Listen, I like a smoothie as much as the next person. But if I'm breaking out (and subsequently washing) my blender, it has to be for good reason. And lucky for blenders everywhere, I'm about to share four very, very good reasons to break out the frozen fruit.
Below, you'll find four smoothie recipes I developed that happen to taste just as—if not more—delicious when you add booze to them. You can make a big batch in the morning and sip some to start your day, stick the leftovers in the fridge, then pop 'em out when work is done before adding your Adult Ingredients™. Consider it the smoothie-to-cocktail pipeline, and consider it the next big thing in lazy girl mixology.
Be warned: there's a solid chance your grocery list is going to get a lot longer after you read this story. But it's worth it, bb, trust me. The smoothie girl and the cocktail queen in you will both be better for it.
1. Cucumber Citrus Smoothie → Frozen Marg
The Smoothie
Add a handful of peeled orange slices, ½ of a peeled lime, a few frozen mango chunks, ¼ of a cucumber (chopped), and a handful of ice to a blender. If you’re feeling spicy, throw in a few jalapeño slices. Splash in some lime juice and blend.
The Cocktail
Add a squeeze of simple syrup and a couple ounces of tequila blanco to the above and fire up the blender. Add more simple syrup and/or tequila if desired. Rim a glass with salt or sugar and pour in the mixture.
2. Dark Berry Smoothie → Blackberry Bourbon Smash
The Smoothie
Blend together 2 handfuls of frozen blackberries, then add in 1 handful each of frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries (oh my!). Throw in a couple of fresh mint leaves and a squeeze or two of lime juice and blend again.
The Cocktail
Pour your blended beverage into a glass, add a glug of club soda and 1 ounce of bourbon (or more, depending on how you’re feeling), and mix with a spoon or straw. Drop a mint sprig on top if ya wanna get fancy.
3. Mango Peach Smoothie → Slushy Bellini
The Smoothie
Throw 2 handfuls of frozen peach slices and 1 handful of frozen mango chunks into a blender. Add a solid pour of either peach or apple juice (or both—you make the rules) and hit that power button.
The Cocktail
Pour the smoothie mixture into a fun glass until it’s halfway full. Top with sparkling wine and gently stir. Garnish with a peach slice.
4. Pineapple Coconut Smoothie → Creamy Piña Colada
The Smoothie
Blend together 2 handfuls of frozen pineapple chunks, as much frozen banana as you please, a handful of ice, a glug of pineapple juice, a squirt of lime juice, and 4 spoonfuls of cream of coconut (warning: this is different from coconut cream!).
The Cocktail
Add a couple shots of rum to the mix you just made and blend everything until it’s smooth. Add a drink umbrella and pretend you’re on vacation.
Market by Laynie Rouch. Photos by Massimo Gammacurta.
Hannah Chubb is the associate lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
