Boozy watermelon recipe turns your fruit into an ‘edible margarita’

Nothing hits the spot on a hot summer day quite like an ice-cold margarita. But while we’re all used to having our margaritas only two ways (on the rocks or frozen) there’s actually a third way to enjoy the cocktail that you’ve probably never tried — you can eat it!

No, I haven’t already had too much tequila. If you like watermelon, you can indeed eat your margarita simply by soaking the watermelon slices in a mixture of tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice!

The recipe for Edible Watermelon Margaritas comes courtesy of snack brand Late July and is excerpted from “The Cocktail Club” by Maureen Christian-Petrosky. It’s just as easy as it sounds — simply cut up some watermelon, mix the spirits and lime juice in a cocktail shaker, then pour it on the slices.

Of course, with how easy it is and how delicious it sounds, I tested it out. Not only does it come together in just a few minutes (not including letting the watermelon chill in the freezer for a bit), but it was seriously so good.

The watermelon soaked up the tequila mixture quite well, so it didn’t have a strong flavor. It mostly just tasted like watermelon, but with a bit of a kick. You can tell it’s not just plain watermelon, but the flavors are subtle. Because it was put in the freezer first, it was even more refreshing than refrigerated or room temperature watermelon.

Take a look at the full recipe below:

Edible Watermelon Margaritas

Makes 12 appetizer portions

Ingredients:

12 pieces of watermelon, sliced into wedges
1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
1/2 oz. orange liqueur
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
Coarse salt for garnish

Directions:

In an ice-filled shaker, combine the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice.

Fan the sliced watermelon on a rimmed plate. The plate or platter needs a slightly raised rim, so the cocktail does not pour out. Place the plate in the freezer for about 20 minutes to get an icy chill on your melon but do not freeze it solid.

Strain the cocktail over top of the slices of watermelon.

Serve the coarse salt in a small bowl alongside for guests to sprinkle on their edible margarita.

TIP: If you want to make these alcohol-free, simply skip the tequila and orange liqueur and up the lime juice to 1 1/2 ounces or use 2 ounces of sour mix instead.

While I had no problem eating multiple slices, as you can see above, the recipe serves 12. So, if you’re serving it at a party, you may want to consider putting the slices in individual bowls with salt instead of on a platter with just one bowl of salt so your guests can still practice social distancing.

If you’d still prefer to drink your watermelon margaritas, though, no worries, we’ve got a recipe for that too!

This easy watermelon margarita can be served on the rocks or frozen and calls for just a few ingredients: watermelon, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice. Of course, you’ll also need a blender if you want it frozen.

Will you be trying an edible margarita for a unique way to enjoy your cocktail?