Ingredients in a frozen espresso martini

This recipe came about as a happy accident. Wondering if I could use bottled cold brew coffee in a frozen version of the classic espresso martini, I whipped out my blender. Turns out, it works perfectly—so the frozen version of this cocktail ready in just 5 minutes! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Cold brew coffee (or strong coffee): I typically use store-bought cold brew concentrate because it’s convenient. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own cold brew coffee or even French press cold brew. You can also make coffee using your favorite method: make it double strength and chill it before blending. Another option is Moka Pot coffee, since its flavor is somewhere between coffee and espresso.
• Vodka: I prefer a smooth, neutral vodka that won’t compete with the coffee flavors.
• Kahlúa: This coffee liqueur adds sweetness and depth. You can substitute with Tia Maria if you prefer.
• Sugar: A touch of granulated sugar balances the natural bitterness of the coffee. For a more natural option, try maple syrup or agave syrup, using ¾ of the sugar specified in the recipe..
• Ice: Plenty of ice is essential for achieving that perfect frozen texture.

How to make a frozen espresso martini: step by step

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Here’s how I make it every time:

Step it up with clear ice

Want a fancy glass of sparkling lemonade that looks like the one in the photos? Make a batch of clear ice! Clear ice is homemade ice that’s crystal clear, instead of cloudy like normal ice.

You can cut it into large, organic shaped cubes and it looks like ice from a fancy bar or restaurant. We use clear ice for lots of our cocktail recipes: and you can use it for sparkling lemonade too.

What’s in a Mexican mule?

The Mexican mule is a tequila-based spin on the Moscow mule, a classic cocktail from the 1940’s. The mule is actually part of a family of cocktails called bucks, cocktails that are made with ginger ale or ginger beer, citrus juice, and liquor. So a Moscow mule is a vodka buck, and a Mexican mule is a tequila buck!

The Moscow mule is such a classic that it made the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning that it has an “official” definition. Swap in tequila for vodka to get the Mexican version! The ingredients in a Mexican mule are:

• Tequila
• Lime juice
• Ginger beer

How to make a Mexican mule

The Mexican mule is one of the easiest cocktails you can make! Because you want to preserve the carbonation of the ginger beer, you don’t want to use a cocktail shaker. Here’s all you have to do to make a Mexican mule (or jump right to the recipe):

1. Pour the tequila, lime juice, and ginger beer into a copper mug or serving glass of your choice.
2. Add ice cubes, and garnish with lime. It’s that easy!

Why to use copper mugs

When you order a mule at a restaurant or bar, it’s usually served in a copper mug. Of course, copper is not required. You can serve a mule in a low ball glass, Ball jar, or a standard mug and it’s still considered a Mexican mule! But if you want to stay classic, we recommend the copper mugs. There’s actually something to it:

• Copper keeps the drink cool in a different way than glass. The copper immediately takes on the temperature of the drink and becomes ice cold to the touch. There really is something unique about taking a sip out of an ice-cold copper mug!
• It’s also tradition. According to this source, the Moscow mule was invented as a marketing scheme in the 1940’s to sell more vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs. People in Hollywood fell in love with it, it caught on, and it’s still the traditional way to drink this cocktail.

More highball cocktails

A mule is a highball cocktail: a family of mixed drinks that combine alcohol with a larger percentage of non-alcoholic mixer. It might not be served in a highball glass, but the bubbly ginger beer mixer takes this to highball status. There are lots of famous highballs like the good old gin and tonic or vodka cranberry. Here are a few more I’d recommend trying:

• The Vodka Tonic is one of the easiest mixed drinks of all time! This two-ingredient cocktail is bubbly, citrusy, and refreshing.
• Ranch Water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with lime, tequila and Topo Chico! This bubbly cocktail is all about cooling off on hot days.
• The Whiskey Highball is tall, bubbly, and a great way to enjoy your favorite whiskey.
• For a refreshing Sea Breeze, pour vodka, cranberry, and grapefruit over lots of ice.

