Watermelon Tequila Cooler

Beat the heat with these revitalizing Watermelon Tequila Coolers! They’re as delicious as they are refreshing and make a lovely cocktail for guests!

Watermelon Tequila Coolers (Ted’s Takeover Recipe)

I think that everyone is well aware of the cooling effect of watermelon in the summertime.  Most of us have childhood memories of eating watermelon at picnics or summer camp.  For kids, there was nothing not to like about it- it was sweet, thirst quenching and fun to eat. The juice went everywhere and there was the added bonus that you could spit the seeds at your friends! 

Watermelon is rich in electrolytes like potassium, so it was also an ideal fruit to eat when you were spending a lot of time under the sun and your body craved replenishment.

One of the reasons why watermelon (Citrullus) and cucumber (Cucumis) pair so well together is because they are closely related members of the same plant family, Cucurbitaceae. 

In this cocktail the cucumber juice adds a nice contrast against the sweetness of the watermelon and the mint simple syrup.  The addition of a small pinch of Himalayan pink salt somehow has the effect of marrying all the flavors together into one complex and sweet but not cloyingly sweet flavor.

Frequent readers of this blog may remember that last summer we presented our Celery Gin Rickey recipe and I sang the praises of Bitter Truth Celery Bitters (still one of my favorites).  Well, for this cocktail I’m using another one of their brilliant creations, Cucumber Bitters.  

The flavor profile on their website describes it as peppery, with earthy-fruity aromas of marinated cucumber and cracked pepper on the nose.  In taste expect fresh cucumber accompanied by a light bitterness, herbal notes of rosemary and thyme, hints of fleur de sel, and lingering floral flavors of summer blossoms and squash finish.

We’ve been enjoying this Watermelon Tequila Cooler recently while sitting on the patio in our backyard, enjoying the warm summer evenings and light breeze.  Sipping this slightly sweet but complex cocktail and enjoying the surroundings makes you feel for a minute like everything is right in the world.  Time for another one, I think!

Looking for a snack to accompany this cocktail? This goes great our World’s Best Guacamole. Enjoy!

Watermelon Tequila Cooler

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Ted's Takeover Recipe

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 oz blanco tequila 
• 4 oz watermelon/cucumber juice mixture
• 1 oz mint simple syrup
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 2 dashes Bitter Truth cucumber bitters 
• 2 dashes Regans No. 6 orange bitters 
• Pinch of Himalayan pink salt 
  

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Cut two half moon shaped pieces of watermelon about an inch thick and remove the rind.  
2. For the cucumber, use about 1/3 of a large cucumber or a whole Kirby. Peel off the skin and remove any green pith.
3. Cut watermelon and cucumber into small chunks, place in food processor and pulse until all the chunks are broken down into a purée. Strain the purée over a bowl. You can also use a juicer instead if you have one.
   
4. For the simple syrup, place 3/4 cup of water, 3/4 cup of sugar and 3-4 mint sprigs in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to cool completely.
5. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add all ingredients and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Double strain in a rocks glass over ice.  Garnish with small watermelon slice, cucumber peel or mint sprig.