Frozen Watermelon Margarita

Watermelon varies in sweetness, so taste as you go and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. You can also swap the white sugar for agave syrup to complement the tequila’s flavor. As for that spirit, blanco tequila has a mild, grassy flavor ideal for this summer cocktail the richer barrel-aged flavors of reposado may overpower the melon. Don’t skimp on the freshly squeezed lime juice here: It rounds out sweet watermelon and punchy tequila with a bright boost of acidity.

Recipe information

• Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
• Yield6 servings

Ingredients

1 3-pound piece watermelon, plus 6 watermelon wedges for garnish

1 cup blanco tequila

½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

¼ cup sugar, or to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Remove rind from 1 3-pound piece watermelon and cut enough fruit into 1-inch pieces to measure 5 cups.

Step 2

Transfer frozen watermelon to a blender and add 1 cup blanco tequila, ½ cup fresh lime juice, and ¼ cup sugar. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Divide margarita among 6 glasses and garnish each with a watermelon wedge.

Notes:

If you can’t find a seedless watermelon, don’t even worry about seeding it; watermelon seeds are completely safe to consume (yes, even the crunchy black ones), and a whiz in the blender quickly breaks them down along with the rest of the fruit. On a particularly hot day, freeze the whole mixture before blending to get the coolest, creamiest results.

If you have poco glasses, now’s the time to break them out for a little resort-style flair. Otherwise, a margarita glass or any tall glass is fine. Whatever you use, chill the glasses first to keep the drink cooler for longer.