Frozen Gin and Tonic Recipe

If you love gin and tonics, this frozen gin and tonic will be your new favorite cocktail! It will get you through hot summer days. Made with lime juice, gin, tonic, and a little cucumber, this drink is refreshing, full of flavor and easy to make!

I had my first frozen gin and tonic at Leon’s in Charleston years ago! They have them in a slushie machine, ready to serve up whenever you need to cool down!

Now that we live in the south, I’ve been seeing them everywhere! They’re very popular here, as are most frozen drinks. Come summer, everyone wants something cold to sip to cool off from the southern heat!

Before we dive into making this delicious cocktail, let’s talk a little about what a gin and tonic is and the history of the cocktail!

What is a gin and tonic?

As the name implies, a gin and tonic is a highball cocktail made by mixing tonic water and gin. You can alter the ratio depending on your personal taste, the strength of the gin and any other drink mixtures you’re using. Most people prefer a 1:1 or 1:3 ratio of gin to tonic water.

History of Gin and Tonics

Turns out, a few drinks can cure more than just a broken heart! Gin originated in 17th century Holland, where it was first used as a medicinal treatment. 

Back then, the beverage was known as Genever, which is the Dutch word for juniper. The star ingredient, juniper was distilled with star anise, coriander seed, and malt spirits to create a muddled drink that’s a far cry from the clear version we enjoy today.

During the Thirty Years War, the Brits discovered Genever while fighting on Dutch soil. They brought it back to their homeland, where it caught on like wildfire. 

By the early 1700s, households around England were making their own early versions of gin in their bathtub, adding turpentine for extra “flavor”!

More than a century later, the British took governance of India, flocking in droves to the warmer climate in 1857. To ward off the threat of malaria in the country, they made a tonic by dissolving bitter quinine in water and sweetening it with sugar. 

Of course, they had to add their favorite British spirit, Genever (by this time simply “gin”) into the mix!

The result? A pretty tasty drink that kept the sickness at bay! While you’d have to drink more than 65 liters of G&Ts per day to get a dose of quinine strong enough to dispel malaria, we still appreciate the effort.

How to Make a Frozen Gin and Tonic

You’ll need a blender, citrus squeezer and measuring cups to make these.

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Ingredients

• Lime Juice
• Gin
• Tonic Water
• Cucumber – we add a little cucumber into this recipe for the ultimate freshness flavor!
• Simple Syrup
• Ice

Although a traditional gin and tonic does not contain simple syrup, we have it in this recipe to bring out the flavors of the ingredients. When blended with ice, ingredients can be diluted and flavors more subtle. It’s also very bitter without the simple syrup.

To learn more about simple syrup, check out our guide here. It’s super easy to make using equal parts of water and sugar.

Directions

First, squeeze the limes for the juice and slice about five 1/2″ thick pieces of cucumber. Using fresh lime juice is a must when creating cocktails.

Next, add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth! It’s that easy!

Serve in an old-fashioned glass with a straw and a lime wedge.

Quick tip – If you’re not using it right away, store the slushie in the freezer, just leave it in the blender container and then pour it into glasses when ready to serve.

MORE GIN AND TONIC RECIPES!

Lavender Gin and Tonic

Fruit-infused G + T

Purple Acai G+T

Classic Gin and Tonic

5 Best Unique Gin and Tonic Recipes

If you make this frozen gin and tonics, we would love to know what you think! Please leave a comment and review below!

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