Watermelon Cocktail
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 30, 2025 Our Watermelon Cocktail with Gin and Basil is a tangy-sweet beverage for summer. This summer cocktail is easy to make, and taste of refreshing garden sweetness.
Watermelon Cocktail
The Watermelon Basil Bramble, is a watermelon basil gin cocktail. It’s summertime, there are tons of fresh fruits and herbs, so why not muddle a few of them together with a bit of gin, AKA grandpa’s cough medicine!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
- To make watermelon gin cocktails for a crowd, simply scale the recipe up depending on how many people you will have, using our servings slider.
- Serve this cocktail as a red drink to celebrate Juneteenth!
- If you don’t have limes on hand, you can replace them with lemons!
Ingredients You Need
- Gin
- Fresh lime juice
- Simple syrup
- Fresh watermelon chunks (cubed watermelon)
- Basil leaves (or fresh mint)
- Salt
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! You can opt to make your watermelon gin cocktail with store-bought simple syrup to save time. But it is super easy and cheap to make right at home! You can also make honey syrup by mixing half honey and half water.
If you don’t drink alcohol or you are making this for someone under 21, you can absolutely turn this into a delicious mocktail! Replace the gin with club soda or ginger beer and pour it into the glass at the end, or leave it out altogether!
If you aren’t a fan of gin, replace it with vodka for a watermelon martini, tequila for a watermelon margarita, or rum for a watermelon daiquiri!
More Summer Beverages
- Green Tea Frappuccino ~ Sandra’s Easy Cooking
- Strawberry Wine Punch ~ Miss In The Kitchen
- Bourbon Peach Old Fashion ~ Josie Lee
- Raspberry Lemonade ~ My Baking Addiction
Watermelon Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounces fresh lime juice
- 1/2-1 ounce simple syrup
- 2 watermelon chunks
- 2 chopped basil leaves
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Make Ahead: Prepare the simple syrup by heating equal parts water and sugar until dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Cut the watermelon into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
- Place the watermelon, basil and salt in a cocktail shaker. Muddle until well smashed and soupy.
- Add the gin, lime juice and simple syrup. Fill with ice, place the lid on the shaker and shake well—30 seconds or so.
- Pour into a glass and garnish with extra watermelon and basil.
Nice to meet you mr. Lt. Dan. I love the idea of the monthly cocktail and you’ve started it out on a great note. Now I need a reason to give this one a try. Or do I???
This looks so delicious. I’ve been making cocktails featuring rum all afternoon, but seeing this makes me want to go out and buy some gin. Here in Spain the watermelons are so sweet and delicious I know this would come out great!
Wonderful post and how sweet of you to let your hubby post. Drink look very refreshing, thank you for sharing and also for linking my frap too!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I am dying over these pictures – so good! And I love a good cocktail… can’t wait to see what Lt Dan continues to bring to the table, so to speak!
Looks so refreshing! Today would have been perfect weather for this, but there’s always tomorrow ;)
I absolutely love that your husband is guest posting! Mine did for a while and got so into it, it was so fun. These cocktails sound delicious and would totally guzzle it down [minus the gin] right now!
That looks so wonderful. Perfect for a hot summer night!
I have a watermelon in the garage fridge right now. Part of it will be reserved for making these xoxo
Cute post!! So nice to meet you, Lt. Dan :)
This looks fabulous, Lt Dan! Welcome to blogging :)
I have yet to make my own watermelon cocktail – this looks perfect, as I’ve recently become a fan of gin. I’m loving this drink series – thank you Sommer and Lt. Dan!!
Lt. Dan knows how to make a mean cocktail, that is for sure. and he does the dishes? and he uses my favorite gin? wth? :) Love this.