I’m excited to share my Watermelon Mint Mocktail, one of my favorite Watermelon Juice Drinks that pairs fresh watermelon juice, muddled mint, and a splash of lime with a little twist you’ll want to try.

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I stumbled onto this Watermelon Juice Drinks idea and honestly I can’t stop thinking about it. I wanted something that actually felt clean and bright, not the syrupy stuff, so the fresh seedless watermelon and the handful of mint leaves do all the heavy lifting.

It’s light and a little fizzy in my head, somehow both simple and a tiny bit fancy, you’ll sip once and wonder where this has been all your life. I keep imagining it at a noisy backyard, someone asking whats in it and you just smile like it’s your secret.

Try it, you wont regret saving this one.

Ingredients

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Watermelon: mostly water low cal natural sweetness, vitamin C and lycopene, lightly fibrous.
Fresh mint: bright cooling herb that add aroma, small antioxidants, helps digestion.
Lime juice: tart citrus tang, vitamin C boost that balances sweetness and brightens flavors.
Honey/simple syrup: adds sweetness and body, quick carbohydrates for energy, adjust to taste.
Sparkling water: bubbly hydration with no calories, lifts the drink and lightens sweetness.
Pinch of salt: tiny amount brings out sweetness and balances overall flavor.
Ice: chills and dilutes slightly, keeps flavors bright and the drink crisp.
Garnish: lime wedges or small watermelon slices add color aroma and a fresh zing.

Ingredient Quantities

4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed, about 1 small watermelon

10 to 12 fresh mint leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 1 lime

1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey, more or less to taste

2 cups sparkling water or club soda, chilled

Ice cubes, as needed

Pinch of salt, optional

Lime wedges or small watermelon slices for garnish, optional

How to Make this

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1. Chill the glasses and the sparkling water in the fridge while you prep, it’ll keep the drink fizzy longer.

2. Cube 4 cups seedless watermelon, set aside a few small cubes for garnish and freeze some if you want watermelon-ice so the drink doesnt get watered down.

3. Place the remaining watermelon in a blender with 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey (start with less, you can add more later), blend until smooth.

4. Optional pinch of salt goes into the blender now if you like a brighter flavor, then taste and adjust sweet or sour.

5. Strain the blended watermelon through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a pitcher to remove pulp, pressing with a spoon to get all the juice.

6. In a separate glass or small bowl, lightly muddle 10 to 12 fresh mint leaves with a little extra lime or a teaspoon of syrup to release the oils, dont pulverize the leaves or theyll turn bitter.

7. Stir the muddled mint into the strained watermelon juice, taste and add more syrup, lime, or salt as needed.

8. Fill serving glasses with ice or frozen watermelon cubes, pour the watermelon-mint mixture leaving some room at the top.

9. Top each glass with chilled sparkling water or club soda (about 2 cups total for the batch) and stir gently to combine so you dont lose the fizz.

10. Garnish with mint sprigs, lime wedges or small watermelon slices and serve right away for the freshest, coolest flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Fridge or cooler to chill the glasses and sparkling water
2. Blender for the watermelon puree, dont overfill it
3. Cutting board and a sharp knife for cubing the melon
4. Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth plus a pitcher or large bowl to strain and catch the juice
5. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon, plus a 1 cup measure for the 4 cups of watermelon
6. Muddler or small wooden spoon and a small bowl to lightly muddle the mint
7. Tall serving glasses and an ice scoop or tongs for ice or frozen watermelon cubes
8. Long spoon or bar spoon to stir gently and a ladle to pour into glasses

FAQ

Q: How far ahead can I make the watermelon juice? A: You can blend and strain the watermelon up to 24 hours before serving, keep it chilled in the fridge. Add the sparkling water and ice right before serving so it stays fizzy. Mint is better added fresh, or it gets limp.

Q: Can I use frozen watermelon or just fresh? A: Frozen works fine, just thaw a bit or blend frozen cubes for a slushy texture. If you use frozen, cut back on ice so it doesn’t get watered down.

Q: How do I make it less sweet? A: Use less simple syrup or skip it entirely and add more lime. A tiny pinch of salt brings out the fruit flavor so you may not need much sweetener.

