“Tiger melon cocktails” was almost my first thought when we found these darling little melons at the grocery store. My very first thought was that they were SO totally adorable! They’re so small, they fit very easily into the palm of your hand. My next thought was that they smelled fabulous! Flowery and fruity and sweet, with just a little honeydew mixed in. Really amazing! And THAT made me think of a cocktail.
And remember – if you’re under 21, this recipe is not intended for you yet, unless you substitute something non-alcoholic for the spirits. (Which would also be very tasty!)
I’ve been crushing on St Germain all summer, (well, all decade,) and these melons’ fragrance made me think they’d be perfect with the elderflower taste of St Germain. Especially when I cut them open and that gorgeous fragrance wafted up!
About Tiger Melons
I’d never seen or even heard of Tiger melons, so of course I looked them up. Apparently, they’re also called Tigger Melons – I guess after the bouncy tiger in Winnie the Pooh. They certainly do look bouncy and Tiggery!
Finding a Tiger Melon Cocktail recipe
Since I only have a tiny bit of experience making up cocktails, the first thing I did was find one online. Possibly unsurprisingly, there weren’t very many for tiger melon cocktails, but I thought I could adapt a watermelon one. I decided on this one from Kim’s Cravings Vodka Watermelon Cocktails.
I ended up making lots of changes to it, and eventually, just went by taste. Even though I really tried to keep track of the measurements, I failed. Ultimately, I just mixed the ingredients until the tiger melon cocktail tasted good to me.
Preparing the melons
The first thing I did was puree the melons. It was so easy to scoop out the seeds – the melons are so small, that it was literally one scoop with a tablespoon, and done.
I had fun scooping out the actual melon from the rind, as well. Super easy!
Then I put all the scooped-out parts of both melons into the blender.
I just whirled it around for a minute or so, and it turned out very liquidy and frothy. It also had some little dark flecks in it, which surprised me. But they didn’t affect the taste at all. I got about 3/4 of a cup – or about 3 servings) from the two melons.
Making the tiger melon cocktails
I poured 1/4 cup of the puree into a glass full of ice, then added 1/4 cup of vodka.
A bit of St Germain, next. (Remember I forgot to measure when I got to the fun St Germain part. I probably started with a shot glass full, but added quite a bit more as I went along!)
Then a couple tablespoons of fresh lime juice. This was a bit much for my taste. I backed it off on my next tries.
Next, I added about two teaspoons of clover honey, and garnished with a lime wedge and fresh basil. (The original recipe called for mint, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. The basil added a nice herb-y component though.)
So refreshing!
For all the tiger melon smelled so sweet, its taste really isn’t. It’s like the white, minimalist version of a really lovely floral perfume. Completely adult and sophisticated. The taste was clean and bright – and extraordinarily refreshing!
It was approximately a billion degrees the night I made this, and the cold tiger melon cocktail was absolute heaven!
I loved it when it was less than a billion degrees too! And since we’re supposed to get another heat wave before true fall sets in, I’m keeping this one on the boards for next week, and on into fall, or whenever the stores run out of tiger melons!
A champagne version of tiger melon coocktails
After the first version was done, I thought I’d mess around with another of my favorite beverages, champagne! I basically made the same recipe as above, but with less lime, and only filled my glass 3/4 of the way. Topping it off with a lime slice and raspberry made it festive.
I will put in a recommendation here though. Get good quality sparkling wine. And it doesn’t have to be actual champagne, just something nice and bubbly! This would work great with sparkling water or soda too.
And on to the raspberries
And that raspberry garnish made me think of adding raspberries to the actual melon blend.
Same recipe as above, but I also put fresh raspberries in the blender. Really really good, especially if you’re in the mood for something a little fruitier and sweeter.
You could freeze your raspberries and melon if you wanted more of an icy texture for your tiger melon cocktails.
Tiger melon cocktail ingredients
Here are the ingredients, and the starting amounts. As I mentioned, you’ll probably want to add and taste until you hit on the exact proportions that you like best.
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Tiger Melon Cockail Ingredients
- Basic Ingredients for one cocktail
Pureed fresh tiger melon – 1/4 cup
Vodka – approx 1/4 cup
St Germain – approx 1/4 cup
Lime juice – approx 1 tablespoon
Honey – approx 2 tsps
Ice cubes
Garnish with basil (or mint) and lime slice
For an icier texture, freeze your melon before pureeing
- Champagne (or sparkling wine) version
Mix as above, but only fill glass 3/4 full
Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling wine
Garnish with raspberry and lime slice
- Raspberry version
Add fresh raspberries to the blender in first step of the basic recipe, and taste until you like the flavor balance
Make the rest of the recipe per above
Garnish with raspberries, lime, and basil
Your turn
Have you heard of – or had – tiger melons? Let me know in the Comments – I’d love to know what you think.
And as always, thanks so much for sharing all the fun!
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These cocktails look so delicious Barbara! And how fun to have 3 different versions! Thanks for sharing.
3 different versions cuz you know I can’t leave well enough alone! 🤣 Plus, anything with raspberries! Thanks so much for stopping over – hope you’re doing great up there!
Barbara, I don’t believe I have ever seen a tiger melon! I need to keep my eyes open the next time I go to the store. These cocktails sound and look delicious. You have sparked my curiosity and I look forward to trying these recipes.
Hi! Those little melons are the cutest!! And so delicious – I had no idea. I hope you find some and get to make some of the cocktails – you’ll love them! So glad you could stop by!
LOOKS SO GOOD!
I AM off the cocktails due to medications now which is a real bummer but I can substitute sparkling water and give these A GO!
SO PRETTY TOO!
HAPPY END OF SUMMER………..XX
Elisabeth! They’re great as “mocktails” too so I hope you get to enjoy some soon! Happy end of summer to you too my friend!
Melons so cool looking you don’t want to eat them. These look delicious and your pictures are beautiful.
Hahaha- I know – aren’t they darling?! So glad you like the pictures. I’m still struggling with the process – it’s good to know they at least turn out decent! 🤣 Thanks for stopping over Andrea! Take care down there!
Barbara, I’ve never heard of tiger melons either – they are so tiny and cute! Your recipes sound delicious, especially the one with the raspberries. Yum. I’ve never had St. Germain either and had to google it. Oh my goodness, it sounds amazing. I’m definitely putting it on my “to try” list! Thanks for sharing such deliciousness. We are supposed to have a small heat wave this weekend too so some cool drinks are definitely in order. Happy sipping down there my friend!
Oh my gosh – you’re in for a treat with the St Germain! I totally love elderflower, and it’s perfect with just about everything! Let me know what you think -I’ll toast you with my next batch! 😊
Yum! These sound amazing!
They really are so good! Thanks for stopping over my friend!
This sounds delicious, Barbara! I’m definitely going to try your recipe!
Excellent! I’m curious to know what you think! 😊 Thanks for stopping over Marieza – Happy Almost Weekend!
Such pretty cocktails! I’ve never heard of or seen Tiger melons, they are so little! I’ve also never had St. Germaine, but your descriptions of the flavors make me feel like I can almost taste them! The cocktails do sound like a lovely way to cool down on a hot day, very creative!
Oh I’m an evangelist for St Germain! 🤣 If you get a chance to try it I bet you’d love it. And those tiger melons are so fun. I’d love to see what you’d do with them – you always make the best recipes! I’m off to see your newest tablescape! Hope you have a lovley day down there!