This is one of my favorite cocktail recipes and was inspired by a dining experience at Eleven Madison Park in New York. Their cocktails are curated by the season and every piece of the fruit is used. Make a batch of these for your friends or at your next summer gathering. You could obviously sans the sparkling rose and just make the ice pops. Party on!
recipe 
yields
Makes 2 cups
¼ cup basil leaves, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups seedless watermelon chunks, about ½ a small watermelon
¼ cup simple syrup
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of salt
Basil Sugar (below), for the rim
Lime wedge, for serving
1 bottle sparkling rosé
For the Basil Sugar
For the Watermelon Ice Pop Mimosas
Special Equipment: ice pop molds and sticks
steps
Make the Basil Sugar
- Place the basil and sugar in a food processor. Process for about 10 seconds, until combined.
Make the Watermelon Ice Pop Mimosas
- Place the watermelon chunks, simple syrup, lime juice, and sea salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain with a fine-mesh strainer and discard solids. Pour the strained watermelon juice into ice pop molds and freeze 4 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Make mimosas by lining a plate with the basil sugar. Wet the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge and place into the basil sugar. Place a watermelon ice pop in each glass and pour the sparkling rose over the pop and into the glass.
Date Published: 08.13.25
share
-
Recipe Adapted from
Brunch Season: A Year of Delicious Mornings from the Buttermilk Kitchen by Chef Suzanne Vizethann. Photographs by Kelly Berry. Reprinted by permission of Gibbs Smith Books.