When to serve a Mexican mule

The Mexican mule is bold, bubbly and zingy. Here are my favorite ways to serve it:

• Summer Patio Parties: Alex and I like to set up a mule bar with different ginger beers and garnish options.
• Mexican Food Pairings: It pairs well with shrimp tacos, black bean tacos, or any dish with bold, spicy flavors.
• Happy Hour Alternative: When I want other than the classic margarita pitcher, this is my go-to choice.
• Brunch Cocktails: Surprisingly great with Mexican-inspired breakfast dishes like breakfast tacos or migas.

Love mules? Try more mule variations like this Kentucky Mule, Irish Mule, Mezcal Mule, Gin Gin Mule, Cider Mule, or Watermelon Mule.

Frequently asked questions

More sweet & frozen drinks

The Bushwacker is one in a family of sweet cocktails and frozen alcoholic drinks. Here are a few related drinks you might enjoy:

• The Pina Colada, Painkiller and Chi Chi are variations using pineapple juice and cream of coconut.
• The best Strawberry Daiquiri is homemade, made from frozen strawberries!
• This Frozen Margarita is the icy version of everyone’s favorite, the margarita.
• Try a Frozen Mojito for a minty frozen version of the Mojito.

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Painkiller Cocktail

02

Chi Chi Drink

03

Strawberry Daiquiri

04

Ultimate Frozen Margarita

Cucumber water, step-by-step

Cucumber water requires two ingredients: cucumbers and water. But to make it, you do need one extra thing: time! It takes 1 hour for the flavor to infuse into the water. Here’s what to do:

• Slice ½ cucumber into thin rounds.
• Muddle for maximum flavor. Here’s my secret: I gently mash the cucumber slices at the bottom of the pitcher with a wooden spoon before adding water. This releases those refreshing juices, creating a more flavorful drink.
• Add 8 cups of cold water.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Choosing your cucumber

You can use any type of cucumber for this cucumber water! Often, you’ll see it with the standard variety, but an English cucumber works, too:

• English cucumbers are long and straight, with a thin skin with ridges and very small seeds. Because the thin skin is so fragile, it’s sold with a plastic covering in the grocery store. This is my favorite type to use in cucumber recipes like cucumber salad or tzatziki sauce, because the flavor is so mild and it doesn’t need to be peeled.
• Standard slicing cucumbers are shorter, with thick, dark green skin and very large seeds. The thick skin and seeds can be bitter, so they’re often removed when cooking.

Try it with sparkling water

Revive your cucumber water with some bubbles! You can add sparkling water or club soda to get a flavored bubbly water. I use a SodaStream, or you can use your favorite brand of sparkling water.

More refreshing beverages

If you love this cucumber water, you’ll definitely want to try my other infused water recipes, with some bonus smoothies:

• Fruit Infused Water
• Green Detox Smoothie
• Lemon Water
• Lime Water With Mint
• Perfect Strawberry Smoothie

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Easy Mint Water Recipe

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Lemon Water Recipe

03

Lime Water Recipe with Mint (A Refreshing, Healthy Drink!)

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Fruit Infused Water Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need

I’ve found that many coconut cocktails fall into one of two categories — too sweet and artificial-tasting, or so coconut-heavy that you lose the essence of the drink. This recipe strikes the perfect balance. The cream of coconut adds just enough tropical richness without overwhelming the classic margarita flavors, while the toasted coconut rim provides a textural element that elevates each sip.

The secret lies in the proportions. After recipe testing, I discovered that using exactly one ounce of cream of coconut creates the ideal creamy texture without making the drink overwhelming. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for a coconut margarita:

• Tequila: I recommend using tequila blanco for this recipe. The clean, crisp flavor allows the coconut and lime to shine.
• Triple Sec or Cointreau: I often use Cointreau because this orange liqueur adds depth and rounds out the flavors better. However, standard triple sec works perfectly well.
• Lime juice: Never use bottled lime juice for margaritas. I always squeeze fresh limes – the brightness and acidity are essential for a good margarita recipe.
• Cream of coconut: This sweetened syrup is specifically designed for cocktails: it’s usually sold in squeeze bottles and has the perfect consistency and sweetness level for drinks.

