Watermelon Mule Mocktail with Spicy Honey
The Watermelon Mule is summer at its most concentrated: juicy watermelon, refreshing ginger fizz, a little lime and a sweet-and-spicy hot honey syrup. It is light, cold, fruity and extremely drinkable. Watermelon brings natural sweetness, ginger beer adds a spicy freshness, and the hot honey makes the flavour more interesting — not merely sweet, but with a warm piquant finish. The perfect mocktail for a hot day, a picnic, a BBQ evening, brunch — or any moment when you want something cold, beautiful and unmistakably summery.
Preparation
- 1
Prepare the watermelon base. If you are using fresh watermelon, cube it and blitz it in a blender or muddle it well in the shaker. For a smoother drink, strain the juice through a sieve; if you like texture, leave some pulp in.
- 2
Make the hot honey syrup. Mix the spicy honey with warm water in a 1:1 ratio and stir until the honey dissolves completely. This syrup blends into cold drinks far more easily and spreads that sweet-and-spicy flavour evenly.
- 3
Mix the drink. In a shaker or a large glass, combine the watermelon juice, the hot honey syrup and ice. Shake or stir well until cold and smooth.
- 4
Serve. Fill the glasses with ice and pour the watermelon base over it.
- 5
Add the bubbles. Top up with alcohol-free ginger beer or soda. Ginger beer makes the flavour spicier and fuller; soda keeps it lighter and softer.
- 6
Final touch. Garnish with a lime wedge, fresh mint and a small piece of watermelon. Serve immediately, while the drink is ice-cold and refreshing.
Chef's tips
- —Want more heat? Add a little more hot honey syrup, or a few drops of spicy honey on top before serving. For a fresher taste, add lime juice.
- —Want a stronger ginger accent? Use alcohol-free ginger beer instead of soda. For a lighter version, go with soda or sparkling water.
- —Frozen watermelon is a great hack: it chills the drink and works as fruit ice.
- —The syrup can be made ahead. Keep it in the fridge and add it to lemonades, mocktails, tea or fruit salads.
- —For a beautiful serve, use tall glasses, plenty of ice, mint and a bright lime wedge.
- —Bonus: watermelon salsa with spicy honey. Dice the watermelon, add a little red onion, fresh mint, lime juice and a few drops of spicy honey. Stir — and you have a fresh summer salsa for nachos, tacos, grilled meat or a cheese board.
