Tobins' Tastes: Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light Granita {Fun Party Drinks With A Vodka Twist}

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light Granita {Fun Party Drinks With A Vodka Twist}



My college girlfriends and I were known for our themed parties senior year. Tropical Night, Red Carpet Parties, St. Patrick's Day, Skirt Day (the first day of Spring in Indiana warm enough to wear a skirt), you name it, we had a themed party for it. Costumes, props, full on printed photo walls; nothing was too much for us. No matter how elaborate our evenings were they all had one thing in common; our party drinks were always made with Crystal Light and vodka.


Thinking back on it, we were probably known for our love of Crystal Light just as much as we were known for our creative themes. St. Patrick's Day? Dye the Crystal Light green. Red Carpet Party? Put it in a martini glass. Tropical Luau? Umbrella straws for everyone.


Why the obsession with Crystal Light? We had a few reasons. Main reason? It was low in calories. College girls (and girls in general) don't like to drink their calories. We would rather save them for ordering some late night pizza. It was also relatively affordable and easy to store. We could have an assortment of mixes in the pantry and just mix up what we needed when we needed it. No need to have a fridge full of drink mixers all the time. My Walmart always has a huge selection so I make sure to grab a few packages whenever I am there.


Don't get me wrong we drank our Crystal Light plain too. We usually had a pitcher mixed up in the fridge for enjoying on a regular basis. Now as a teacher, I love that I can keep a few On The Go packets in my desk or school bag to flavor my water bottles whenever I want. Justin and I have been loving the Liquid Drink Mix bottles since we can each choose how intensely we want to flavor our individual drinks too.


Right now, Crystal Light is sponsoring the Miranda Lambert Platinum tour and rewarding Crystal Light Drinkers with an exclusive #PlatinumPoints Sweepstakes. The Platinum Points program lets you earn reward points for purchasing Crystal Light products and you can then redeem those points for things like a Miranda Lambert CD, t-shirt, mug and so much more. If this had existed when I was in college, my girlfriends and I would have been rolling in points. To learn more about the Platinum Points Loyalty Program and how it works be sure to visit its website



Now that I am thirty I would like to think that I evolved past my 21/22 year old self's drinking habits and have moved on to something a little fancier. But I would be completely lying to you if I said that I never make myself a Crystal Light and vodka on the weekends. I do however have a fun and fancy twist on my senior year of college staple for you. 



This Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light and Vodka Granita is the perfect thing to serve for your next girls' night. It is delicious, easy to make, low in calories and can be served in cute little glasses. The recipe itself is nonalcoholic so you can let guests choose if they would like to top it with vodka or not depending on their preferences. 

You could serve it as a fun "palate cleanser" between courses or as a signature "cocktail" at your next get together. I served mine in mini martini glasses but this would look adorable in mini mason jars or in white tasting/soup spoons. With so many flavors of Crystal Light to choose from this is also a treat that you can personalize as you like. While the basic recipe is great for all ages please make sure that if you are adding vodka you do so responsibility and in moderation : ) 

Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light Granita {with an optional vodka twist}
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade On The Go drink mix packets
  • 1 cup of frozen raspberries
  • optional: vodka of choice (I like to pair this with a citrus flavored one)
1.) Mix the two packets of Crystal Light into the two cups of water. 

2.) Combine Crystal Light and frozen raspberries in the blender and blend until completely smooth.

3.) Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and freeze for an hour. 

4.) After an hour, use a fork to scrape up the mixture to form a slush. Refreeze for another hour. 

5.) After an hour, repeat the fork scraping and place mixture in freezer for another 4-6 hours. You can leave it overnight if you prefer but you may want to cover it. 

6.) When ready to serve, remove pan from the freezer and use a fork to scrape up the frozen mixture until its a loose, icy slush. Serve immediately and enjoy!

7.) Optional: drizzle each serving with a half shot of vodka. While it may seem tempting, less is more. You don't want to ruin the flavor : )

This recipe is intended to be enjoyed responsibly, in moderation, and solely by men and women of legal drinking age.  Never drink and drive, never drive with someone who has been drinking, and always consume alcohol safely and in moderation.


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