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This Honey Deuce Cocktail is the official drink of the US Open, and it’s basically a boozy raspberry lemonade served over ice with honeydew melon balls that look like tiny tennis balls. It’s light, refreshing, easy to make, and perfect for sipping during the US Open, a summer party, or happy hour at home.
You only need vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and honeydew for the garnish. Even better, you can build it right in the glass, no shaker, strainer, or fancy bar equipment required.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Summer Cocktail Love
- What Is a Honey Deuce Cocktail?
- Ingredients for a Honey Deuce Cocktail
- How to Make a Honey Deuce Cocktail
- Optional Shaker Method
- Kellie’s Tips for the Best Honey Deuce Cocktail
- Honey Deuce Variations
- Honey Deuce Pitcher
- Non-Alcoholic Honey Deuce
- Make-Ahead and Storage
- What to Serve With a Honey Deuce
- More Cocktail Recipes
- Honey Deuce Cocktail Recipe
Kellie’s Note
Summer Cocktail Love
As you could probably guess from the cocktail lineup on my blog Palomas and Cadillac Margaritas and Rosé Sangria, I am a bit of a cocktail aficionado. But if you’re more of a dabbler, looking for a cocktail you can make for a party or an evening on the patio with your favorite neighbor, the honey deuce cocktail is IT.
Here’s why I like it: you don’t need a full bar to pull it off, just pick up some vodka and raspberry liqueur at the liquor store. You also don’t need a cocktail shaker, strainer, or any other bar equipment and if you don’t have highball glasses, any glass will work. (Or hey, got red Solo cups? Those are fine too.)
I had this drink at the US Open and immediately had to recreate it at home. It’s basically a boozy raspberry lemonade. The melon balls are meant to mimic tennis balls because this is the official drink of the US Open, and while you could leave them out and just enjoy the raspberry lemonade-ness of it all, booze-soaked-melon-balls are truly one of the simple pleasures of life, so I highly recommend going all in here.
Cheers to a refreshing summer!
What Is a Honey Deuce Cocktail?
A Honey Deuce Cocktail is a vodka lemonade cocktail made with raspberry liqueur and garnished with honeydew melon balls. It’s best known as the signature cocktail of the US Open.
The “honey” comes from the honeydew melon garnish, and “deuce” is a tennis term for a tied score of 40-40. The honeydew balls are skewered to look like tennis balls, which makes this drink especially fun for US Open watch parties, summer gatherings, and tennis-themed celebrations.
Ingredients for a Honey Deuce Cocktail
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Honey Deuce Cocktail. For exact measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Vodka – Use a smooth, unflavored vodka. Grey Goose is the classic US Open choice, but any good-quality vodka works.
- Lemonade – Fresh lemonade is delicious, but store-bought lemonade keeps this cocktail quick and easy. Choose one that’s tart and not overly sweet.
- Raspberry liqueur – Chambord is the most common choice and gives the drink its pretty blush color and raspberry flavor.
- Honeydew melon balls – These are the signature garnish and are meant to look like tennis balls.
- Ice – Crushed ice makes the drink extra cold and refreshing, but regular ice cubes work too.
Ingredient Tips
- No Chambord? Use another raspberry liqueur or crème de framboise.
- No melon baller? Use a small cookie scoop or cut the honeydew into cubes.
- Want it less sweet? Use tart lemonade or add a splash of club soda.
- Want it extra cold? Chill the vodka and lemonade before mixing.
- Making it for a party? Scoop the honeydew melon balls ahead of time and refrigerate them until serving.
How to Make a Honey Deuce Cocktail
This cocktail comes together in minutes—no shaker needed.
- Fill the glass. Add ice to a chilled highball or Collins glass.
- Add the vodka. Pour the vodka over the ice.
- Top with lemonade. Add the lemonade and gently stir.
- Add raspberry liqueur. Pour the raspberry liqueur over the top.
- Garnish. Skewer 2 to 3 honeydew melon balls and place them on top of the glass.
- Serve. Stir lightly before sipping.
Optional Shaker Method
For an extra-cold cocktail, shake the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur with ice, then strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with honeydew melon balls and serve immediately.
Kellie’s Tips for the Best Honey Deuce Cocktail
- Use cold ingredients. Cold vodka and lemonade help the cocktail stay refreshing without watering it down too quickly.
