Watermelon Granita is the ultimate refreshing summer dessert! Made with just three ingredients and minutes of prep, this simple recipe for granita is a creative and delicious way to use fresh summer watermelon!
On a hot summer day, we’re all tempted to reach into the freezer for a frozen treat. Did a Homemade leg ice cream, Ice cream without whippingor a Fudgesiclean ice cold treat is the best way to cool down.
But when you want something a little lighter and super hydrating, but still a little sweeter than say flavored water or Frozen yogurt crustgranita is the perfect treat for you!
Granita is a semi-frozen dessert that is usually made with water, sugar and some kind of flavoring. The mixture is frozen until partially solid and then scraped with a fork to form flavored ice crystals that melt in your mouth—kind of like a fancy version of flavored ice.
This watermelon granita recipe replaces water with watermelon and uses a little honey and lime juice to dress up the flavors. It’s sweet, bright and extremely refreshing – the perfect summer dessert!
Ingredients needed for watermelon granita
For the granita itself, you only need three key ingredients and you’ll end up with a delicious treat. But if you want to take this watermelon granita over the top, finish it off with some minty lime sugar. WOW! This dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free dessert is truly unforgettable!
- Fresh watermelon: You want to make sure your watermelon is REALLY ripe so your granita is super sweet. In fact, watermelon granitas are the perfect time to use up watermelon that’s been sitting in your fridge for a few days.
- Fresh limes: The zest and fresh lime juice really make this simple dessert pop.
- honey: The sweetness of your watermelon will determine how much sweetener you will need to add to the watermelon puree. I like to use honey, but maple syrup can be used to keep this dessert vegan-friendly.
- Mint sugar: Made with lime zest, fresh mint and granulated sugar, this optional topping really makes this dessert unforgettable.
How to make watermelon granita
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Blend watermelon
The base of the granita is made by blending watermelon with honey and lime juice until smooth. Easy!
Strain the watermelon
For best results, it’s a good idea to pour your watermelon mixture through a fine-mesh strainer straight into a shallow freezer-safe container. This will remove any seeds or chunks and keep the granita super smooth.
Scrape down the Granita during the freezing process
To get the ice like crystals that make granite granite, you need to remove the mixture from the freezer every 2 to 3 hours and use a fork to scrape the top layer of granite. Once you get to the less frozen parts, stop scraping and return to the freezer for at least another 2 hours. Repeat the process up to three times or until the granita is completely frozen.
Serve the granita
Although these watermelon granitas taste amazing on their own, I like to drizzle the granita with sugar flavored with fresh mint and lime zest. It really adds an element of WOW and freshness and couldn’t be easier to throw together and is as simple as mixing granulated sugar, ground mint and lime zest together.
How to store Granita
Once the granita is completely scraped, it will keep its beautiful icy consistency for up to 2 months if stored in the freezer in an airtight container.
More summer dessert recipes
If you make and enjoy this Watermelon Granita, I’d love for you to leave a comment and your five star rating below – I love hearing from you!
Watermelon Granita
Made with just three ingredients and minimal effort, this simple granita recipe is a creative and delicious way to use up fresh summer watermelon!
Portions: 4 -6
Calories: 85kcal
Prevents your screen from going dark while cooking the recipe.
ingredients
Mint Lime Sugar (optional)
Instructions
-
If making the mint lime sugar, peel the limes and add them to a small bowl. Add the mint leaves, sugar and salt and mix well. Cover and store at room temperature until ready to use.
-
For the granite: place the watermelon and honey in the blender. Add the juice from both limes and stir until well combined. Do a quick taste test of the mixture to see if additional sweetener needs to be added.
-
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the watermelon mixture into a 9×9 freezer-safe container.
-
Freeze the watermelon juice for two or three hours, then begin the process of gently scraping off the top frozen layer with a fork. Return the pan to the freezer with the shaved ice on top; remove a few hours later and continue scraping. Repeat the scraping process from time to time, two to three times, until the entire mixture is shaved off.
-
Pour the granita into a serving dish and sprinkle with a teaspoon of the mint sugar mixture.
Notes
Granita will stay beautifully icy in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Eating
Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | sodium: 3mg | potassium: 204mg | sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.5mg