Tips for the toasted coconut rim

The best part of this coconut margarita recipe is the toasted coconut rim! Drink rims are more than just visual: they add a crunch and pop of toasty flavor to each sip. Here’s what to know about making this tropical drink rim:

• Toast the coconut. Making sure to toast the coconut accentuates the coconut flavor. Make sure to keep an eye on it: coconut can burn in a flash!
• Use the cream of coconut to adhere the coconut. Alex had a stroke of genius with this drink: he used the cream of coconut to stick the coconut to the glass.
• Dip the rim in cream of coconut, then a plate of toasted coconut. You’ll just want the outer edge of the glass to be covered.

Storage and make ahead tips

While these margaritas are best enjoyed fresh, you can prepare elements in advance:

Coconut Rim Prep: Toast the coconut up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container. Prepare glass rims up to 2 hours before serving.

Pre-Mixed Base: For parties, I sometimes mix the liquid ingredients (except ice) as a pitcher and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Then add ice to the pitcher and serve.

Leftover Cream of Coconut: Store opened cream of coconut in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can use it to make other coconut cocktails like the Piña Colada, Painkiller, Chi Chi, Coconut Martini, or the popular Bushwacker!

Other margarita recipes to try

• Mix up a pink margarita like a hibiscus margarita, prickly pear margarita or blueberry margarita
• Add heat with the cucumber jalapeno margarita or spicy pineapple margarita.
• Go funky with a beet margarita or espresso margarita, or an ocean-colored blue margarita

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Spicy Pineapple Margarita

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Beet Margarita

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Blueberry Margarita

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25 Best Margarita Recipes to Make at Home

How to make frose

Frose is very simple to make: the hardest part is thinking ahead! Here’s what to know about the process:

• Blend up the berries, rose and honey, then strain. Pour the ingredients into a covered baking dish.
• Freeze for 6 hours or overnight! Here’s the key: you’ll need 6 hours to freeze! It’s easiest to whip up the frose recipe the night before, then blend and serve the day of. Or do it in the morning for evening entertaining!
• The magic final step: After 6 hours of freezing, here’s where the magic happens. Blend the frozen mixture until fluffy—it’ll look like pink snow. Then comes my secret: add a splash of that reserved room-temperature rosé to each glass. This trick accomplishes two things: it creates the perfect slushy texture (not too icy, not too liquid) and brings back all those wine flavors that freezing dulled.

When to drink frosé

Drinking frose might be a tiny bit cliché, but that’s aok with me! It’s such a refreshing summer cocktail that’s ideal summer meals on the patio.

Frozen rose is a heightened version of the wine that brings a fun vibe to however you drink it. Enjoy this frozen cocktail with appetizers on the patio, or to accompany a summer grilled meal. Try it with grilled nachos, grilled veggie burgers, or grilled chicken and a range of summer salads.

Other drinks with rosé wine

Love rosé? Here are a few more tasty rose drinks with this rosy wine:

• For Rose Sangria or Strawberry Sangria, just a handful of ingredients and fruit make a light and fruity summer drink that everyone will be talking about!
• Add bubbles to your favorite rosé wine to make a Rosé Spritzer.

Benefits of drinking lemon water

Does drinking lemon water make you lose weight? Does it help in digestion, or prevent illness? There are lots of sources that claim health benefits, but many of them can become exaggerated.

What’s actually true

Here’s a Reader’s Digest article with a summary of the health benefits: 12 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water. It states that lemon water:

• Helps with hydration: The flavor encourages you to drink more water
• Vitamin C boost: Lemons are packed with it
• May aid digestion: The citric acid can help break down food
• Freshens breath: Natural antibacterial properties
• Supports immune system: Thanks to that vitamin C

What’s probably exaggerated

Despite what influencers claim, lemon water won’t magically melt away pounds or “detox” your body (your liver does that just fine). But replacing sugary drinks with lemon water? That absolutely can help with weight management and overall health.

We’re not health professionals, so Alex and my main rationale for drinking it is simple: drinking water is fantastic for your body! And the hint of citrus makes it taste so, so refreshing.

