If you’re looking for a creative and unique way to enjoy one of summertime’s iconic fruits, this melon ball cocktail recipe is the perfect solution.
With its bright colors and tropical flavors, it is one of those flavor combinations that is sure to be the star of any party. Fresh, flavorful, and fun. It’s the perfect way to put a twist on summer.
By combining juicy melon balls with citrus, vodka, and melon liqueur, this drink adds an exotic twist to your typical classic cocktail menu.
Make your next gathering special by giving your guests something different. Mix up a batch of our refreshingly delicious Melon Ball Cocktails tonight.
Recipe Inspiration
I happened to find the original recipe online one day while searching for something to do with fresh melons. This recipe for the Thornton Melon-Ball from Guy Fieri, really looked delicious and it was a simple recipe.
I just had to try it. Not only because it looked like a delicious fruity drink, but because we love the movie Back to School starring Rodney Dangerfield. If you have ever watched the movie, you know who Thornton Melon is. What a fun drink name too.
I added my special touch to this recipe to make it really extra fruity tasting. It is really hard not to have just one of these refreshing cocktails. This delectable mix of sweet fresh melon and vodka is sure to tantalize the taste buds of everyone at your next dinner party.
If you’d rather have a non-alcohol option, here is a Virgin Cosmopolitan that is sweet-tart and flavorful.
How to Make the Melon Ball Cocktail Recipe
Not only is this refreshing drink absolutely delicious, but it’s also easy to make and can be customized with different fruit flavors depending on what type of event or gathering you’re hosting.
Start by picking whichever type of melon is in season; a mix of cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon balls. However, any variation of melon balls will work.
Serve this drink straight up or on the rocks. Even blended with ice works. However, know that if you have this on the rocks or blended with ice, that the drink will be watered down a bit from the ice.
No matter which way you make this drink, garnish with melon balls, maybe a slice of lime, or orange slice, and a few fresh mint leaves.
Straight up Cocktail. Add the ice cubes, vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well to combine. Strain into a chilled martini glass or a pretty cocktail glass.
Over Rocks Drink. Fill the glass with ice cubes. Add the vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple. Stir to combine with a stirrer or straw. When making this drink over ice, I will sometimes serve in a highball glass or a mug.
Blended Drink. Add the ice cubes, vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple to a blender and blend until the mixture is slushy. Pour into a serving glass.
Punch Bowl. Make a large batch drink and serve this in a large punch bowl or other pretty large bowl filled with lots of fresh melons.
How to Make Melon Balls
The easiest way to make melon balls is to use a tool called a melon baller. It is a scoop that has a rounded end on both sides to that are small enough to make round shapes about 3/8 inch to 1 inch in size. A cookie scoop would work nicely for making melon balls too; however, the smallest size cookie scoop I have seen is 1-inch. Therefore, if you would like small uniform balls, I suggest purchasing a melon baller.
First, cut your melon in half and scoop out the seeds if needed. Then use the melon baller to scoop out round shapes. To do this, gently press the scoop into the fruit flesh and rotate the scoop so that the melon baller is under the fruit. Lift out the scoop with the fruit and you will have a small round ball of fruit.
Just continue scooping out the flesh until your melon shell is empty.
Melon Ball Cocktail Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Ice Cubes
- 1 Ounce Vodka
- 1 Ounce Melon Liqueur
- 4 Ounces Orange Juice
- 2 Ounces Pineapple Juice
- 6 Melon Balls cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon
- 1 Slice Lime optional
- 1 Sprig Fresh Mint optional
text ingredients
Instructions
- Serve this drink straight up or on the rocks. Even blended with ice works. However, know that if you have this on the rocks or blended with ice, that the drink will be watered down a bit from the ice.
- No matter which way you make this drink, garnish with melon balls, maybe a slice of lime, or orange slice, and a few fresh mint leaves.
- Straight up Cocktail. Add the ice cubes, vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple to a cocktail shaker. Shake well to combine. Strain into a chilled martini glass or a pretty cocktail glass.
- Over Rocks Drink. Fill the glass with ice cubes. Add the vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple. Stir to combine with a stirrer or straw. When making this drink over ice, I will sometimes serve in a highball glass or a mug.
- Blended Drink. Add the ice cubes, vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple to a blender and blend until the mixture is slushy. Pour into a serving glass.
Your Own Private Notes
Nutrition
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New Favorite Beverage
This just might become one of your favorite cocktails. The citrus flavors combined with the sweet melon ball is the perfect pairing. A lovely taste of summer.
If you loved this recipe, we have a few more for you to try.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.