Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita
A vibrant new take on a stone-cold classic!
Written by: Scott van Dort
The Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita is a shaken vodka cocktail bursting with summer flavors.
As you can guess from the name, the Vodkarita takes its cues from the classic Margarita cocktail, subbing out vodka for tequila. Our take on a simple, shaken cocktail combines Absolut Watermelon, fresh watermelon juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and a splash of orange liqueur.
Serve it up in a salt-rimmed rocks glass, garnish with a lime and watermelon wedges, and you’re looking at sunny Mexico in a glass – and tasting it too!
Ingredients
- 45 ml Absolut Watermelon Vodka
- 15 ml Watermelon Juice
- 12.5 ml Lime Juice
- 12.5 ml Simple Syrup
- 4 ml Orange Liqueur
- 1 Lime Wedge
- 1 Watermelon Wedge
- Kosher Salt
- Ice cubes
What You’ll Need
- Paring Knife
- Blender
- Sieve (Fine Mesh Strainer)
- Mixing Glass (or Pitcher)
- Citrus press
- Small Plate (for the kosher salt)
- Jigger (or Measuring Instrument)
- Boston Shaker
- Hawthorne Strainer
- Rocks Glass
How to Mix
- Use a paring knife to cut a watermelon in half, then into medium-sized pieces. Save a watermelon wedge for garnish.
- Blend the watermelon pieces until liquefied. Then, pour it through a strainer, into a pitcher to remove the pulp.
- Use a paring knife to cut a lime in half, then juice both halves using a citrus press. Tip: If your limes are on the firmer side, soften them by rolling them under your palm.
- Pour kosher salt onto a small plate and rub a lime half along the rim of a rocks glass then dip the rim into the kosher salt.
- Use a jigger to measure and pour simple syrup into the larger tin of a Boston shaker.
- Measure and pour the lime juice into the shaker, followed by the orange liqueur.
- Measure and pour the watermelon juice into the shaker, followed by Absolut Watermelon.
- Fill the shaker with ice cubes, then shake vigorously until ice-cold and condensation forms on the outside.
- Separate the Boston shaker and place a Hawthorne strainer over the top of the larger tin, pouring the cocktail into your glass.
- Use a paring knife to cut another lime into wedges. Place one in the glass and add the saved watermelon wedge to the rim as garnishes.
Add a Twist
- In addition to the juicy sweetness of watermelon, the Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita is full of fresh, citrus flavors, so why not experiment with other citrus-flavored vodkas like Absolut Mandrin or Absolut Citron?
- To balance out the sharpness, and add a tropical twist, use agave syrup instead of simple syrup, or switch out triple sec orange liqueur for sharp, bitter grapefruit juice.
- For a cooling, fragrant note, muddle some mint into the mix. Some fresh jalapeños will add a spicy counterpoint. To double down on herbal flavors, some peppery basil will amplify the watermelon without upsetting the balance.
Common questions
Still looking for tips and inspiration for Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita? We’ll leave you with these common questions.
Mixing watermelon-flavored vodka and fresh watermelon, the Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita is bursting with watermelon flavor. The fresh lime juice gives it a wonderful zesty zing, and the salt rim balances out the sharpness and sweetness.
Watermelon is naturally quite sweet, so you’ll want to balance that out with a bit of citrus; hence the addition of lime juice in a Watermelon Vodkarita. Mix watermelon vodka with watermelon juice and lime juice, top off with soda or lemonade, and add some fresh mint as a garnish for a simple cocktail.
You can! A frozen Absolut Watermelon Vodkarita makes the perfect summer party cocktail and a great centerpiece when served in a watermelon. You just need to blend all your ingredients with ice to create a satisfying slushy.
“It’s kind of like a margarita but also completely different…and still completely delicious!”
Ricardo 'Rico' Dynan, Absolut Global Brand Ambassador