Infused water variations

To mix things up, here are a few other infused water recipes you might enjoy:

• This Fruit Infused Water and Strawberry Water have natural sweetness and look absolutely gorgeous
• For Mint Water and Lime Water with Mint, add a handful of mint leaves when you muddle the lemons. It’s like a virgin mojito that you can drink all day long!
• Adding cucumber in Cucumber Water or Cucumber Lemon Water tastes like drinking spa water

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Lime Water Recipe with Mint (A Refreshing, Healthy Drink!)

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Strawberry Water

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How to Make a Refreshing Cucumber Water

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Fruit Infused Water Recipe

Serving suggestions and making batch drinks

• Glasses: Serve in a hurricane glass for full tropical vibes, or mason jars for backyard BBQs.
• Garnish ideas: Add a fresh strawberry as a garnish, or go fancy with a strawberry fan and a lime wheel. A mint sprig adds an extra, and you can always add a cocktail umbrella as a fun touch!
• Making batches for a party: Multiply the recipe, blending in batches as necessary. Store in the freezer. Before the party, re-blend (adding a bit of lime juice as necessary to get it to blend.

Other daiquiri recipes you’ll love

There are lots more daiquiri recipes to add to your repertoire! Here are a few more to try:

• The frozen daiquiri is tangy, sweet, and fruity: perfect for parties.
• Try tropical fruity spins like the banana daiquiri, pineapple daiquiri, or mango daiquiri.
• The classic daiquiri is one of the most classic sour cocktails! Or try the Hemingway daiquiri, where grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur compliment lime and rum perfectly.

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Frozen Daiquiri

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Banana Daiquiri

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Frozen Mango Daiquiri

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Pineapple Daiquiri

Additional Mix-Ins 

I love this strawberry smoothie as is, but it’s an easy recipe to customize. Pick flavors that work well with the fruity base – just avoid veggies like spinach that turn your smoothie into an unappealing shade of brown. (Try these  recipes for green smoothies if that’s what you’re after!)

Here are some of my favorite add-ins that work with this smoothie that can help boost nutrition and flavor: 

• Nut butter: Use 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter, based on how strong of a nutty flavor you like. 
• Chia seeds: Boost your dietary fiber with a handful of chia seeds. Flax seeds and hemp seeds also add bulk and fiber without overpowering flavor.
• Cocoa powder: You’re basically going for chocolate-covered strawberries here. Cocoa powder gives your smoothie a rich, chocolatey flavor. You may have to add a tad more sugar here to balance the bitterness of the cocoa. 
• Herbs: Add fresh mint for a cool, refreshing finish or a few basil leaves for peppery notes. Both are beautiful as a garnish, too.
• Protein powder: Protein powder is a popular add-on to smoothies, especially in the morning or post-workout. It can make the texture thicker and affect the flavor, though!
• Vanilla: About ¼ to ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract adds some sweetness to this easy strawberry smoothie without adding sugar.

Try Different Variations 

You don’t have to stop at strawberries! You can turn this recipe into something fresh and new depending on the fruits you use. I love adding whatever is in season to a berry smoothie…or whatever catches my eye in the frozen foods section! Here are a few ideas that I’ve tested:

• Strawberry Peach Smoothie: Substitute half of the berries with frozen peaches for something sweeter.
• Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie: Use frozen pineapple for a frothy puree with a tropical finish.
• Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie: This one is for the berry fans. Reduce your strawberries by half and add frozen blueberries. (Try raspberries or blackberries if you prefer.)
• Strawberry Mango Smoothie: Frozen mango is easy to find at the grocery store. Don’t forget to save a few for a garnish!
• Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie: If you’re craving chocolate, this one’s for you! This variation adds some hearty grains alongside the cocoa powder for something nourishing that still satisfies your sweet tooth.

Make it your own—easy variations

Of course, you can adapt this smoothie to different preferences and dietary needs—and make fun new flavors! Here are some of my favorite variations:

Berry Swap: Replace strawberries with frozen blueberries, raspberries, or a mixed berry blend for different cheesecake flavors. I mean, who wouldn’t want blueberry cheesecake smoothie?

