When I was in the south of France a couple of weeks ago, we ate a lot of delicious food. It was fresh and colorful, and even the simplest salad tasted overly delicious. I ordered a pastry-wrapped goat cheese salad that I will be recreating soon! But the one thing I noticed to be very abundant in the south of France was the spritz cocktail. The most commonly known to everyone in the States is the Aperol spritz. It’s cute and fun and, of course, delicious. Probably every restaurant there serves them! The other cocktail we saw a lot of was a Lillet spritz, which we thought was actually better than the Aperol spritz. Essentially, they’re the same cocktail, just with different alcohols. Lillet is made with white wine, while Aperol is a mix of bitters, Prosecco, and soda water. Both are delicious, however, Lillet seems to be less commonly served here. But in France, it seems to be served everywhere. It’s so cute and fun! With some inspiration from the classic Lillet spritz, I made a frozen watermelon variation, and wow, it’s so delicious!
Here are the details
Step 1: freeze the watermelon The night before (or earlier), chop up a watermelon and stash the chunks in the freezer. I like to line two baking sheets with parchment paper, layer the watermelon cubes, and freeze. Once frozen, I transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer container to save more space in the freezer.
Step 2: rim the glass Rimming the glass is not something they do in France, but I love a spicy rim. I ran some honey around the rim of my wine glass and then rolled the glass in tajin. It is SO GOOD with the watermelon, you will love it. I do not recommend skipping this step, plus it’s pretty!
Step 3: blend the drink Now, to a blender, add those frozen chunks of watermelon and the Lillet. Or, if you prefer, you can use an equal amount of Aperol. They’re both delicious and can easily be used interchangeably within this spritz. To the Lillet, add Prosecco or sparkling rosé. Add a handful of ice and blend it. Ideally, the consistency should be a little looser than a slushy.
Step 4: add the bubbles The last ingredient to mix in is either sparkling water or ginger beer to top the drink off. I think both are really great. If you enjoy a sweeter cocktail, use ginger beer for sure!
The Mocktail The one thing I found tricky was creating the mocktail variation to this recipe. It’s hard to do since the Lillet is the main ingredient. If you’re looking to make a mocktail, try frozen watermelon mixed with peach or apple juice, then top with ginger beer. Yum! I love this, too! Either way, you all end up making this, whether it’s with Lillet, Aperol, or alcohol-free. I know you’ll love it! The mocktail is Asher’s favorite drink right now, and Oslo loves it too – anything with watermelon!!
Looking for other summer drink recipes? Here are some favorites: Frozen Aperol Peach Margarita Salted Spicy Watermelon Margarita Popsicles Creamy Coconut Lime Mojito Frozen Mango Mojito-Rita Lastly, if you make this Frozen Watermelon Spritz, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
