Buzz
A Slushie is a chilled beverage that offers a refreshing escape on a scorching day. To prepare a Slushie, you'll need ice, sugar, flavoring, and food coloring. The fastest way to make a Slushie is by using a blender, but an ice cream maker can yield a smoother texture. Alternatively, you can create a Slushie using a freezer.
Ingredients
Making a Slushie with a Blender
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups of ice
- 1.5 teaspoons of flavor extract
- 5 to 10 drops of food coloring
Making a Slushie with an Ice Cream Maker
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 cups of cold water
- 1.5 teaspoons of flavor extract
- 5 to 10 drops of food coloring
Making a Slushie with a Freezer
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 cups of cold water
- 1.5 teaspoons of flavor extract
- 5 to 10 drops of food coloring
Steps
Using a Blender
Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of water. Dissolving the sugar beforehand ensures a smooth texture without graininess. Pour the water and sugar into a bowl and stir until no sugar granules remain.
Add flavor and color. For a traditional slushie, mix in 1.5 teaspoons of your preferred flavor extract (such as raspberry, strawberry, lemon, coconut, or vanilla) and 5 drops of food coloring or more. Use a long-handled spoon to stir thoroughly. Adjust the flavor extract or food coloring to suit your taste.
- Do you enjoy soda-flavored slushies? Try making ice cubes with your favorite soda. For this version, replace the water and ice with chilled soda and soda ice cubes, eliminating the need for additional sugar.
- If you don’t have time to buy flavor extract, use a packet of Kool-Aid powder as a substitute for both flavor and food coloring.
Blend the sugar water with 2 cups of ice. Pour the sugar water into the blender and add 2 cups of ice cubes. This method works well if your blender is powerful enough to crush the ice, creating the classic slushie texture.
- Test blending a few ice cubes first to ensure your blender can handle it; otherwise, switch to an alternative method.
- If you prefer a thinner slushie, add an extra 1/2 cup of water. For a thicker, icier drink, reduce the water by 1/2 cup.
Blend the mixture on high speed. Depending on your blender’s power, you may only need to run it for a few cycles or minutes to achieve the slushie consistency. Let the blender run until the ice is finely crushed and the mixture reaches the desired texture.
- Occasionally stirring the mixture with a long-handled spoon helps distribute the ice evenly.
- If your blender isn’t strong enough, transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend in small batches.
Taste the slushie. If you’re satisfied with the flavor, texture, and sweetness, your slushie is ready. You can add more sugar, flavoring, or food coloring to perfect the drink. After adding ingredients, make sure to stir the slushie thoroughly.
Enjoy the slushie. Pour the mixture into cups and use a straw to savor your slushie in style. This recipe yields two large or four small servings of slushie.
Using an Ice Cream Maker
Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of water. Combine the sugar and water in a bowl and stir until no sugar granules remain. This step ensures a smoother texture for your slushie.
Mix in flavor extract and food coloring. Add 1.5 teaspoons of your preferred flavor extract and 5 to 10 drops of food coloring. Combining colors and flavors creatively can result in a delicious and visually appealing slushie:
- Raspberry flavor with blue food coloring
- A blend of cherry and vanilla flavors with red food coloring
- Lemon and lime flavors paired with yellow and green food coloring
- Orange flavor with orange food coloring
Process the mixture in an ice cream maker for 20 minutes. You don’t want the slushie mixture to freeze solid like ice cream, so let the ice cream maker handle it for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check the texture and continue processing if needed.
Divide the slushie mixture into cups. This recipe makes two large or four small servings. Enjoy it with a straw for the classic slushie experience.
Using a Freezer
Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 4 cups of water. Combine the sugar and water in a bowl and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. This ensures your slushie won’t have a grainy texture after freezing.
- To replace the sugar-water mixture, you can use 4 cups of your favorite beverage. Experiment with soda, fruit juice, chocolate milk, or even coffee!
Stir in flavor extract and food coloring. Use 1.5 teaspoons of flavor extract and 5 to 10 drops of food coloring. Taste the mixture and adjust the ingredients to suit your preference.
- For a creamy slushie, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cream. Orange or vanilla flavor extracts pair perfectly with this variation.
- To make the drink more unique, try adding 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish with high edges to prevent spills.
Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. You can also use the lid that comes with the dish.
Freeze the mixture for about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Each stir breaks up the ice crystals as they form. Over time, the mixture will achieve the classic slushie texture. The process typically takes around 3 hours.
Scoop the slushie mixture into cups. This recipe yields two large or four small servings. All that’s left is to enjoy your refreshing drink.
Tips
- Always taste the mixture to ensure it has the desired sweetness and flavor before freezing.
- Another method is to use your favorite beverage; freeze it for about 2 hours, then gently remove it from the freezer and tap the container with moderate force. If it’s a bottled drink, simply shake it up and down for about 5 seconds to instantly create a slushie!
- If you don’t have a blender and don’t want to wait 2 hours for the mixture to freeze, you can use an immersion blender, as it works just as well. However, the texture of the drink might be slightly different.
Warnings
- Avoid adding too much ice, as it may prevent the blender from functioning properly. Process ingredients in small batches when making slushies.
- Only use an immersion blender if absolutely necessary, as its speed can cause ice cubes to melt too quickly.
