These refreshing, Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups are a delightful, deliciously fun summer hors d’oeuvre. If you’ve never been served a cocktail in a strawberry, you don’t know what you’re missing. 
Delicious, pretty, refreshing and incredibly fun! This is quite possibly the best summer hors d’oeuvre your guests will have ever had! (In my humble opinion, of course.)
If you choose to add the vodka, it’s like a sweet, edible cocktail. So cool. It’s totally your call.
And if you’re in the mood, and it’s not summer — who cares!?
What is Granita
- Originally from Sicily, Granita is a typical Italian dessert that’s semi-frozen, made from fresh fruit or fruit juice, water and sugar. It’s more rare, but occasionally, you’ll find a Granita flavored with something other than fruit, like nuts.
- The ingredients form into a crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth fruit ice.
- It’s refreshing an delicious to eat on its own, it also makes for a fantastic frozen cocktail if you add a splash of liquor.
- The most common Granita is flavored with lemon, but it Italy you can find anything from melon and watermelon to almond and pistachio.
How to Make Granita
- The ingredients are blended together and frozen until it begins to become icy along the edges.
- Then it’s mixed with a fork and frozen again.
- This process of scraping and mixing is repeated every so often, until the entire mixture is tiny ice flakes. (Stirring during the freezing time is crucial to get the proper consistency.)
For those interested, if you skim over the ingredients, you’ll quickly note that this beautiful treat is naturally fat-free, practically calorie-free, vegan and gluten-free.
Enjoy these unique Minty-Lime Granita Strawberry Cups!
*Makes about 2 dozen
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- about 1 dozen medium-large mint leaves, plus about 2 dozen tiny mint leaves for garnish
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 3 tablespoons vodka (optional)
- about 2 dozen large strawberries, washed and dried
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Add the water, sugar and medium-large mint leaves to a small saucepan, place it over medium heat and cook just long enough to dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. Let this mixture cool to room temperature and then remove the mint leaves and discard them. Add the lime juice and vodka (if using), and stir to blend.
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Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until the edges are frozen, about 30 minutes. Scrape the ice from the edges with a fork, mixing it into the center. Repeat this scraping and mixing process every 20 minutes or so, until it has turned into tiny ice flakes. (You should almost be "chopping" as you move the ice around.) Keep this in the freezer until you're ready to use it.
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Slice about 1/4 inch from the top and bottom of each strawberry, creating a flat top and a flat base.
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Use a tiny melon baler, grapefruit spoon, or paring knife to scoop out about 1 1/2 inch scoop from the top center of each strawberry -- this will serve as a "bowl" for the granita. (Be sure not to scoop all the way through, or too close to the edges!)
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Place the prepared strawberries on their bases, on a serving plate or platter. Place in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble.
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Right before you're ready to serve, spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the granita into the center "bowl" you made in the top of each strawberry, and add a tiny mint leaf to them for garnish.
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Serve immediately!
Deb says
May 12, 2014 at 9:15 pmJust adorable! We are set to have a “heat-wave” this week and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate!
valentina says
May 14, 2014 at 8:02 amThank you, Deb. I love “adorable.” 🙂
Jeanne @JollyTomato says
May 13, 2014 at 4:41 pmOh my goodness – I must get my hands on some of these! You picked the perfect (scorching) week to entice us with this. They look incredibly refreshing!
valentina says
May 14, 2014 at 8:01 amYes, this heat has been screaming for cooling foods! xo
Lizthechef says
May 13, 2014 at 4:48 pmWow – perfect for this heat wave! Hope to see you at Camp –
valentina says
May 14, 2014 at 8:01 amLiz, I will miss you at camp this year. I’ll be with my son at a school event. 🙂 Hope it’s a fantastic time!
Coco in the Kitchen says
May 13, 2014 at 5:41 pmThese are brilliant!
Just so pretty and I can imagine popping one into my mouth on a hot summer evening.
YUMMMM
valentina says
May 14, 2014 at 8:00 amThanks, Colette. 🙂
Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought says
May 14, 2014 at 3:15 pmWhat a fabulous idea and they are so beautiful. Perfect for summer parties.
David says
May 14, 2014 at 9:34 pmI love cocktails that double as hors d’œuvres! (It’s all about one’s perspective, isn’t it?)
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
July 12, 2018 at 8:31 pmI was convinced to have granita with a brioche in Sicily for BREAKFAST! I really didn’t want to, but when I tried it, I went back to the bar each morning for another! 🙂 These are fab, Valentina. Can’t go wrong with granita (even for breakfast)!
valentina says
July 12, 2018 at 10:33 pmOh wow, Christina, that sounds SO incredibly interesting! Next time I see you I want more details about how that was served.
Emily says
July 13, 2018 at 4:00 amOmg I’m totally in love with this, not only are they so cute but I can just imagine how delicious they are. Can’t wait to make them!
valentina says
July 13, 2018 at 9:26 amThanks so much, Emily! Hope you love them as much as I do!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
July 13, 2018 at 4:32 amWow these are incredible! So cute and delicious. Might have to make them for our next BBQ!
valentina says
July 13, 2018 at 9:26 amThank you. Enjoy them!
Nathan Wyper says
July 13, 2018 at 4:39 amWhat an amazing idea, these look so perfect and refreshing for summer!
valentina says
July 13, 2018 at 9:27 amThanks so much, Nathan. Hope you try them.
Claudia Lamascolo says
July 13, 2018 at 5:31 amoh this is just in time its been a scorcher here in Florida this year in the high 100’s in the heat index. This will cool us off perfectly!
valentina says
July 13, 2018 at 9:27 amThey are indeed refreshing! Thanks, Claudia.
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
July 13, 2018 at 5:36 amThese are so pretty! What a fun treat for a summer party!
valentina says
July 13, 2018 at 9:27 amThanks, Lauren! 🙂