The Tipsy Housewife Honey Deuce Cocktail

A U.S. Open Inspired Cocktail You Can Make at Home

The Honey Deuce Cocktail is the famous drink of the U.S. Open, made with vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur, and those adorable honeydew melon “tennis balls.” My Tipsy Housewife version keeps everything that makes this cocktail so refreshing and recognizable, but I also found a great way to make these ahead and take them along to a party.

I made mine in 2-pound deli containers, put the lids on, froze the whole cocktails, and packed them into a cooler. While I traveled to my destination, they slowly started to thaw into the perfect icy, slushy consistency.

Basically, I turned one of the fanciest sporting-event cocktails into a drink you can haul around in a deli container.

Just the kind of innovation I am qualified for.

How I Discovered The Honey Deuce

I started seeing reels about the Honey Deuce popping up all over social media during the U.S. Open, and of course I had to know what all the fuss was about. I did a little research, learned about the famous cocktail and its honeydew “tennis ball” garnish, and decided I needed to test it out for myself. I definitely did not invent the Honey Deuce, but after making and tasting a few, I came up with my own Tipsy Housewife way of preparing, freezing, and transporting them that worked perfectly for me.

Before You Jump To The Recipe

There are a few things worth knowing before you start.

Freeze the honeydew melon balls. Besides making them look even more like little tennis balls, frozen honeydew helps keep your cocktail cold.

Use good lemonade. There are only a few ingredients in this cocktail, so the lemonade really matters. Pick one that has a good balance of sweet and tart.

Don’t be shy with the ice. This is supposed to be an extremely cold and refreshing cocktail.

You can make these ahead. My deli-container freezer method makes these especially good for taking along to a party or gathering. More on that below.

Taste before adjusting anything. Raspberry liqueur adds both berry flavor and sweetness, so don’t assume you need more until you’ve tasted your drink.

What Is A Honey Deuce?

The Honey Deuce has become the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open and has been associated with the tournament for nearly two decades.

The traditional drink combines vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur over crushed ice. It is garnished with frozen honeydew melon balls that resemble tennis balls.

Even the name is a tennis reference. A 40–40 tie in tennis is called deuce, hence the Honey Deuce. I learned all this from an article I read in Town & Country Magazine.

This is exactly the kind of thing I love. A themed cocktail!

It’s recognizable, it’s cute, it has a story behind it and, most importantly, it’s actually delicious.

My Tipsy Housewife Version

The traditional Honey Deuce is usually served in a highball glass, but you know me.

Why dirty a tiny glass when I own deli containers?

I wanted to make these to take with me, so instead of preparing individual cocktails when I arrived, I made them ahead in 2-pound plastic deli containers with lids.

And this ended up being one of my favorite parts of the whole recipe.

Make Them Ahead And Freeze Them

I prepared the drinks right in the 2-pound deli containers, snapped the lids on, and put them in the freezer.

When it was time to leave, I packed the frozen containers into my cooler.

As I made my way to my destination, the drinks slowly thawed. By the time I was ready for one, I had this incredibly cold, partially frozen, almost slushy Honey Deuce waiting for me.

Give it a good stir, add your honeydew tennis balls and a straw, and you’re ready to go.

This is such a great trick if you’re bringing cocktails to a friend’s house, a lake day, picnic, tailgate, or watch party because you don’t have to stand around mixing drinks once you get there.

Tipsy Tip: Keep the containers in the cooler until you’re ready to drink them. If they’re still more frozen than you’d like, simply let them sit for a little while and give them a good stir as they thaw.

Important: Alcohol doesn’t freeze the same way water does, so the texture and freezing time can vary depending on your freezer and how strong you make the cocktail. You’re looking for very cold and partially frozen rather than expecting it to become a completely solid block.

The Famous Honeydew Tennis Balls

This is obviously the cutest part of the Honey Deuce.

Use a melon baller to scoop balls from a ripe honeydew melon and freeze them ahead of time.

