Watermelon Lime Sorbet, Frozen Watermelon Margaritas & Mocktail Recipes

I love Independence Day.

Maybe it’s because I bristle at authority a little (my parents would laugh), or maybe it’s the chill that runs down my spine when I hear a snare drum and a patriotic song. Mostly, though, I love seeing fireworks reflected in my kids’ wide eyes.

…And the food.

This season is a feast: ripe berries, tender lettuces, meat hot off the grill, and herbs you can snip and eat straight from the garden. I eat constantly in the summer, but when I’ve been on the go all day in the heat, nothing satisfies like an icy, refreshing treat.

Watermelon Lime Sorbet:

If you already know my ice cream obsession, you’ll understand why I want to share this sorbet with you for your July 4th gatherings. This simple, bright recipe will make you the hit of any party: Watermelon Lime Sorbet.

A bowl of this sorbet—icy cold, sweet and tangy with fragrant lime—would be enough. It melts instantly on your tongue and tastes like summer in a spoon.

If you want to dress it up, rim a dessert dish with a lime wedge and dip it in coarse salt. Fill that salted-rim dish with sorbet, and you’ve created something truly special.

Watermelon and salt are a longtime pairing—my mom always served watermelon with a sprinkle of salt because it amplifies the watermelon flavor.

Almost-Instant Frozen Watermelon Margaritas:

To make this dessert even more festive, drizzle a shot of very cold tequila over the sorbet for a quick Frozen Watermelon Lime Margarita—olé!

Frozen Watermelon Margarita Mocktail:

For guests who don’t drink alcohol, you can mimic the tequila’s agave character. Stir 1 teaspoon light or golden agave nectar into 1/2 cup tonic water with a fork. Spoon two large scoops of hardened Watermelon Lime Sorbet into dessert dishes, then drizzle half of the agave-tonic mixture over each bowl. The result is a bright, refreshing mocktail version of the frozen margarita.

Who’s already picturing a seedless watermelon, limes, and tequila or tonic water on the shopping list for the 4th? I can’t think of a better way to end a summer day than lounging with your feet up and one of these in hand.

Watermelon Lime Sorbet, Frozen Watermelon Margaritas and a Mocktail!

Rebecca Lindamood

Celebrate summer with a sweet-tart Watermelon Lime Sorbet. Use it as-is for a refreshing dessert or turn it into an almost-instant Frozen Watermelon Margarita or a nonalcoholic mocktail. All three options are included below.

Ingredients

For the Watermelon Lime Sorbet:

• 6 cups seedless watermelon cubes
• the juice and zest of 6 limes separated
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the Frozen Watermelon Margarita:

• 2 large scoops hardened Watermelon Lime Sorbet
• 1 to 1 1/2 shots tequila that has been stored in the freezer for at least 2 hours. *See Notes

For the Frozen Watermelon Margarita Mocktail:

• Lime wedges
• Kosher or coarse sea salt
• 2 large scoops hardened Watermelon Lime Sorbet
• 1/2 teaspoon golden or light agave nectar
• 1/4 cup tonic water

Instructions

To Make the Watermelon Lime Sorbet:

• Stir the sugar into the lime juice and heat gently in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Combine the watermelon cubes and the cooled lime syrup in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the lime zest, cover, and refrigerate at least two hours.
• Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When finished, pack the sorbet into a container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze for at least 2 hours to harden before serving.

To Make the Frozen Watermelon Margarita:

• Pour a generous layer of salt onto a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a dessert dish, then invert the dish into the salt and twirl to coat the edge. Turn the dish right-side-up, fill with Watermelon Lime Sorbet, and drizzle with chilled tequila. Serve immediately.

To Make the Frozen Watermelon Margarita Mocktail:

• Stir the agave nectar into the tonic water in a small measuring cup and set aside.
• Coat a dessert dish rim with lime and salt as described above. Fill with Watermelon Lime Sorbet and drizzle the agave-tonic mixture over the sorbet. Serve immediately.

Notes

*You can store tequila in the freezer without worry; because of its high alcohol content it won’t freeze solid. The same is true for gin and rum.

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition tool.

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