Protein Boost: Add a half scoop of vanilla protein powder for an additional 10-15g of protein.

Tropical Twist: Swap half the strawberries for frozen pineapple chunks and use coconut milk instead of milk.

Chocolate: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder or use chocolate protein powder for a chocolate-covered strawberry flavor. You may need to increase the sweetener a bit to offset the bitterness of the chocolate.

Frequently asked questions

More Mexican cocktails

Love Mexican-style drinks? Here are a few more great Mexican cocktails to try:

• Go for the classic margarita, or try all our best margarita recipes
• Try the Michelada, a spicy Mexican beer cocktail made with tomato juice, lime, and hot sauce
• Opt for the Paloma or Cantarito, made with grapefruit and tequila!
• Go for tequila-based spins on classics, like the Mexican Mule or Bloody Maria

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Best Simple Margarita

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Michelada

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Paloma Recipe

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Cantaritos

Why to make this celery smoothie recipe

This celery smoothie is nothing like what you’d imagine. There’s no bitterness or stringiness: just healthy ingredients and beautiful flavor. Here’s why to make this celery smoothie:

• It’s got pure, sweet tart flavor. Really, you won’t be able to stop drinking it! The green apple and banana sweeten it just enough with no added sweetener.
• It’s full of healthy ingredients. No sugary juices needed! This one is all whole foods.
• It’s plant-based. This one’s a naturally vegan smoothie that’s a great way to eat lots of nutrient-dense ingredients.

Celery smoothie ingredients

This celery smoothie has a short list of ingredients. Here’s all you need:

• Celery: A great way to use up leftover celery! You’ll need ¾ cup chopped.
• Green apple: The flavor maker! Apple brings naturally sweet tart flavor.
• Banana: Banana is the other key to a great celery smoothie! It makes for the perfect creamy texture with no dairy required.
• Spinach: You can use either baby spinach or standard. If you use standard, chop it into pieces first.
• Fresh ginger: A must! Grab some fresh ginger root at the store. The way it combines with the celery flavor is perfection.
• Lemon juice: Citrus brings a brightness that’s lacking without it. Another must!
• Ice & water: Ice and water combine into just the right frothy texture.

Tips for how to peel and mince ginger

Ginger root can be challenging to work with, so we’ve got a few tips for you! Pick up some in the produce section of your grocery to use for this celery smoothie. (Use the rest for some killer fried rice!) It can be tricky to peel, so we’ve got some tips for you:

• Peel with a spoon! This works much better than a vegetable peeler! Use the edge of a spoon to peel off the skin of the ginger.
• Grate it: Then use a grater or microplane to grate the ginger into a pulp.
• Or mince it: If you don’t have a grater, use a large chef’s knife to slice thin slices in one direction, then chop in the other direction until the ginger is minced into small pieces.

Amp up the protein

As is, this celery smoothie is mostly fruit, veggies and liquid. But are you looking for a smoothie that’s packed with protein for breakfast or a snack? Here are some ideas to add protein:

• Greek yogurt: Make a creamy celery smoothie! Yogurt adds quite a bit of protein, and probiotics for a healthy gut. Add ¼ cup to ½ cup, to taste. If necessary, add a few splashes of water to get it to blend.
• Nut butter. Add almond butter or cashew butter to the mix! Start with 1 tablespoon, and add more as desired. It will change the color and flavor a bit, so make sure to add it to taste.

The perfect spritz ratio

The perfect spritz ratio (yes, it’s a thing) is 3-2-1: three parts sparkling wine, two parts liqueur, one part soda water. This formula works for virtually any spritz variation and creates the ideal balance of flavor and effervescence.

Once you’ve mastered this with St Germain, you can apply it to create endless spritz variations with different liqueurs! Try these spritz ideas:

Other herbal tea recipes I love

You can make tea with all sorts of herbs! Here are a few more of the herbal tea recipes we’ve made, each with their own distinct flavor:

Mint TeaThyme TeaGinger TeaLavender TeaOregano Tea