Summer is about to heat up, so how about a fresh new cocktail recipe to cool you down? Tis’ the season for watermelon in the Hamptons!  KDHamptons has found the best watermelon cocktail recipes of the summer…

Besides the great taste, watermelon also packs a healthy punch! It is a juicy low calorie fruit that is packed with antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and potassium.  Watermelon also helps you fight infection, heal faster, relieve stress, and stay hydrated. So cheers! It’s time to mix some drinks!

To begin, we recommend buying watermelon from local farmers markets because they tend to be fresh and seedless with red and yellow varieties.  One of our favorite farms in the Hamptons is Round Swamp Farm [184 Three Mile Harbor Road, East Hampton].  Check out KDHamptons visit to the farm here.

Once you’ve got your watermelon, it’s cocktail time!

Watermelon Daquiri

2 cups chopped watermelon

6 tablespoons light rum

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

Pinch of lime zest

2 small watermelon slices

Purée watermelon in a food processor, then strain into a small bowl. Pour into a large ice-filled cocktail shaker and add rum, sugar, lime juice, and zest. Cover, shake, and strain into 2 small tumblers. Garnish with watermelon slices.

Image and recipe via sunset.com

Watermelon Mojito (East Hampton’s Ina Garten created this recipe!)

30 large fresh mint leaves, coarsely torn by hand

3 to 4 thick slices fresh watermelon

12 ounces light rum, such as Bacardi

1/2 cup simple syrup

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)

Use a mortar and pestle to mash the mint leaves. Remove and discard the rind and seeds of the watermelon. Put the fruit into a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree. Put the mashed mint into a large pitcher with 2 cups of pureed watermelon, the rum, simple syrup, and lime juice and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a pitcher for serving.

Image and recipe via foodnetwork.com

Watermelon Fizz (under 100 calories!)

1.0 oz. Tequila

3.0 oz. Watermelon

0.1 oz. Simple Syrup

0.1 oz. Soda water

5 Cilantro pieces

Squeeze of lime

Muddle watermelon with cilantro leaves. Add ice, simple syrup, and tequila. Shake vigorously and pour all contents into a rocks glass. Garnish with a piece of watermelon in a bamboo spike

Image and recipe via shape.com

Watermelon Martini

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

6 oz fresh watermelon juice  (used a seedless watermelon in food processor and then strain)

2 & 1/2 oz vodka

2 & 1/2 oz Limoncello or orange liqueur

1 oz fresh lime juice

Ice

Chill 2-3 glasses in your fridge or freezer 10 minutes before making the cocktail.  Combine the sugar and salt and spread it on a flat bread plate. Dampen the rim of your glass with water or lime juice and dip it in the sugar/salt mixture. (Save the leftover mixture for another occasion).  Combine the watermelon juice, vodka, liqueur and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 6-8 times.  Strain and pour the mixture into the prepared glasses and garnish with a watermelon wedge.

Image and recipe via creative-culinary.com