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Pucker-Up Slushies

AlcoholGastro-PubStove-TopSummerVegetarian
Time :8 hours 30 minutes
Yield :8 servings
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Refreshing watermelon lime juice served in tall glasses with blue and white striped straws, surrounded by fresh limes and a lemon, on a white marble surface with a rustic gray background.

Recipe Background

Pucker-Up Slushies are rhubarb-vodka slushies with citrusy zing, perfect for grad celebrations.
I still remember the summer after my graduation, when my best friend and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to the family cabin by the lake. We were young, reckless, and armed with a cooler full of possibilities. As both of us loved experimenting with flavors, the idea of making a fun, punchy drink led us to create what we would fondly name 'Pucker-Up Slushies.' Rhubarb had been overflowing in our backyard garden, so I couldn't resist bringing some along, frozen in ziplock bags for the ride.
On our second evening, we combined my garden rhubarb with a splash of vibrant pink lemonade concentrate, savoring the citrusy zing. A dash of vodka was our wild ingredient, the one that made us feel grown-up. Creating the slush involved boiling the rhubarb until it was soft and then pulverizing it into a silky smooth purée. Pro tip: allowing the mixture to cool before freezing lets the vodka meld beautifully, creating a balanced punch. After the mixture set in the freezer for several hours, adding chilled lemon-lime soda created a fizzy, refreshing treat we sipped as we watched the sunset.
These slushies became our signature drink — lighthearted, a little daring, perfect for reminiscing and making plans for the next big adventure. We learned the joy of embracing the unusual and how a bit of whimsy can transform ordinary moments into cherished memories.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate thawed
  • 1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soda chilled

Directions

  • In a large saucepan over high heat, add the rhubarb, the water, and the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan.
  • Simmer the rhubarb mixture until the rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Allow the rhubarb mixture to cool slightly.
  • In a blender, add the rhubarb mixture.
  • Cover the blender and purée the rhubarb mixture until it is smooth.
  • Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a 1-quart freezer container.
  • Add the vodka and the lemonade concentrate to the rhubarb mixture and stir to combine.
  • Cover the container and place the rhubarb mixture in the freezer until it is firm, about 8 hours.
  • Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a pitcher.
  • Add the lemon lime-soda to the pitcher.
  • Serve.
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