When you are on #QuaranTime , who’s to say when happy hour starts or ends? Any time of day is a good time to kick back with a refreshing, healthy watermelon mocktail.

My Watermelon Coconut Cream “Soda” is a real party pleaser, even if this time, it’s just a party of one!  Watermelon-y, creamy with hints of coconut and vanilla – plus sparkling bubbles to tickle your nose.

This watermelon mocktail is cuitable for Paleo diets, made with just natural watermelon juice, unsweetened canned coconut cream,  stevia-based simple syrup, and a couple drops of vanilla extract and sparkling water . . . I even found and used a coconut-flavored, no-sugar sparkling water.  The kids will love it too! Cheers!  

To Make Watermelon Coconut Cream Soda, you need Watermelon Juice:

This watermelon mocktail recipe calls on watermelon juice .. it’s the foundation for watermelon drinks and watermelon cocktails. While you CAN go out and buy some fresh watermelon juice (don’t be fooled by sugary watermelon-flavored drinks though, it’s really quite easy and cost-effective just to make your own watermelon juice. I’m always looking for ways to use the whole watermelon, to cut down on food waste and be more mindful of my pocket book.  You can actually eat EVERY part of a watermelon, the rind, flesh, juice and seeds.

My friends at WatermelonBoard.org have a great video tutorial on how to make watermelon juice, check it out!

As shown, the best way to make homemade watermelon juice is to take cubed watermelon and stick in the blender. I find this is a good way to use “older” watermelon that is still just fine to eat, but has developed a soft or mealy texture.  Don’t worry about the size of the cubes or if a little of the white rind or the white seeds get in there – after blending everything gets poured through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep the juice chilled in an air-tight container until needed and dispose of the pulp or (better yet) reserve it for another use – like smoothies or fruit leather.

Mixing up Watermelon Coconut Cream Soda is fun, because you shake-shake-shake the watermelon juice, stevia syrup, vanilla and canned coconut cream together with a little ice (the healthy fats in the creamy coconut milk will be clumpy if you don’t shake)!  Note: Don’t shake the sparkling water though, that would be a fizzy disaster – it’s poured in gently at the end!

Making this watermelon coconut drink was a great excuse to employ the services my not-much-used cocktail shaker, I felt like Tom Cruise in that old “Cocktail” movie. However, you don’t need a shaker for this Paleo watermelon drink, you can use a canning jar with a lid to the job just as effectively.

Pour ingredients from shaker or jar, with iced strained, into a low-ball glass. Slowly pour in a few ounces of sparkling water . . . or even cream soda for the kids, and garnish with a slice of watermelon. However, don’t try to swap in club soda or tonic water – they taste too bitter in this drink.  If desired, add ice to your watermelon bevvie – I don’t care for ice in my drinks, as the photo reflects lol!

***Note: If you want to “adultify” this Watermelon Coconut Cream Soda, it’s easy — just add an ounce of vodka or flavored vodka (try coconut or vanilla) to the cocktail shaker with other ingredients.

Also, I would like to personally invite you to join my (Virtually) Watermelon Wednesday Happy Hour going LIVE on Instagram at @WatermelonBoard on April 15th, 2020 at 12pm CT / 1pm ET. I’ll be making this alcohol-free watermelon cocktail and also loaded watermelon margaritas made right INSIDE the melon with an immersion blender — oh yeah!!! Fun and prizes, too!   

Some items used in this recipe:

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Watermelon Coconut Cream Soda

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

 

Watermelon Coconut Cream Soda: a Paleo, Vegan, Dairy-free beverage with no-added sugar. A delicious mocktail or beverage for the kids.

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fresh watermelon juice (not bottled "watermelon water"
• 1/4 cup coconut cream from can (or regular coconut milk from can -- not "light")
• 2 Tbsp Stevia-based simple syrup
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 12-oz can sparkling water NOT tonic water or club soda

Instructions

1. Add watermelon juice, coconut cream, stevia syrup and vanilla to cocktail shaker with ice.

2. Shake briskly for 30 seconds to break up the coconut cream and fully incorporate.

3. Strain out mixture between two low-ball glasses.

4. Split can of sparkling water across the two cups, pouring gently. Lightly stir.

5. Garnish with watermelon wedge.

Recipe Notes

**OPTIONAL: To make into a cocktail, add two ounces of vodka (regular, vanilla or coconut flavored) to cocktail shaker step.