★ 3.9 Frozen drinks
Frozen cocktails are blended with ice into a smooth, slushy texture: the Frozen Margarita, the Frozen Daiquiri, the Piña Colada and many fruit-based drinks. On this page you find recipes that get the ratio of ice to liquid right, so the drink is thick and cold but still tastes of fruit and spirit rather than just sugar and water. You also learn which blender settings and ice work best.
7 cocktails
★ 3.9 
★ 3.8 Bushwacker
★ 4 Frozen Margarita
★ 3.8 Herbsaint Frappé
IBA ★ 4.3 Piña Colada
★ 3.3 Sangria Popsicles
★ 3.8 Strawberry Daiquiri
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What makes a frozen drink
A frozen cocktail is blended with ice until it has an even, spoonable texture similar to a slush or sorbet. Freezing dulls the palate, so frozen drinks need a little more sugar and acidity than the same recipe served shaken. Without that adjustment they taste watery.
Getting the texture right
- Start with roughly one cup (about 150 to 200 g) of ice per drink, then adjust.
- Put liquids in the blender first, then ice on top, so the blades move freely.
- Blend on high until no chunks remain, usually 20 to 40 seconds.
- Too thin: add a few more cubes. Too thick: add a splash of juice.
Frozen fruit, such as strawberries or mango pieces, can replace part of the ice and adds flavour instead of water.
Balancing flavour
A good base ratio for a frozen sour is 50 ml spirit, 30 ml citrus and 25 to 30 ml syrup per drink, blended with ice. Taste after blending and adjust sweetness in small steps. Rum, tequila and vodka work especially well; aged spirits lose much of their nuance when frozen.
Serving tips
Chill the glasses in the freezer, serve immediately and add a straw. Hurricane, poco grande and margarita glasses show off the texture well. Blend in small batches rather than one big one, as a frozen drink starts to separate within a few minutes. Because the cold hides the alcohol, it is easy to underestimate how strong these drinks are.