The Fourth of July wouldn’t be complete without something refreshing to drink and this Watermelon Refresher will not disappoint. It’s family friendly (sans alcohol) and good for all types of dietary restrictions.
The original recipe we used was from Gourmande in the Kitchen. Check out their great site. This recipe calls for hibiscus tea. While we love hibiscus (check out our post on hibiscus tea here), we opted for Wild Sweet Orange tea.
For a hot day, this drink is very hydrating since watermelon is 92% water and includes 6 percent natural sugar, which naturally adds some extra sweetness to this refresher. Many watermelon drink recipes call for up to a 1/2 cup of sugar. Who wants all that extra sugar when you can make it just as good without it?!
The Tazo Wild Sweet Orange tea is an herbal infusion of orange peel, lemongrass, citrus herbs & licorice root adding big flavor notes. The lime adds the final sour twist needed to marry all the flavors together.
We made this for the lake and it was a hit for all who tried it. It’s also caffeine, gluten, and dairy free as well as vegan, so it’s a great drink for anyone with these restrictions.
Directions for Watermelon Refresher:
- 8 cups filtered water
- 6 Wild Sweet Orange tea bags
- 3-4 tablespoons honey
- 16 oz watermelon, cubed (divided use)
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- 2-3 limes thinly sliced as well as some cubed depending on how you will serve it
- Mint (if you want)
- Crushed ice for serving
- Optional: Tequila or vodka for adults
- Bring water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. I like to keep my ends out of the saucepan. Take out the tea bags and then add the remaining mixture to a glass container. Stir in your honey (or agave would work too). Chill.
- Cube your watermelon into small piece, muddle the pieces up a little, and stir in lime juice and some lime slices.
- Add the tea mixture to your watermelon and lime mixture.
- Pour in a glass. Add extra watermelon pieces to your glass, along with a lime. Top it off with your choice of alcohol or enjoy it just like it is. Perfect for a hot day. Keep in the refrigerator to enjoy over and over again.
Finally, add some bright yellow nail polish and your drink is complete (wink, wink). Happy Fourth of July peeps! Be safe and enjoy.
Notation: Thank you to my friends Sophia for finding this recipe, Emily for volunteering to model, and Vicky for your camera. Girl Power.
