Light Strawberry Daiquiri Slush

My friend showed up to a backyard gathering last July with melting ice cream and a complaint about the heat, so I threw together whatever was in the freezer—strawberries, rum, lime—and blended it into something that made everyone forget their complaints for the afternoon. That moment taught me that the best drinks aren't always the complicated ones; sometimes they're just about catching the season at its peak and making it cold enough to hold in your hand. This strawberry daiquiri slushy became the unofficial drink of that summer, requested at every gathering after.

I learned the power of this drink when my sister arrived with her kids on a sweltering afternoon, and suddenly I had a way to serve something festive that everyone from age eight to eighty could enjoy—just skip the rum for the little ones. Watching them debate whether frozen strawberries or fresh ones made it taste better turned into a whole tangent about which season grows the best fruit, and somehow we ended up planning a farmers market trip right there in my kitchen.

Ingredients

• Fresh or frozen strawberries: Frozen ones give you that thick, frosty texture that makes it feel less like a drink and more like eating something special, plus they're cheaper and last longer in the freezer.
• Fresh lime juice: Bottled juice tastes flat and metallic by comparison—fresh limes take thirty seconds to squeeze and change everything about how bright this tastes.
• White rum: Light and neutral enough that it doesn't overpower the strawberry, but adds just enough warmth and depth to make it feel like a real cocktail.
• Erythritol or monk fruit sweetener: These don't carry that chemical aftertaste that other sugar substitutes do, and they blend invisibly into the fruit flavors.
• Ice cubes: More ice than you think you need—it's what transforms this from juice into a slushy, and the more surface area the better.
• Cold water: A backup plan if your blender struggles or your strawberries are particularly dense.

Instructions

Combine your base flavors:

Pour the strawberries, lime juice, rum, and sweetener into your blender—no need for any special order here. I like to add the liquid first so the berries don't stick to the bottom while you're measuring the rest.

Pile on the ice and blend:

Add all the ice at once and blend on high until the whole thing sounds like it's grinding rather than whipping—that's when you know the ice has broken down enough. If it's fighting the blender or looks too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time while the blender's running.

Taste and adjust:

Stop and sip directly from a spoon before you pour into glasses—this is when you catch whether it needs more sweetness or another squeeze of lime. It's easy to fix now, impossible after everyone's already been served.

Serve immediately:

Pour into glasses you've chilled by running cold water over them, top with a strawberry slice or lime wedge if you want to make it look fancy, and hand them out before the slushy starts separating. That moment right after blending, when the texture is perfect and the cold hits your hand through the glass, is the whole point.

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There's something almost ceremonial about handing someone an ice-cold drink on a hot day when you made it just for them, especially when their first sip makes them close their eyes for a second. That's become my favorite part of making these—less about the drink itself and more about the small moment of generosity it creates.

The Frozen Strawberry Question

I used to insist on fresh strawberries for everything, until I realized that frozen berries for this drink are actually superior. They blend into a smoother consistency, they're picked at peak ripeness and frozen immediately, and they won't turn watery by the time you've added the rum and squeezed your limes. Fresh strawberries bring a certain texture appeal, but for a slushy where you want that ice-cream-like consistency, frozen is genuinely the better choice, and saying that out loud felt like admitting defeat until I actually tasted the difference.

Why This Works Without All the Sugar

Strawberries and lime already taste naturally sweet and bright—they're doing most of the flavor work before any sweetener even enters the picture. The monk fruit or erythritol just steps in to boost what's already there instead of building flavor from scratch like refined sugar has to do. Once you taste how a good strawberry tastes when it's cold and blended, you realize sugar was never the star of the show anyway.

Your Own Version Starts Here

The structure is so simple that it begs for experimentation—some people swap in vodka or tequila depending on their mood, others add a splash of sparkling water at the end for bubbles, and I once threw in a small handful of fresh mint because I had it sitting on the counter. You can build an entire summer of variations just by changing what spirit goes in or what garnish you choose, and every version will still feel like exactly what you needed when the temperature climbs.

• Try adding a small splash of coconut milk or cream for a frozen daiquiri that tastes like a dessert.
• Leave out the rum entirely and add sparkling water for a party drink that works for non-drinkers.
• Taste your strawberries first—really sweet ones need less sweetener, and underripe berries need a bit more to come alive.

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This drink exists in that perfect space between indulgence and restraint, between effort and ease, which is probably why it keeps reappearing on my summer table. Make it once and you'll understand why people keep asking for the recipe.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make this slush without alcohol?

Yes, simply omit the rum and substitute with coconut water or sparkling water for a refreshing non-alcoholic version.

→ What is the best way to adjust sweetness?

Taste the mixture after blending and add erythritol or monk fruit sweetener gradually until you reach your preferred sweetness level.

→ Can frozen strawberries be used instead of fresh?

Absolutely. Using frozen strawberries will create a thicker, frostier texture for the slush.

→ How do I achieve the perfect slush consistency?

Blend the ingredients with ice cubes until smooth. If too thick, add cold water a tablespoon at a time to reach your desired texture.

→ What garnishes work well with this drink?

Fresh strawberry slices, lime wedges, or a sprig of mint add a vibrant and aromatic finish.