Q: Want to make it boozy? A: Add 1 to 1 1/2 ounces light rum or vodka per serving, stir gently after adding the sparkling water. It stays light and refreshing.

Q: How do I scale this for a party? A: Multiply the watermelon, lime and sweetener and blend in batches. Keep chilled watermelon juice in the fridge and pour sparkling water over it just before serving so it stays fizzy.

Q: Can I swap the mint for something else? A: Yes, basil is a great swap for a different flavor, or try cilantro if you’re feeling adventurous. The herb should be muddled gently so it doesn’t turn bitter.

Refreshing Sweet Watermelon Mint Summer Mocktail Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Watermelon: Swap with cantaloupe or honeydew for the same juicy melon vibe, or use ripe strawberries for a brighter, slightly tarter drink. Use about the same volume (4 cups) and cut back on added sweetener if the substitute is very sweet.
Mint leaves: Use fresh basil or lemon balm instead, about 8 to 10 basil leaves or 8 lemon balm leaves in place of 10 to 12 mint. Basil gives a peppery twist, lemon balm is more lemony, both work great muddled.
Fresh lime juice: Substitute fresh lemon juice 1:1, or try a splash of grapefruit juice for extra complexity. Taste as you go, lemons can be a bit sharper so you might want a little less.
Simple syrup or honey: Replace with agave nectar or maple syrup 1:1, or stir 1 to 2 tbsp granulated sugar into a spoonful of warm water if you got no syrup. Agave is milder, maple adds a cozy, woody note.

Pro Tips

– Chill everything ahead, especially the sparkling water and glasses. Also freeze a handful of tiny watermelon cubes to use instead of ice so the drink stays cold without getting watered down, they double as cute garnish too.

– Be gentle with the mint. Bruising or lightly muddling the leaves will give big aroma without the bitter green taste. If you overdo it it gets grassy and unpleasant.

– Strain the blended juice well, but save the pulp for smoothies or popsicles instead of tossing it. Press it through the sieve with the back of a spoon to get max flavor out without grit.

– Taste and tweak when the mix is cold, not warm. Cold mutes flavor so start with less sweetener and lime, add more after chilling, and a tiny pinch of salt can make the watermelon pop.

Refreshing Sweet Watermelon Mint Summer Mocktail Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Fridge or cooler to chill the glasses and sparkling water
2. Blender for the watermelon puree, dont overfill it
3. Cutting board and a sharp knife for cubing the melon
4. Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth plus a pitcher or large bowl to strain and catch the juice
5. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon, plus a 1 cup measure for the 4 cups of watermelon
6. Muddler or small wooden spoon and a small bowl to lightly muddle the mint
7. Tall serving glasses and an ice scoop or tongs for ice or frozen watermelon cubes
8. Long spoon or bar spoon to stir gently and a ladle to pour into glasses

Ingredients

4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed, about 1 small watermelon
10 to 12 fresh mint leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey, more or less to taste
2 cups sparkling water or club soda, chilled
Ice cubes, as needed
Pinch of salt, optional
Lime wedges or small watermelon slices for garnish, optional

Directions

Chill the glasses and the sparkling water in the fridge while you prep, it'll keep the drink fizzy longer.
Cube 4 cups seedless watermelon, set aside a few small cubes for garnish and freeze some if you want watermelon-ice so the drink doesnt get watered down.
Place the remaining watermelon in a blender with 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey (start with less, you can add more later), blend until smooth.
Optional pinch of salt goes into the blender now if you like a brighter flavor, then taste and adjust sweet or sour.
Strain the blended watermelon through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a pitcher to remove pulp, pressing with a spoon to get all the juice.
In a separate glass or small bowl, lightly muddle 10 to 12 fresh mint leaves with a little extra lime or a teaspoon of syrup to release the oils, dont pulverize the leaves or theyll turn bitter.
Stir the muddled mint into the strained watermelon juice, taste and add more syrup, lime, or salt as needed.
Fill serving glasses with ice or frozen watermelon cubes, pour the watermelon-mint mixture leaving some room at the top.
Top each glass with chilled sparkling water or club soda (about 2 cups total for the batch) and stir gently to combine so you dont lose the fizz.
Garnish with mint sprigs, lime wedges or small watermelon slices and serve right away for the freshest, coolest flavor.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.