Frozen Strawberry Vodka Campari Cocktail

This frozen Strawberry Vodka cocktail gets a little bit sophisticated with the addition of Campari. Add in homemade limoncello and a basil infusion and you've got a recipe for the perfect summer afternoon.

On Frozen Cocktails

Frozen cocktails get a really bad rap. In the US drinking culture, they've been kind of abused and turne into sugar-laden, one-note slushies. I don't know about you, but I can't even drink more than one of those without getting actually full, and kind of sick. (And forget about the yard-long ones people wear around their necks in Vegas!)

If you make frozen cocktails yourself, though, they can really be elevated to something more. By layering ingredients and flavors, you can get so much nuance.

This cocktail would also be amazing on the rocks, but as a frozen drink it lets you slow down, take time to sip and relax.

Building the Flavors

The idea for this drink came from pairing strawberries and Campari. This is such a great combination, and a lot of people even infuse their Campari with strawberries.

Strawberries also go hand-in-hand with lemons. I added in some lemon flavored vodka and limoncello for a lemon undertone and some sweetness. Then, I added in just a touch of homemade basil infusion for a little herbal note.

Basil Infusion

A homemade basil infusion is pretty easy to make. Just add a mix of 50% Everclear or grain alcohol and 50% vodka to a container, and fill it with basil leaves, making sure the alcohol covers all of the leaves.

Let it sit for a couple of days, shaking whenever you remember. Use a bar spoon to mix a little of the infusion with water so you can do a taste test.

When you're happy with the depth of the infusion flavor, strain out the leaves and put it in a fresh bottle or mason jar.

Making a Frozen Strawberry Vodka Cocktail

To start, add your strawberry, sugar and Campari to a blender and pulse until it is smooth. Let this mixture sit for 5-20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Then, add the lemon vodka, limoncello and basil infusion to the strawberry mixture in the blender. Add about a cup of ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with fresh basil.

If you have a really powerful blender, you can get it super smooth and almost creamy looking. I used a small smoothie blender, so the final drink was almost like a granita, which I thought was perfect for this drink.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• I highly recommend making Homemade Limoncello to use in this cocktail
• Campari is the star in this Gin Campari Sour
• Blueberry Gin Sour is a delicious mix of blueberries, lemon and gin

Did You Make This Recipe?

I would love to know if you tried this recipe! How did you like the mix of strawberries and Campari? I would really appreciate it if you could leave me a star rating or comment below!

📖 Recipe