- Choose tart lemonade. Raspberry liqueur adds sweetness, so a tart lemonade keeps the drink balanced.
- Stir before serving. The raspberry liqueur can settle at the bottom of the glass.
- Chill the honeydew. Cold melon balls make the garnish prettier, firmer, and more refreshing.
- Use crushed ice if you can. It gives the drink that icy, summer-cocktail feel.
- Serve right away. This cocktail is best freshly poured over ice.
Honey Deuce Variations
You can stick with the original and it will be fantastic, or play around with some of these variations.
- Try a flavored vodka. While plain vodka is great, you can experiment with different flavored vodkas to add a twist to the classic honey deuce cocktail.
- Swap out the lemonade. Instead of using traditional lemonade, try using Brazilian Lemonade or limeade.
- Add some herbs. Muddle mint or even basil leaves in the glass before adding the other ingredients for an extra burst of freshness.
- Make it sparkling. Use sparkling lemonade or top the drink with a splash of club soda.
- Make it less sweet. Use tart lemonade, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or finish with club soda.
- Make it with homemade lemonade. Fresh lemonade gives the cocktail a brighter flavor.
- Make it a mocktail. Skip the vodka and raspberry liqueur and use lemonade, cranberry juice, lime juice, and honeydew melon balls.
- Make it for a party. Stir the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur together in a pitcher, then serve over ice.
Honey Deuce Pitcher
This cocktail is easy to scale up for a party, US Open watch gathering, or summer cookout.
For 6 cocktails, you’ll need:
- 9 ounces vodka
- 18 ounces lemonade
- 3 ounces raspberry liqueur
- Honeydew melon balls, for garnish
- Ice, for serving
Add the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur to a large pitcher and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish each drink with skewered honeydew melon balls.
Non-Alcoholic Honey Deuce
To make a non-alcoholic Honey Deuce, skip the vodka and raspberry liqueur. Fill a glass with ice, then add lemonade, a splash of cranberry juice, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Stir well and garnish with honeydew melon balls.
For a bubbly mocktail, top it with club soda or sparkling lemonade.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- You can make the cocktail base up to 1 day ahead. Stir together the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, then cover and refrigerate. Wait to add ice and honeydew garnish until just before serving.
- Honeydew melon balls can also be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- This cocktail is best served fresh over ice. Freezing is not recommended, and reheating does not apply to this recipe.
- If the drink becomes watered down, refresh it with a splash of lemonade or raspberry liqueur.
What to Serve With a Honey Deuce
A Honey Deuce Cocktail pairs well with light, summery appetizers and easy party bites. Serve it with a US Open snack spread, brunch board, or backyard happy hour menu.
More Cocktail Recipes
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Honey Deuce Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- cocktail stirrer
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ oz Vodka
- 3 oz Fresh Lemonade
- ½ oz Premium Raspberry Liqueur
- Ice or crushed ice
- 3 Honeydew Melon Balls
Instructions
- Fill a chilled highball glass with cubed ice and add Vodka.
- Top with raspberry liquor and lemonade.
- Garnish with a skewer of 3 or more frozen honeydew melon balls.
Notes
- For a pitcher: To make 6 cocktails, combine 9 ounces vodka, 18 ounces lemonade, and 3 ounces raspberry liqueur in a pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour over ice and garnish with honeydew melon balls.
- Make-ahead: Stir together the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur up to 1 day ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator. Add ice and garnish just before serving.
- Non-alcoholic version: Use lemonade, a splash of cranberry juice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and honeydew melon balls. Top with club soda or sparkling lemonade if desired.
- Substitutions: Use another raspberry liqueur if you do not have Chambord. Store-bought lemonade works well, but tart lemonade gives the best balance.
- Troubleshooting: If the cocktail tastes too sweet, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a splash of club soda. If it tastes too tart, add a little more lemonade.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The “honey” comes from the honeydew melon garnish, and “deuce” is a tennis term for a tied score of 40-40. The melon balls are meant to look like tennis balls.
Use a small cookie scoop or cut the honeydew into cubes. The round shape is fun for the tennis theme, but the garnish does not have to be perfect.
A ripe honeydew should feel heavy for its size, smell lightly sweet near the stem end, and give slightly when pressed.
Freezing is not recommended because the flavor and texture will change. For parties, chill the cocktail base in the refrigerator instead.
