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This Watermelon Cooler is the quintessential summer thirst quencher! A cool and refreshing beverage that is done in a jiffy and requires 4 basic ingredients only. Who needs those fancy, designer drinks, when you can make this awesome drink at home with so much less?
A fruity splendor in a chilled tall glass! This quick and easy watermelon cooler combines the tropical flavor of watermelons, the tanginess of lemon juice, and the cool, refreshing taste of cucumbers in one sip. Who wouldn’t want to cool down with a glassful of all this goodness, right? I love how hydrating and invigorating this drink is. Do you know that watermelons are 92% water? So that means that you are giving your body what it needs on a hot day but in a more delicious way! If you are more of a juice person, you can check my Cucumber Watermelon Lemonade, which is also amazing!
Ingredients Used when making Watermelon Cooler
- Watermelon – I used half of a personal watermelon for this recipe to make 3-4 servings.
- Cucumber – I used half only. If you will not use the other half for more of this goody, try making some Marinated Cucumber Salad with it. It’s a delicious cold salad perfect for warm weather.
- Ice – these summer essentials are just made for this cooler!
- Lemon juice – you can also use lime juice, or any other citric juices you may have.
That’s all there is to it! This is a sugar-free cooler because the watermelon is sweet enough as it is.
What Type of Watermelon to Use?
Personal watermelons are genetically made to be smaller in size compare to normal watermelons. I opted to use this because of several reasons. Storing it in the fridge is so much easier and space-saving too! Also, I find it easier to slice because the size is more manageable for me. Plus, it is designed to be seedless do which is lessens my prep time even further. You may come across those with seeds, but they are thin and soft, I don’t bother removing them. But other than the size, its characteristics are the same as a normal one, the flesh is a stunning ruby red, with a tender-crisp texture, and is super juicy and sweet. However, feel free to use other varieties of watermelon that are easier for you to find.
Health Benefits
Aside from its hydrating factor, watermelons are also high in nutrients and vitamins and have a very low-calorie content. This makes it a great fruit to help you manage your diet and help keep you feel full. It improves digestion and heart health, as well as makes our skin and hair so much healthier. Do you know that it is also a great restorative fruit because it contains Citrulline, an amino acid that reduces muscle soreness and improves the body’s endurance? And this drink also contains lemons which is a great source of vitamin C and cucumber which is a great source of antioxidants. A power drink that checks all the tick boxes of a great beverage- delicious, healthy, and cooling!
How to Make a Watermelon Cooler
It cannot be simpler than this! Once you have all the ingredients ready, all you need is to place them all on a blender and blend on high until the consistency is smooth.
If you are using a regular blender versus a high-powered one, always make sure to place the fruits first before the ice, this will ensure that the ice does not get stuck on the blades as soon as you press the button. Also, make sure that you use small ice cubes, if you do not have a small ice cube tray, you can just break them into smaller pieces.
You can opt to leave the cucumber peel, but you can also peel it. Leaving it on will give your cooler an earthier taste, plus it adds more color and texture while infusing more nutrients.
Variations and Add ons
This frozen treat is great as it is, but you can modify or add ingredients as you please. Here are some suggestions for you:
- If you want a smoother drink, skip the ice. Blend ingredients and strain, then pour over ice instead.
- If you want it to be richer and more concentrated, freeze the watermelons to omit the ice entirely.
- If you like to make it creamier and smoothie-like, you can add dairy-free milk, vegan yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
- For an all-adult affair, add some vodka or tequila to the mix to make it into a fancy fruity cocktail! If you want to make it liquor and alcohol-free but still bubbly, you can add some sparkling water or juice for some nice watermelon cooler mocktails.
- You can also add some berries and fruits to amp up the flavor! Watermelon pairs well with mangoes, strawberries, and coconut. If you have frozen bananas stored in your fridge, this is an ideal time to use them.
- I added some mint leaves with my watermelon cooler to give it an even more refreshing menthol flavor. However, you can also use basil leaves for a hint of peppery and savory flavors.
- To boost the fiber content of the drink, you can also add some chia seeds, this will also make the consistency of the drink thicker.
Watermelon Coolers
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ of personal watermelon about 3 to 4 cups
- ½ of a cucumber
- 2 cups of ice
- Juice of 1 small lemon
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want it to be richer and more concentrated, freeze the watermelons to omit the ice entirely.
- If you like to make it creamier and smoothie-like, you can add dairy-free milk, vegan yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
- For an all-adult affair, add some vodka or tequila to the mix to make it into a fancy fruity cocktail! If you want to make it liquor and alcohol-free but still bubbly, you can add some sparkling water or juice for some nice watermelon cooler mocktails.
- You can also add some berries and fruits to amp up the flavor! Watermelon pairs well with mangoes, strawberries, and coconut. If you have frozen bananas stored in your fridge, this is an ideal time to use them.
- I added some mint leaves with my watermelon cooler to give it an even more refreshing menthol flavor. However, you can also use basil leaves for a hint of peppery and savory flavors.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Additional Info
Just so you know–watermelon seeds are entirely edible and full of protein and other nutrients! Don’t be afraid to blend those seeds up into your drink.
Love that tip!!
I bought Plant-Based kn a Budget.
why is this recipe not in your book?
Hi Michele,
I have about 1000 recipes online, and could only fit in 100 for each of my books. Sorry about that!
this watermelon drink is the perfect cool off!
So refreshingly sweet!