The traditional garnish uses the little green honeydew balls because they resemble tennis balls.

You can thread them onto a cocktail pick or do what I did and let a couple float right in the drink.

They also slowly soak up a little of the cocktail.

Therefore, I consider eating your garnish mandatory.

What Kind Of Lemonade Should I Use?

You do not need to make homemade lemonade for this.

I would use a good refrigerated lemonade that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. The raspberry liqueur is going to bring additional sweetness to the drink, so you want some tartness from the lemonade to balance everything.

If your finished drink tastes a little sweeter than you like, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

What Kind Of Vodka Should I Use?

The famous U.S. Open version uses Grey Goose vodka.

At home, I say use a vodka you actually like.

There aren’t many ingredients hiding the vodka in this drink, so I would choose something reasonably smooth, but there’s no reason you need to buy an extremely expensive bottle specifically for this recipe.

Don’t Skip The Raspberry Liqueur

The raspberry liqueur is what gives the Honey Deuce that subtle berry flavor and beautiful blush color.

Chambord works perfectly here, although another good raspberry liqueur can also be used.

You only need a small amount. You’re not trying to turn this into raspberry lemonade. The raspberry should complement the lemonade rather than completely take it over.

Make A Honey Deuce Pitcher

If you’re making these for a U.S. Open watch party or another gathering, you can easily make a larger batch.

For approximately 8 cocktails, combine:

10 ounces vodka
24 ounces lemonade
4 ounces raspberry liqueur

Keep the mixture refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.

Fill glasses with plenty of ice, pour in the cocktail mixture and garnish each one with frozen honeydew melon balls.

If you’re using my deli-container freezer method, divide the mixture among your containers, cover and freeze.

Perfect For A U.S. Open Watch Party

You certainly don’t have to be watching tennis to drink one of these, but this would be such a fun cocktail to make for a U.S. Open watch party.

Make the drinks ahead, freeze your honeydew tennis balls, and set everything out when your guests arrive.

Or make my frozen deli-container version and let everybody have their own giant cocktail.

No judgment from me, my name is Tipsy after all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a Honey Deuce ahead of time?

Yes. You can combine the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur ahead of time and keep the mixture refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.

You can also use my method and make the cocktails in lidded deli containers and freeze them. Pack the frozen containers in a cooler and allow them to gradually thaw before drinking.

Does a Honey Deuce freeze solid?

Not necessarily. Alcohol lowers the freezing point, so your cocktail may become very cold and slushy rather than freezing completely solid. The exact texture depends on your freezer, container, and the ratio of alcohol to nonalcoholic ingredients.

Can I make a Honey Deuce without Chambord?

Yes. You can use another raspberry liqueur.

You could also experiment with a small amount of raspberry syrup, but remember that syrup will make the drink sweeter and won’t add alcohol.

Do I have to freeze the honeydew?

No, but I think it’s worth doing.

The frozen honeydew helps keep the drink cold and makes those little green “tennis balls” even more fun.

Can I make this less sweet?

Absolutely. Choose a more tart lemonade or add some freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also slightly decrease the raspberry liqueur.

Can I make a nonalcoholic Honey Deuce?

Yes. Skip the vodka and raspberry liqueur and use lemonade with a little raspberry syrup or raspberry sparkling water.

Add plenty of ice and the frozen honeydew melon balls so you still get the fun Honey Deuce look.

Can I take these in a cooler?

That’s exactly how I served mine.

I froze the prepared cocktails in covered 2-pound deli containers and put them into a cooler. They slowly thawed while I traveled and were wonderfully cold and slushy when I was ready to drink them.

Just keep them properly chilled in your cooler until serving.

More Cocktails From The Tipsy Housewife

If the Honey Deuce has you in the mood to mix up something fun, I have plenty more cocktail recipes for you to try. Whether you’re looking for something refreshing for a warm day, a fun drink for a party, or an easy cocktail to make at home, these are some of my favorites. Take a look through the recipes below and click the images to find your next Tipsy Housewife cocktail.