Mint Lemonade Slushies: A Slurpee for Grownups

Written by Lisa Cericola

Do you remember getting Slurpees as a kid? It was all too exciting, wasn’t it?

The choice of flavors (my tastes ran toward white cherry, or occasionally Cherry Coke), the machine’s giant lever, the snow-like beverage that snaked out, the dome-shaped plastic lid, the humongous straw.

The frosty first sip was always the best part, but noisily sucking up the stray bits of ice at the bottom of an empty cup was also satisfying. Although annoying to adults for some reason.

I don’t really get cravings for Slurpees that much anymore. They are not made of things found in nature. They are sold in convenience stores, a place I don’t find myself too often. And I’m also not twelve years old anymore.

But on a really hot day, there’s something to be said for a sweet, icy treat.

So last Saturday, I wiped the sweat off of the back of my neck for the twentieth time and reached for the blender.

I had lemons, I had sugar, I had two full ice cube trays. Working from Alain Coumont’s basil limeade slushie recipe from Food & Wine, I traded out the basil for mint, and the limes for lemons, adding extra seltzer for fizz.

Voila! Mint lemonade slushies, ready to give you a brain freeze in 5 minutes!

True, homemade mint lemonade slushies don’t automatically come with a giant straw and I didn’t get to pull a cool lever, but some childhood memories are best left untouched.

And being an adult isn’t all bad, because you get to have cocktail slushies. To make boozy mint lemonade slushies, a great party drink, there are several ways to go.

For a neutral flavor, mix in one shot of vodka for every serving. For a mojito-like drink, add one shot of light rum per serving. For a margarita-ish slushy, add one shot of tequila per serving.

Mint Lemonade Slushies

Yield: 4 drinks

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Mint lemonade slushies, anyone? These grownup Slurpees have fresh herbs and juice instead of artificial flavors. Throw in some booze for a cocktail version!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 5-6 lemons)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (about 10-12 grams) fresh mint leaves
• 4 cups (560 grams) ice cubes
• 1/2 cup seltzer, plus extra for topping off drinks

Instructions

1. Add the lemon juice, sugar, mint, ice cubes, and 1/2 cup seltzer to a blender.
2. Blend, adjusting the speed as necessary, until the ice is processed to a slushy consistency.
3. Pour into glasses and top off with more seltzer for extra fizz. Cocktail umbrellas optional.
   

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 15Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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