Watermelon is the eternal flavor of summer. Whether you’re looking for a patio cocktail or one that will infuse your wintery nights with a sense of summer, watermelon mixers are the way to go.
You may have seen Watermelon Pucker behind the bar at your favorite dive or remember it from the sugary cocktails you consumed at parties, but this liqueur isn’t just for syrupy shots and neon pink creations. But if that’s what you're looking for, Watermelon Pucker has you covered, too.
Watermelon Pucker is a tangy, sweet variety of schnapps. We commonly read about peach schnapps in drink recipes, but we might not stop to ask ourselves: What exactly is schnapps? This term refers to an infused neutral spirit. These flavorless alcohols acquire the taste of fruits, herbs, or spices during an infusion process. We don’t recommend schnapps, whether peach, watermelon, or otherwise, for sipping, but this liqueur provides the perfect dash of concentrated flavor in a well-prepared cocktail or mixed drink.
1. Watermelon Pucker margarita
One of the most popular drinks with watermelon pucker and tequila—if not the most popular drink—is this fruitier take on the margarita is the summery thirst quencher you’ve been looking for. (We say “thirst quencher” lightly because alcohol dehydrates us, as we all know.) Nonetheless, this watermelon-lime cocktail is tasty.
To make, combine 1 ½ ounces of silver tequila, 1 ounce of Watermelon Pucker, 1 squeeze of fresh lime juice, and one-half ounce of simple syrup in a shaker with plenty of ice. Swap the simple syrup for agave to include even more Mexican flavors with your tequila. After shaking, strain into a margarita glass and garnish with a tiny watermelon slice. You can also prepare your glass with a salt rim by running a line of simple syrup around the lip of the glass and then dipping it in coarse sea salt. We recommend pouring the salt out on a flat surface first so that it’s easy to dip the rim of the glass in the salt evenly.
2. Watermelon Pucker martini
Put a fruit-forward spin on this notoriously dry drink by combining Watermelon Pucker, vodka, and fresh watermelon. To make, shake up 2 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of watermelon schnapps with plenty of ice. Strain the drink into a martini glass and garnish with skewered watermelon pieces. Use a small scoop to make melon balls instead of simply cutting the fruit into squares for a nice visual effect.
ricka_kinamoto - stock.adobe.com
3. Sunset shots with Watermelon Pucker
This drink is about as tropical as it gets, combining the coconut-infused rum drink Malibu and Watermelon Pucker. What’s more, the finished shots look like beachy sunsets. To make, shake up 1 ounce of Malibu coconut rum, 1/2 ounce of pineapple juice, and 1/2 ounce of Watermelon Pucker in a cocktail shaker with ice, and then strain into a large shot glass. To finish, add in a dash of grenadine, and watch the drink turn an ombre array of twilight pinks.
madamlead - stock.adobe.com
4. Watermelon Pucker Jolly Rancher drink
This cocktail is for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. We hope you have a tart tooth too, because this cocktail combines several ingredients to recreate the flavor of a Jolly Rancher. Add 1 ½ ounce of Watermelon Pucker, 1 ounce of vodka, and even more acidic flavor with 1 ounce of sweet and sour mix to a cocktail shaker. Shake the watermelon schnapps, sweet and sour mix, and vodka with plenty of ice. Then, strain the liquid into a coupe glass and top up with about 2 ounces of lemon-lime soda, like Sprite or 7Up. If you want to go all out, garnish your finished cocktail with an unwrapped watermelon Jolly Rancher candy. If you wet the candy, it may stick to the glass.
alexshyripa - stock.adobe.com
Cocktail variations with sour apple schnapps flavor
You can substitute other fruit flavors into just about any of these cocktail recipes, and one of our favorites is apple schnapps. It gives a tart, sour flavor in place of watermelon’s sweetness. This schnapps is known for its neon green color and tart taste. While various experimental cocktails use this flavor, you can also add it into more classic recipes for just a touch of sour apple flavor.
Sour apple and tequila: This apple pucker drink is a take on the classic margarita. Simply combine 1 ½ ounces of silver tequila, 1 ½ ounces of Apple Pucker, 1 ounce of lime juice, and one-half ounce of agave syrup in a cocktail shaker. After shaking well, pour the drink over ice in a cocktail glass and top up with club soda or lemon-lime soda to taste. Garnish the drink with lime wedges and apple slices. You can even float the apple slices in the drink.
Sour apple highball: This drink with sour apple pucker is made in a tall cocktail glass, known as a highball glass, and contains a hit of vodka. To make, fill a highball glass with ice and add in 1 ½ ounces of vodka, 1 ½ ounces of sour apple schnapps, and a top-up of 1 ½ ounces of lemon-lime soda. Stir the drink gently to combine the ingredients before enjoying.
Brent Hofacker - stock.adobe.com
Is it time to buy sour schnapps for your bar? Gopuff is happy to run out to the store for you. In the meantime, gather the rest of your tart cocktail ingredients because your order will be at your door in no time at all, and we’re sure you’re going to want to try out one of the cocktails above.
