This Creamy Slushy Cocktail Is Only 3 Ingredients And Endlessly Customizable

Many of the best, most iconic cocktails are made with just a few ingredients. The combination of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth is all it takes to make a perfect Negroni, and rum, lime juice, and simple syrup mix beautifully into a classic daiquiri. There is one three-ingredient combination, however, that delivers a slushy, frozen texture with a nearly endless number of possible variations. All you need to start exploring this cocktail family is citrus juice, sweetened condensed milk, and your choice of liquor.

The creamy two-ingredient lemon slushy was a viral sensation for a while, and this is essentially just the grown-up version. 2 cups of ice go into a blender followed by a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups of lemon juice, and a cup of water. Blended up, it is a lovely balance of sweet and sour, with a smooth, creamy texture. All you have to do then is mix in your booze of choice, and you have an excellent warm-weather batch cocktail.

As for how to spike the slushy, it's tough to go wrong. Vodka is the ideal spirit choice if you don't want to notice it, as it can easily disappear into just about anything, but there are also plenty of options for those who like to taste their booze. Using bourbon makes the slushy feel like a classic creamy, frothy whiskey sour, whereas gin points more in the direction of a frozen Tom Collins. If you are whipping up a batch for a group, you can even leave the liquor out and let each person finish their drink up as they please.

The amount of customization available with just that simple three-ingredient base is impressive, but it is really just the beginning. Simple substitutions, as well as the occasional extra ingredient or two, can be used with this basic formula to create a huge variety of drinks.

We'll start with swapping the lemon juice for lime juice. Immediately, what you are left with is what people typically refer to as a key lime pie margarita — if you pour some tequila into the mix, that is. But it is also similar to a slushy version of traditional Brazilian lemonade. With that mixture, a measure of cachaça would certainly go down well. Or, use white rum and a few leaves of mint to push the drink in the direction of a mojito. Another substitution worth considering is the condensed milk itself. Sweetened condensed coconut milk works just like its dairy-based cousin, but it also brings a tropical flavor to the table. With that in your arsenal, you can make your drink lean closer to a refreshing piña colada.

With this clever combination of dairy, citrus, and liquor, you don't so much have a recipe as you do a framework. It sets you up to "Mr. Potato Head" your cocktails all summer long, swapping ingredients like-for-like, and never having the same drink twice.