Raspberry Margarita Slushy Cocktail

Name: Raspberry Margarita Slushy Cocktail
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 & 1/2 cups sugar; 1 cup water; 1 & 1/2 cups fresh lime juice; 1 Tbsp orange juice; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 3/4 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen; if fresh, add sugar to sweeten); 5 Tbsp Tequila; 5 Tbsp Orange Liqueur; Kosher salt for garnish; Sugar for garnish

This happened. I tried to make a popsicle but failed and it was a good one; this Raspberry Margarita Slushy might even be better!

I’ve been making so many cocktails using the fresh fruits of summer I’ve sort of forgotten my ‘Classic Cocktail’ series that everyone loves which usually includes a history of the drink. I promise to do another of those soon but in the meantime, this Raspberry Margarita Slushy Cocktail happened.

Considering the heat of the summer we’ve all been dealing with across the country; I thought everyone would love something a bit lighter and certainly a lot colder.

How cold? Well, you can’t get much colder than a popsicle, right? There was no great plan in the works for weeks to make these for summer, as a matter of fact I was just tired of the heat.

I’m going to do several cold, slushy or frozen treats this month whether for ice cream or in a fun cocktail fashion. I had just ordered some new popsicle molds and in a weird way the anticipation of those being delivered made it impossible for me to wait!

After the dust settled for the fourth of July this past Wednesday evening I took stock of some juices in the fridge and some fruits in the freezer and came up with a plan for a slightly boozy popsicle. When fresh fruit is at it’s peak, I just love finding a way to use it for the treats I make in the kitchen.

Hold on…where’s the beef…or in this case, the popsicle?

I thought I was being conservative but in truth it’s evident I pushed the envelope (or tequila) just a bit too far. Too much alcohol and things won’t freeze.

That’s good for Limoncello so you can keep it ice cold in the freezer and it will never freeze solid, but in the case of these popsicles it meant disaster. The sticks slid out of the frozen part and I don’t doubt the heat didn’t help.

Some might cry (and take their miserable popsicles with them) but maybe high altitude baking has taught me a thing or two about perseverance. Don’t pitch it. Fix it.

Scooped out of the container, sticks removed and piled in a glass rimmed with salt and sugar…oh yeah they’re good! They’re sweet so a fun dessert cocktail but they’re also fresh, they’re pretty and trust me, they go down VERY easy.

As for those popsicles, I’ve ordered a book filled with recipes for Mexican Paletas. Paletas are Mexican Popsicles which are either cream or water-based treats and I love the unique flavor combinations; visit some parts of Denver and you can find them being sold from carts on neighborhood streets.

We don’t have that in the burbs and I wanted to make my own; who knows maybe I’ll start my own paleta business (kidding) so look for one of those very soon.

Want to read the last part of the post I wrote before I took them out of the freezer? “Don’t be tempted to up the booze ante though; too much and they would never freeze. Uh oh.

Granted a Raspberry Margarita Popsicle would have been fun but the reboot worked just as well. These are light and refreshingly cold and sometimes that’s all we need. A classic case though of how I should have taken my own advice!

Still, no worries; my next door neighbors have been called and I’m sure they will not refuse this frosty treat in a glass…neither should you! Can’t you almost taste how sweet, tart and cold it is?

If you love this cocktail, then you mustn’t miss my other favorite, the Brandy Slush Cocktail. It’s great for a party and it makes a LOT of frozen mixture that’s at the ready for both you and guests!

PIN IT! ‘Raspberry Margarita Slushy Cocktail’