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On a hot summer day, you can’t beat a big bowl of ice-cold fruit—unless it’s fruit that’s ice-cold and soaked with booze. Whether infused with tequila, rosé, or coconut rum, these cool drunken fruit bites are the snacks you’ll want to serve poolside all summer long.
What Exactly IS Drunken Fruit?
It’s not rocket science: Drunken fruit is fruit that’s been soaked in alcohol until the fruit absorbs that boozy flavor (and some of the alcohol!). It’s then drained and often rolled in a flavorful topping of some kind—think granulated sugar, toasted coconut, kosher salt, or citrus zest—before serving.
How To Make Drunken Fruit
The best part about drunken fruit is that it’s a format that’s really easy to improvise within. You don’t really even need a recipe. Just choose your fruit, cut it into one- or two-bite pieces, and soak it in an alcohol of your choosing.
How long you soak will be a little bit of trial and error—it depends on how permeable the fruit is—so I typically suggest checking after 1 to 2 hours just to get a starting gauge. Some fruit (such as strawberries) will be done by then. Other, harder fruits (like mango) might take overnight. There’s no absolute rule for how boozy the fruit should be when it’s done, either; it’s totally up to your taste preference.
After the fruit is soaked to your liking, drain it (yes, you can save that fruit-infused booze for cocktails!) and dip it in the topping of your choice. Then serve. It’s that simple.
You can make drunken fruit from any combo of fruit and booze that you like. But if you want a starting spot, here are four of my favorites:
Drunken Strawberries
If you’re hosting a girls’ night, these drunken strawberries are the perfect bite to get the party started. Steeped in a sparkling combo of vodka and rosé and rolled in sugar, these strawberries will be the first to disappear wherever you take them. Make sure to drain the strawberries well (and even pat them dry!) to prevent the sugar from melting onto them as soon as they’re dipped.
Piña Colada Pineapple
You don’t need a cruise to take you to the Caribbean this summer; these piña colada pineapples will take you there in just one bite. Pineapple wedges are soaked in coconut rum and dipped in toasted shredded coconut for a treat so tropical, you’ll practically feel the summer sun on your face as you eat them. Sweetened shredded coconut is the way to go here, but make sure you bake it in the oven so it’s toasty and caramelized before dipping the pineapple in it.
Margarita Watermelon
We love a watermelon margarita here at Delish—but we might love these drunken margarita watermelon wedges even more. Marinated in tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, and dipped in lime zest and salt, these boozy bites are the perfect beach or poolside snack. You can cut the rinds off, if you prefer, but we like to leave them on—it makes them that much easier to grab and enjoy.
Whiskey-Back Pickles
These whiskey-back pickles might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of drunken fruit—but they’re so darn fun we couldn’t leave them behind. Marinated in whiskey cut with pickle juice and rolled in crushed potato chips, these tangy, boozy pickle bites are the ultimate happy hour snack. Our top tip? For easiest prepping, simply pour out 1/2 cup juice from the pickle jar, replace it with whiskey, recap the jar, and just let the pickles marinate just like that. No extra dishes needed.
