This tropical-inspired frozen mocktail uses red dragon fruit, homemade sour mix, pineapple juice and pomegranate juice. It’s a little sweet with hint of tartness and is completely refreshing. The red dragon fruit gives this non-alcoholic drink a vibrant pink color making it a fun party drink for all your summer get togethers.
- Prep Time:
20 mins - Cook Time:
10 mins - Total Time:
30 mins *
* Plus chilling and freezing time.
The joy of mocktails
I have a confession. I have given up drinking alcoholic cocktails.
What I haven’t given up is the joy of mixing drinks, choosing the perfect barware, making beautiful garnishes, and serving (and sipping) those drinks with friends. You may have noticed I’ve been leaning hard into easy recipes for mocktails lately like the ones for fresh watermelon mocktails and frozen mango mojito mocktails.
I am always on the look out for interesting mocktails that are more than just some mix of fruit juice and sparking water. Fortunately, more and more restaurants are offering creative non-alcoholic options on their drink menus these days. I ordered this dragon fruit mocktail at Manja KL in Kuala Lumpur because the color was too pretty and the name was too cool to pass up. After the first sip, I knew it was a drink I needed to recreate.
Frequently asked questions about dragon fruit
- How do I pick out dragon fruit? To pick a ripe red dragon fruit, look for fruit that is soft but not squishy when you gently squeeze it.
- How do I cut dragon fruit? First, trim the stem if it is particularly long then cut the dragon fruit in half from top to bottom. Cut each half again top to bottom. You can then peel away the skin with your fingers. Then cut the big pieces into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Does red dragon fruit stain? I have found that cutting a red dragon fruit does make my fingers a little pink-purple stained. However, the color fades pretty quickly after 1-2 washings with soap and water. My white cutting boards also gets a little stained after cutting red dragon fruit. I scrub my boards with soap and water as soon as I can to minimize any staining.
- Can I substitute in white dragon fruit if I can’t find red dragon fruit? I wouldn’t recommend it. White dragon fruit is less sweet than red dragon fruit and the final drink wouldn’t be nearly as pretty. Note that white and red dragon fruit look identical on the outside. Ask your grocer if the fruit isn’t clearly marked so there are no surprises after cutting it.
You can use prepared frozen red dragon fruit if you can’t find fresh. I have noticed you can buy frozen red dragon fruit at most major grocery stores, Target, and Amazon since it has become a popular ingredient for smoothies.
Dawn of the Dragon – Frozen Dragon Fruit Mocktail
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 (generous) cocktails 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Tropical
Description
This tropical-inspired frozen mocktail uses red dragon fruit, homemade sour mix, pineapple juice and pomegranate juice. It’s a little sweet with hint of tartness and is completely refreshing. The red dragon fruit gives this non-alcoholic drink a vibrant pink color making it a fun party drink for all your summer get togethers.
Ingredients
For the sour mix
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
For the dragon fruit mocktail
- 2 cups cubed red dragon fruit, frozen
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, chilled
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice, chilled
- 1/2 cup sour mix, chilled
Instructions
For the sour mix
- Heat. In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar and water; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until mixture is lukewarm.
- Mix. Strain the lemon juice and lime juice into the sugar mixture and stir together.
- Chill. Pour the sour mix into a resealable jar or bottle and chill until cold. You should have about 1 cup of sour mix.
For the dragon fruit mocktail
- Blend. Place the dragon fruit chunks, pomegranate juice, pineapple juice, and sour mix in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve. Pour the dragon fruit mixture into glasses and garnish as desired.
Notes
- Sour mix recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
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