Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka Cocktail

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Frozen, sweet, and slightly spicy, these crowd-pleasing cocktails are easy to batch.

Tyler Florence

Updated on March 27, 2024

Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka Cocktails — Photo:
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco, Addelyn Evans

Prep Time:

4 hrs

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 20 mins

Yield:

8 drinks

Fans of classic frozen drinks from the Piña Colada to our Frozen Gin and Tonics will love this vodka-based, summer-ready cocktail. While most frozen cocktails call for regular ice cubes to give them their signature slushy consistency, you'll want to use flavored ice cubes made with frozen ginger syrup for the Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka cocktail. Be warned: You might find yourself wondering why more frozen cocktails aren't made with flavored ice!

What makes the Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka Cocktail work?

Making and freezing ginger syrup might seem like a tedious task, but doing so adds a slightly spicy, sweet flavor to an otherwise predictable vodka slushie. You’ll maximize tart, fresh citrus flavor by using lemon zest as well freshly squeezed lemon juice, both of which accentuate the herbaceous, bright notes from the mint sprig garnish.

Not a vodka drinker, or just looking for a slightly more complex version of this summer-ready cocktail? We recommend swapping in London Dry gin which will add juniper, pine, and spruce notes to step each sip up a notch. — Oset Babür-Winter

Notes From the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Breaking down raw ginger doesn’t have to be a challenging task. Simply peel the ginger's thin and delicate skin by scraping down the root with a metal teaspoon. We find that a spoon maneuvers around the nubs more easily than a paring knife.

The lemon-ginger mixture for this cocktail can be frozen for up to one week.

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Ingredients

One 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cups crushed ice
2 cups vodka
8 mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the sliced ginger with the water and sugar and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, then let the ginger syrup cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree.
Strain the syrup into a large, shallow glass dish. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Cover and freeze the lemon-ginger syrup until firm, at least 4 hours.
Let the frozen lemon-ginger mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Chop the mixture into large pieces. Put half of the pieces in a blender, add 4 cups of crushed ice and 1 cup of vodka and blend until slushy.
Pour the vodka cocktail into 4 glasses, garnish each with a mint sprig and serve. Repeat with the remaining frozen lemon mixture, ice, vodka and mint sprigs. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead

The lemon-ginger mixture can be frozen for up to 1 week.

Notes

Peel the ginger's thin and delicate skin by scraping down the root with a metal teaspoon. A spoon maneuvers around the nubs more easily than a pairing knife.

Originally appeared: September 2005