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A festive drink that looks as good as it tastes, the very merry melon cocktail is fruity, colorful and full of holiday cheer. Made with pineapple juice, orange juice, watermelon rum and melon liqueur, it delivers a tropical twist with every sip. A splash of lemon juice and blue Curaçao brighten the flavor and color, while the sugared rim, melon balls and mint make it feel special.
Very merry melon cocktail blends pineapple, orange, watermelon rum and melon liqueur with a sugared rim, melon garnish and fresh mint for a tasty holiday drink.
If this cocktail appeals to you, you might also like to try holiday margaritas, homemade limoncello or one of these fun frozen drinks.
Why You’ll Love It
Festive look: Bright colors and sugared rim make it perfect for parties.
Fruity flavor: Melon, citrus and rum create a tropical twist.
Easy prep: Shake, pour and garnish in just minutes.
Customizable: Adjust flavors or garnishes to suit your style.
Very Merry Melon Cocktail Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Lemon juice: Used for the sugared rim and to balance sweetness in the cocktail.
Light green sanding sugar: Coats the rim with sparkle and color.
Orange juice: Brings sweet citrus flavor.
Pineapple juice: Adds tropical depth and a hint of tartness.
Watermelon rum: Infuses fruity sweetness and a kick of alcohol.
Melon liqueur: Provides bold melon flavor and green color.
Blue Curaçao: This blue-coloured alcoholic drink is a liqueur made from the skin of dried laraha fruits, a type of citrus. Blue Curaçao (pronounced cure-uh-SOW) is slightly bitter and slightly sweet. It bridges the bitter lemon flavor and sweet melon flavor. Popular cocktails using this ingredient include the blue lagoon and bluebird.
Honeydew melon balls: Garnish that echoes the melon flavor.
Mint sprig: Finishes the drink with fresh aroma and visual appeal.
How to Make a Melon Green Cocktail
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Rim glass: Coat the glass rim with lemon juice, then dip in green sanding sugar.
Shake cocktail: Add juices, rum, liqueur and Curaçao to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
Pour and garnish: Strain this Grinch green melon cocktail into a glass and top with melon balls and mint.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: All listed ingredients are naturally gluten-free, just confirm labels.
Different rum: Swap watermelon rum for coconut or mango rum.
Citrus change: Use lime juice instead of lemon for a sharper note.
Mocktail version: Replace rum and liqueur with melon syrup and extra juice.
Serving Suggestions
With savory bites: Enjoy Christmas deviled eggs, Christmas tree puff pastry appetizers and Christmas tree themed antipasto with your melon cocktails.
With sweet treats: Serve marshmallow pops and maybe some of these Santa treats with them too.
How to Store Melon Cocktails
Store: Keep leftovers refrigerated and drink within 2 days. Don’t forget to give it a good shake before serving, since the ingredients will separate over time.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing it.
Top Tips
Chill ingredients: Cold juice and rum make the cocktail more refreshing.
Shake well: Proper shaking ensures balanced flavor and frosty texture.
Garnish last: Add melon balls and mint just before serving for freshness.
Use fine sugar: Sanding sugar sticks better to the rim than coarse sugar.
Green Melon Cocktail FAQs
A shaker is best, but you can stir with ice in a mixing glass.
Yes, rim glasses a few hours ahead and let them dry until ready.
A coupe or martini glass shows off the colors nicely.
Very Merry Melon Green Cocktail Recipe
Very Merry Melon Cocktail
Equipment
- Melon Baller
- Coupe Glass or Martini Glass 6-Ounce
Ingredients
For the Sugared Rim
- lemon juice
- light green sanding sugar
For the Cocktail
- 2 Ounces orange juice, no-pulp
- ice
- ½ Ounce watermelon rum, such as Malibu Watermelon Rum
- 2 Ounces pineapple juice
- 1 Ounce melon liqueur, such as Midori
- 2 Teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 Teaspoon blue Curaçao
For Garnish
- 2 honeydew melon balls
- mint sprig
Instructions
Rim the Glass
- Dip the rim of your glass into a shallow plate of lemon juice or swipe a lemon wedge around the rim of your glass.
- Holding it at a 45-degree angle, dip the dampened rim of the glass into the sanding sugar, rotating it until the sugar covers the entire rim.
Make the Cocktail
- Fill a cocktail shaker about ¾ of the way with ice. Add orange juice, pineapple juice, watermelon rum, melon liqueur, lemon juice, and blue Curaçao.
- Shake to combine until the shaker feels ice cold.
- Pour the shaken cocktail into a 6-ounce coupe glass or martini glass. Garnish with honeydew melon balls and a mint sprig, if liked.
Notes
Shake well: Proper shaking ensures balanced flavor and frosty texture.
Garnish last: Add melon balls and mint just before serving for freshness.
Use fine sugar: Sanding sugar sticks better to the rim than coarse sugar.
Nutrition
There is a reason why this is called a very merry melon green cocktail. That’s because after one you will be merry and after two you will be very merry! With melon liqueur, watermelon rum and citrus juices, it delivers vibrant flavor in every sip. The green sugared rim and fresh garnishes add a playful finish that looks stunning on the table. This cocktail is simple to make yet impressive enough to wow guests.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Fun, cool drink! Gotta try this soon!
I love the grinch so I definitely need to try this! So cute
I’d love to sip on this cocktail. It looks and sounds incredible!
Yum what a fun Grinchy green drink for the season.
I need to try this!! Looks amazing