Honey Deuce Melon Ball Punch

​I love that certain sporting events have signature drinks and food items as part of the experience. There’s pimento or egg salad sandwiches at the Masters, there’s Mint Juleps for the Kentucky Derby, the Pimms Cup at Wimbledon. And for the last 18 years it has been the Honey Deuce at the U.S. Open.
 
The Honey Deuce is so summery! It looks like pink lemonade and people love it. How do I know? Because in 2024 there were 556,782 Honey Deuces sold at the U.S. Open, resulting in $12.8M in sales!
 
I think this drink, with its cute honeydew melon tennis ball garnish, is a lovely drink to signal the end of summer, tennis fan or not.
 
This recipe from the NYT Cooking makes a LOT of punch so I have it listed below in three different formats: a single drink, drinks for two (for deux!), or punch for a party.
 
 
Honey Deuce Melon Ball Punch
 
Version #1: Cocktail for One:
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 slice of honeydew melon
• 3 ounces of lemonade
• 1.25 ounces vodka
• ½ ounce raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Ice, as needed

 
PREPARATION:
 
Step 1:
 
Use a melon baller or mini ice cream scoop to scoop the honeydew into balls. (These serve as your tennis ball garnish.) Freeze until ready to serve. (Note: freeze two on them on each cocktail skewer. It is impossible to do that once they are frozen.)
 
Step 2:
 
Combine the lemonade, vodka, raspberry liqueur and lemon juice in a pitcher or large measuring cup. Stir and refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes.
 
Step 3:
 
Fill a highball or old-fashioned glass with ice. Stir the punch once more and pour over the ice.  Place the skewer 2 melon balls with a toothpick to garnish each drink.
 
 
Version #2: Cocktails for Deux:
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 honeydew melon
• 6 ounces of lemonade
• 2.5 ounces vodka
• 1.0 ounce raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Ice, as needed

 
PREPARATION:
 
Step 1:
 
Use a melon baller or mini ice cream scoop to scoop the honeydew into balls. (These serve as your tennis ball garnish.) Freeze until ready to serve. (Note: freeze two on them on each cocktail skewer. It is impossible to do that once they are frozen.)
 
Step 2:
 
Combine the lemonade, vodka, raspberry liqueur and lemon juice in a pitcher or large measuring cup. Stir and refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes.
 
Step 3:
 
Fill two highball or old-fashioned glass with ice. Stir the punch once more and pour over the ice.  Place the skewer 2 melon balls with a toothpick to garnish each drink.
 

 
PUNCH for a PARTY: this is the original NYT Recipe version of the recipes, and it makes 6-8 drinks:
 
Honey Deuce Melon Ball Punch
INGREDIENTS:

• ½ honeydew melon
• 3 Cups lemonade
• 1½ Cups vodka
• ½ Cup raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
• ¼ Cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
• Ice, as needed

 
PREPARATION:
 
Step 1:
 
Use a melon baller or mini ice cream scoop to scoop the honeydew into balls. (These serve as your tennis ball garnish.) Freeze until ready to serve. (Note: freeze two on them on each cocktail skewer.  It is impossible to do that once they are frozen.)
 
Step 2:
 
Combine the lemonade, vodka, raspberry liqueur and lemon juice in a pitcher or large measuring cup.
Stir and refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes.
 
Step 3:
 
Fill highball or old-fashioned glasses with ice.
Stir the batched cocktail once more and divide it among the glasses.
Place the skewer 2 melon balls with a toothpick to garnish each drink.

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