3 Frozen Cocktails That Don’t Require a Blender

No blender? No problem. With small plastic bags and access to a freezer, you can elevate and transform your favorite, classic cocktails into a refreshing, cool slushie. In fact, you don’t need ice, either. Below, we explain the five steps to making a frozen cocktail without having to use a blender. We also provide three suggestions to test out this technique on your first try: frozen margaritas, frozen negronis, and frozen gin and tonics. 

How to Make a Frozen Cocktail With a Plastic Bag

If you don’t have a blender, or simply don’t want to use a blender, there’s no need to go out and buy one to make frozen cocktails at home. Instead, you can use a small plastic bag to make single-serve portions of a frozen cocktail. 

While blenders allow you to make larger batches, the plastic bag technique allows you to make multiple frozen drinks at once—without having to clean out the blender in between each drink. This technique is the perfect remedy if you are hosting a party and want to serve individual portions of various cocktails. You will also be able to individualize each plastic bag, which means that you can make some with alcohol and some without. 

Not only is this technique great for those without a blender, it’s also a great way to stock your freezer with cocktails for the future. Simply put one serving in each bag and place them in the freezer. When you’re ready to drink them, set them out to thaw until they are melted to the perfect consistency. You can also use this technique when you’re away from home on vacation and don’t have a blender on hand. 

Using this technique, you can make frozen margaritas, piña coladas, and more. Follow these five easy steps to make a frozen cocktail using a small plastic bag. If you’re concerned about the amount of plastic, remember that there are reusable plastic bag alternatives that you can use for a more sustainable option. After each use, wash them out so that you don’t have any lingering ingredients from the last drink. 

Step 1: Using whatever tools you have, mix together the ingredients from the chosen recipe of the frozen cocktail.

Step 2: Pour a single serving of the mixture into small, sealable plastic bags.

Step 3: Seal the bags, releasing as much air from the bags as possible.

Step 4: Place the bags in the freezer, laying them flat. 

Step 5: In three hours, check on the frozen cocktail’s consistency. If they are at the desired consistency, take them out and serve the drinks. If they need a longer time in the freezer, monitor them for increments of 30 minutes until they reach the right consistency.  

You Can Turn These 3 Cocktails Into Slushies Without Using a Blender

Before you begin your frozen creation, you have to choose which drink to make. Use one of our three frozen cocktail suggestions that work perfectly with the plastic bag technique. Other suggestions include frozen amaretto sours, piña coladas, and frozen mai tais. Because you’ll be using the freezer to make these cocktails cold, this technique does not require ice.

Frozen Margarita

The frozen margarita is perhaps the first drink that comes to mind when you think about a frozen cocktail. Using the margarita’s signature ingredient, tequila, you can stick with the traditional preparation or put your own spin on it. To make your own variation, choose your preferred brand of tequila—whether it be Patrón, Don Julio, or a different mark—and pair it with your favorite fruity flavors like strawberry, mango, kiwi, pineapple, or passion fruit. Frozen margaritas pair deliciously with a hint of lime and salt to tone down the sweetness of the fruit. You can also choose to eliminate the simple syrup, which is a common ingredient that you’ll find in most frozen margarita recipes.   

How to Make a Frozen Margarita Without a Blender

Follow steps one through five to make this frozen margarita without a blender. You only need four ingredients to make a frozen margarita using the plastic bag technique. The portions below will make one serving size. 

• Simple syrup (2 ounces)
• Tequila (2 ounces)
• Orange liqueur (1 ounce)
• Lime juice, fresh if available (1 ounce)

Frozen Negroni

Traditionally served non-frozen, a negroni is a cocktail with Italian roots with three star ingredients: sweet vermouth, gin, and campari. This refreshing, bitter-sweet cocktail has grown in popularity over the years, and it resembles the sophistication and timelessness of the Old Fashioned and an Aperol Spritz. You can alter the classic negroni to make a drink that’s more suitable to your taste. For instance, if you’re not a fan of gin, you can use club soda as an alternate. You can also choose to garnish with a lemon, rather than the typical orange slice you will see in other recipes. The negroni is the perfect drink to serve on a summer day—especially if you follow the recipe below to transform it into a slushie. 

How to Make a Frozen Negroni Without a Blender

Follow steps one through five to make this frozen negroni without a blender. You only need four ingredients to make a frozen negroni using the plastic bag technique. The portions below will make one serving size. 

• Gin (1 ounce)
• Sweet vermouth (1 ounce)
• Campari (1 ounces)
• Orange juice (½ ounce)
• Water (1 ounces)
• Orange slice, optional 

Frozen Gin and Tonic

The frozen gin and tonic takes the classic drink with simple ingredients and transforms it into a frozen and refreshing delight. To make it using the plastic bag technique, you will want to use quality ingredients that will accentuate all of the delicious flavors when frozen. For instance, if you have it available to you, opt to use fresh lime juice instead of preserved juices. You will also want fresh limes to add zest to the drink. The recipe below calls for half a cup of sugar, so if you’re watching your calories, you will want to eliminate the sugar or choose a sweet alternative. Use your favorite brand of tonic water to personalize this drink to your taste.   

How to Make a Frozen Gin and Tonic Without a Blender

Follow steps one through five to make this frozen gin and tonic without a blender. You only need four ingredients to make a frozen gin and tonic using the plastic bag technique. The portions below will make four serving sizes. 

• Lime juice, fresh if available
• 1 zested lime
• Sugar (½ cup)
• Gin (⅓ cup)
• Tonic water (1 quart)

Final Thoughts

No ice and no blender—that’s the best part about making frozen cocktails with plastic bags. Using plastic bags is the perfect way to make a frozen cocktail without a blender—and it only requires you to follow five simple steps. Even if you have a blender handy, this plastic bag technique will allow you to perfectly make single serving sizes of multiple drinks. This is also an effective way to make frozen non-alcoholic drinks. Use this technique to make frozen drinks in bulk and store them in your freezer to save them for another day. 

Source:

1. How to Make Frozen Cocktails Without a Blender - https://www.foodandwine.com/

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