I've been planning out our 4th of July menu for a couple of days now.  We have friends coming into town from Louisiana and I have been figuring out what our menu is going to look like over the weekend, including cocktails!  For the 4th we are going all American and I'll be serving up ribs, homemade baked beans, corn, and slaw and I thought the perfect cocktail to accompany such a menu needed to be super summery, fresh, and fun!  My raspberry and lime vodka sno cones are the ultimate 4th of July drink to serve up at any celebration this weekend!

I never outgrew the sno cone age.  I have loved them right into adulthood.  I am not sure there is anything better on a hot summer day than an ice cold, sugar soaked, sno cone.  It is one of my favorite indulgences at this time of year.  It's all about that sugary syrup, and reliving your childhood memories!  

My parents bought me a Snoopie sno cone maker when I was little and I thought it was the greatest gift in the whole world (next to my easy bake oven of course).  A lot of work went into making enough shaved ice for one little sno cone.  Turns out there is an easier way to make homemade sno cones at home and it requires a whole lot less effort and I'm going to tell you how! 

Shaved ice, raspberry lime syrup, and vodka create an amazing adult version of your favorite childhood treat.  I can't imagine a better cocktail to accompany great food and fireworks over the weekend than with one of my boozy sno cones!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Raspberries (I used fresh, but frozen would work too, just defrost first)
• Juice of 3 Fresh Limes (about 1/4 Cup)
• 3 Tbsp. Sugar 
• 4 Cups of Ice
• 3 Oz. Vodka

Directions:

• In your food processor, add your 4 cups of ice and turn on until ice is completely shaved.
• Once ice is shaved, put back in the freezer until cocktails are ready.
• Blend raspberries, lime juice, and sugar until smooth in a blender or food processor.
• Strain the raspberry syrup to remove seeds.
• Add vodka to the raspberry mixture and stir.
• Fill cocktail glasses with shaved ice.
• Pour raspberry syrup over the ice.
• Garnish with fresh limes and raspberries.

*Serves 2 

I can't wait for you guys to try this one out!  It's even great as a mocktail!  I know because I omitted the vodka and added coconut water to mine and it was fantastic!  Make a boozy version for yourself and a non-alcoholic version for the kiddos and everyone will be happy!

Cheers to a safe and happy 4th of July guys!  What are you plans for the weekend?