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    Home » Seasonal Recipes » Summer Recipes » Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups

    Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups

    May 12, 2014 · by Valentina · 22 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups are a delightful, deliciously fun summer hors d'oeuvre or dessert. If you've never been served a cocktail in a strawberry, you don't know what you're missing. Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups on a white platter with tiny bright green mint leaves in each one.

    Delicious, pretty, refreshing and incredibly fun! Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups are quite possibly the best summer hors d'oeuvre your guests will have! (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.

    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.

    Whole, fresh strawberries on wood table.

    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.)

    6 Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups on a white platter with fresh mint leaves in each one.

    What's in Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups

    With just a few fresh ingredients, you'll quickly note that this beautiful treat is naturally fat-free, practically calorie-free, vegan and gluten-free.

    • strawberries
    • mint
    • lime juice
    • sugar

    That's it! Oh, unless you want to make it more of a cocktail, in which case you can add a little vodka. 😉

    Enjoy these unique Minty-Lime Granita Strawberry Cups!

    More granita recipes:

    • Mimosa Granita
    • Lemon Granita
    • Fresh Strawberry Granita
    6 Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups on a white platter with fresh mint leaves in each one.

    Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups

    Valentina K. Wein
    These are a delightful and refreshing, deliciously fun summer hors d'oeuvre or cocktail.
    *Makes about 2 dozen
    5 from 6 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins
    Cook Time 3 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Dessert, Drinks
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 12
    Calories 29 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • about 1 dozen medium-large mint leaves, plus about 2 dozen tiny mint leaves for garnish
    • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 limes)
    • 3 tablespoons vodka (optional)
    • about 2 dozen large strawberries, washed and dried

    Instructions
     

    Make granita

    • 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.
    • 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.

    Assemble

    • Slice about ¼ inch from the top and bottom of each strawberry, creating a flat top and a flat base.
    • Use a tiny melon baler, grapefruit spoon, or paring knife to scoop out about 1½ 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!)
    • Place the prepared strawberries on their bases, on a serving plate or platter. Place in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble.
    • Right before you're ready to serve, spoon about 1½ 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.
    • Serve immediately!

    NOTES

    Calorie count is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 29kcal
    Keywords drinks for party, summer party food
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Save

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb

      May 12, 2014 at 9:15 pm

      Just adorable! We are set to have a "heat-wave" this week and I can't think of a better way to celebrate!

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 14, 2014 at 8:02 am

        Thank you, Deb. I love "adorable." 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jeanne @JollyTomato

      May 13, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Oh 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!

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 14, 2014 at 8:01 am

        Yes, this heat has been screaming for cooling foods! xo

        Reply
    3. Lizthechef

      May 13, 2014 at 4:48 pm

      Wow - perfect for this heat wave! Hope to see you at Camp -

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 14, 2014 at 8:01 am

        Liz, I will miss you at camp this year. I'll be with my son at a school event. 🙂 Hope it's a fantastic time!

        Reply
    4. Coco in the Kitchen

      May 13, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      These are brilliant!
      Just so pretty and I can imagine popping one into my mouth on a hot summer evening.
      YUMMMM

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 14, 2014 at 8:00 am

        Thanks, Colette. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought

      May 14, 2014 at 3:15 pm

      What a fabulous idea and they are so beautiful. Perfect for summer parties.

      Reply
    6. David

      May 14, 2014 at 9:34 pm

      I love cocktails that double as hors d'œuvres! (It's all about one's perspective, isn't it?)

      Reply
    7. Christina | Christina's Cucina

      July 12, 2018 at 8:31 pm

      5 stars
      I 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)!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 12, 2018 at 10:33 pm

        Oh wow, Christina, that sounds SO incredibly interesting! Next time I see you I want more details about how that was served.

        Reply
    8. Emily

      July 13, 2018 at 4:00 am

      5 stars
      Omg 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!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 13, 2018 at 9:26 am

        Thanks so much, Emily! Hope you love them as much as I do!

        Reply
    9. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

      July 13, 2018 at 4:32 am

      5 stars
      Wow these are incredible! So cute and delicious. Might have to make them for our next BBQ!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 13, 2018 at 9:26 am

        Thank you. Enjoy them!

        Reply
    10. Nathan Wyper

      July 13, 2018 at 4:39 am

      5 stars
      What an amazing idea, these look so perfect and refreshing for summer!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 13, 2018 at 9:27 am

        Thanks so much, Nathan. Hope you try them.

        Reply
    11. Claudia Lamascolo

      July 13, 2018 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      oh 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!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 13, 2018 at 9:27 am

        They are indeed refreshing! Thanks, Claudia.

        Reply
    12. Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites

      July 13, 2018 at 5:36 am

      5 stars
      These are so pretty! What a fun treat for a summer party!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 13, 2018 at 9:27 am

        Thanks, Lauren! 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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