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    Home » Real Food » Desserts

    Watermelon Granita

    June 21, 2019 | By Kristen Chidsey | 8 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Watermelon Granitas are just what a hot summer day begs for! These refreshing homemade grantias are made with fresh watermelon and lime juice and finished with a  mint lime sugar that takes this simple frozen dessert over the top! #frozendessert #dessert #glutenfreedessert #watermelon #granita

    This recipe for Watermelon Granita with Mint Lime Sugar is an easy-to-make, healthy, refreshing dessert. 

    Watermelon Granita in glass bowl with mint leaves and mint sugar.

    What is a Granita?

    A granita is a semi-frozen dessert that is typically made with water, sugars, and flavorings of some sort. The mixture is frozen until partially solid and then scraped with a fork to form flavored ice crystals that melt in your mouth.

    Talk about that perfect summer dessert!

    Not only are granitas light, and refreshing, but they are also dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan-friendly--making granitas a perfect allergy-friendly treat.

    Watermelon Granita

    This recipe is for my favorite granita flavor--watermelon! Instead of using water, I love to make my granita with fresh watermelon juice. The sweet watermelon juice adds incredible flavor to the granita and is so refreshing in flavor.

    The watermelon granita alone is a perfect light frozen dessert, but when finished with mint lime sugar, this easy granita recipe turns into something spectacular.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Ingredients for watermelon granita labeled on counter.
    • Fresh Watermelon: You want to be sure your watermelon is REALLY ripe so that your granita is super sweet. In fact, Watermelon Granitas are a perfect time to use watermelon that has been sitting in your fridge for a couple of days.
    • Fresh Limes: The zest and fresh juice of the lime will really make the flavors pop in this simple dessert.
    • Honey: The sweetness of your watermelon will determine how much sweetener you will need to add to the watermelon puree. I love using 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 memorable.

    How to Make Watermelon Granita

    • Place watermelon chunks, lime juice, and honey into a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Give the mixture a quick taste test to see if additional sweetener needs to be added.
    • Place a fine-mesh strainer over a shallow freezer-safe dish and pour the blended watermelon through the mesh sieve. This will remove any seeds or chunks and keeps the granita super smooth.
    Fine Mesh Strainer with watermelon juice over glass baking dish.
    • Cover the dish with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and place the mixture into the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.
    • After 2-3 hours, remove the granita from the freezer and use a fork to scrape the top frozen layer of the granita. Once you get to the less frozen parts, stop scraping and return to the freezer for at least 2 more hours.
    • Repeat the process up to three times, or until the granita is fully frozen.
    Fork scraping Watermelon Granita.

    Mint Lime Sugar

    While these Watermelon Granitas have a fabulous flavor that stands alone, I love topping the granita with sugar that has been flavored with fresh mint and lime zest. It really adds an element of WOW and freshness and couldn't be easier to pull together.

    • Mix together fresh lime zest, freshly minced mint, sugar, and a dash of salt together in a small mixing bowl.
    • Scoop up the watermelon granita into serving bowls and sprinkle with the mint lime sugar right before serving.
    Watermelon Granita in glass bowl garnished with mint.

    Storing Granitas

    Once the granita has been fully scraped, it will keep in its beautiful icy consistency for up to 2 months, if stored in the freezer in an airtight container.

    More Frozen Treats

    • Homemade Fudgesicles
    • Drumstick Ice Cream Cones
    • No-Churn Ice Cream
    • Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

    If you make and enjoy this Watermelon Granita, I would love for you to leave a comment and your five-star rating below – I love hearing from you!

    Watermelon Granita in Glass Dish

    Watermelon Granita

    Nothing beats a homemade granita on a hot summer day! This recipe for Watermelon Granita with Mint Lime Sugar is a healthy, refreshing dessert. 
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Freezing: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 -6
    Calories: 85kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups seedless watermelon Cut Into Chunks
    • 2 limes juiced and zested
    • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup more if desired

    Mint Lime Sugar (Optional)

    • 8 fresh mint leaves
    • 1 tablespoons sugar
    • dash sea salt
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    Watermelon Granita

    • Place watermelon and honey into the blender. Add the juice of both limes, but be sure to zest the juice first, if preparing the mint lime sugar. Blend until well combined. Give the mixture a quick taste test to see if additional sweetener needs to be added.
    • Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the watermelon mixture over a 9x9 freezer safe container.
    • Freeze the watermelon juice for two or three hours, then begin the process of lightly scraping the top frozen layer with a fork. Return pan to freezer with the shaved ice on top; remove a couple of hours later and continue scraping. Repeat the occasional scraping process until the entire mixture is shaved.

    Mint Lime Sugar

    • Mince the lime zest and mint leaves very finely. Toss with the sugar and a dash of salt.
    • Scoop out granita into serving dish and sprinkle with a teaspoon of Mint Lime Sugar.

    Equipment Needed

    • Blender
    • fine mesh strainer

    Notes

    Granita will stay in the beautiful icy consistency in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 204mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    Categorized Under: Allergy Friendly Recipes, Budget Cooking, Dairy-Free Recipes, Desserts, Gluten Free, Plant Based Recipes, Real Food

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Jamie

      July 19, 2022 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      So refreshing for summer! Love the watermelon and lime combo!

      Reply
    2. cathy

      July 01, 2022 at 1:07 pm

      5 stars
      This absolutely hit the spot on a hot day. Loved it.

      Reply
    3. Stephanie

      May 25, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      5 stars
      This was sooo yummy! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 25, 2020 at 7:51 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed Stephanie! It is a super refreshing treat on a summer's day!

        Reply
    4. Ashley F

      May 25, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      Mmm the flavor is so good! Love how simple this is to make!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 25, 2020 at 7:52 pm

        I am glad you found this so simple and enjoyable.

        Reply
    5. April

      May 25, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite summertime treats! It definitely requires patience, but it's TOTALLY worth it. We like to serve ours in martini glasses and pretend we are super fancy 😉

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 25, 2020 at 7:53 pm

        Oh I LOVE the idea of serving in Martini Glasses April--I will have to do that next time I make this!

        Reply

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