LAURA SANT
Drinks

Refreshing Cocktail Granita Recipes

These icy granitas are drink and dessert rolled into one

Inspired by some of our favorite cocktail pairings, these icy granitas are drink and dessert rolled into one. The are made by slowly freezing a mixture, using a fork to break up the ice periodically. The result is a light, airy frozen treat. Simple and refreshing, they make a perfect pre- or post-dinner treat on hot summer days.

Cocktails ingredients make for refined desserts. The mint julep is already a crushed ice drink, so it's easy to imagine it as an icy, airy granita. It's an excellent dessert on Derby Day. For a light pre-dinner apertif, try a sweet-tart treat made with Ruby Red grapefruit juice and bitter Campari. Inspired by the Argentinian highball, our Coke and Fernet granita also walks the sweet-bitter line.

Wine is a great refreshing granita base. Try using a full-bodied white wine like Chardonnay matched with apple juice for a fruity, boozy dessert. Or try our sherry cardamom granita with bracing notes of black tea accenting the sherry's subtle sweetness.

The pisco sour, a classic South American cocktail of pisco and lemon juice, makes for wonderful granita. Serving it before it has completely set makes for a fun grown-up slushy.

Find all of these recipes in our collection of cocktail granita recipes.

Mint Julep Granita
Mint Julep Granita

This recipe takes the crushed ice classic a step further—bourbon, mint simple syrup, and just a touch of Creme de Menthe make a perfect Derby Day dessert. Get the recipe for Mint Julep Granita »

Grapefruit and Campari Granita
Grapefruit and Campari Granita

Ruby Red grapefruit juice and Campari are a refreshingly bittersweet combination. Get the recipe for Grapefruit and Campari Granita »

Sherry and Cardamom Granita
Sherry and Cardamom Granita

This delicately sweet, icy treat is a mix of spiced black tea and bright sherry. Get the recipe for Sherry and Cardamom Granita »

Fernet and Coke Granita
Fernet and Coke Granita

Inspired by the Argentine pairing, this intense cola and bitter amaro-flavored granita is a perfect palate cleanser. Get the recipe for Fernet and Coke Granita »

White Wine Granita
White Wine Granita

A slightly fruity white wine works best here—we like to use Chardonnay, but any full-bodied white will do, including Champagne.

Pisco Sour Slushy
Pisco Sour Slushy

A classic Peruvian cocktail gets the freezer treatment. Made with the South American grape brandy that’s popular in Chile and Peru, the pisco sour makes for a salty, sweet, tart, and beautiful sorbet.

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