straining, the seeds are small enough that you won’t notice them once blended. Skip raspberries and blackberries unless you’re willing to strain the sorbet, their seeds stay gritty instead of disappearing.
Wine Swap: White wine works the same as rosé. If you want to use sparkling rosé instead, add it after you blend the sorbet rather than freezing it with the fruit, that keeps the bubbles instead of blending them out.
Nadia’s Tips
- Cut the watermelon into small pieces, this is much easier to blend.
- Freeze the watermelon in a single layer before you bag it. One solid block fights the blender, loose pieces don’t.
Other Summer Cocktails
Watermelon isn’t the only summer ingredient having a moment. This Watermelon Mezcal Cocktail takes the same fruit in a different direction. My Cucumbertini leans into the same hydration angle. My Frozen Strawberry Margarita pairs strawberry with jalapeño heat. Bahamian Sky Juice runs on coconut water instead, traditionally served in an actual coconut shell.
Cocktails
Watermelon Mezcal Cocktail
Cocktails
Cucumbertini 🍸
Cocktails
Frozen Strawberry Margarita 🍓
Cocktails
Bahamian Sky Juice 🍹
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Frequently Asked Questions
I use sumac by Z&Z.
You can use cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, or pineapple instead. Strawberries work too, no straining needed. Raspberries and blackberries need straining or you’ll end up with seeds in every bite.
White wine works the same as rosé. If you want sparkling rosé, add it after you blend the sorbet so you don’t lose the bubbles.
Yes, blend the sorbet and freeze it in an airtight container up to a week ahead. The alcohol keeps it from freezing solid, so it stays scoopable.
Ingredients
Watermelon Sorbet
- 6 cups watermelon, cut into small chunks
- 2 tbsp agave nectar , plus more for brushing on the glasses
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- 750 milliliters rosé wine, 1/3 cup for the sorbet, the rest for the cocktail
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp sumac
Instructions
- Freeze the Watermelon: Cut up the watermelon into very small chunks and seal in a freezer safe bag. Put in the freezer overnight.6 cups watermelon
- Watermelon Sorbet: Add the frozen watermelon to a blender and process until almost smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Add agave nectar, lemon juice and 1/3 cup rosé until smooth and creamy.2 tbsp agave nectar , 1/2 lemon, 75 milliliters rose wine
- The Rim: On a small plate, mix the sugar and sumac. Brush a glass with agave and rim it with the sumac sugar1 tbsp cane sugar, 1 tbsp sumac
- Assemble: Add a scoop or two of the watermelon sorbet and top with chilled rosé.675 milliliters rose wine
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
