Yes, I know it’s September 10th and I have heard the rumors of summer being over.

However, I don’t have to accept that yet, especially when the weather is still so nice. Hence this warm weather inspired cantaloupe agua fresca recipe.

It should go without saying that if you don’t like cantaloupe (I know it can be a divisive fruit, haha), then you won’t like this. Swap it with mango, guava, watermelon or another fruit you do like.

Agua fresca means “fresh water” or “cool water” in Spanish. It is a popular non-alcoholic beverage in Mexico and other parts of the world. This cantaloupe agua fresca is also inspired by a Filipino drink (Melon sa Malamig), but it does not have the shredded cantaloupe that is used in that.

This agua fresca is crazy easy to make and really refreshing. I decided to make a mint simple syrup as a sweetener that could be added to individual glasses as preferred. 

Simple syrups are sweeteners made from equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar is completely dissolved. They are good to make for cocktails, iced tea, lemonade and other beverages because then you won’t have the annoying issue of all the sugar settling to the bottom of your drink. 

You can infuse simple syrups with any flavors you want. I used fresh mint here to make this cantaloupe agua fresca even more refreshing.

The next step is blending your cantaloupe while the simple syrup cools. I used a Ninja blender here because I have one now thanks to a lovely wedding gift. 

This allowed me to blend the whole fruit completely without straining, so, I kept all the nutrients cantaloupe provides (Vitamins A & C, potassium, fiber, etc.). If you use another blender, you may want to strain the juice depending on the strength of your blender and your preference.

You’re pretty much done at this point. Just pour the cantaloupe juice to a pitcher, add lime juice, water, ice and sweetener if using. 

Depending on the ripeness of your fruit and your preference, you may not need any added sugar. Taste first. I kept my mint simple syrup separate, so people could add or not add it to the cantaloupe agua fresca to their liking.

Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint and lime slices as desired. Enjoy this cantaloupe agua fresca and the remaining days of warm weather for as long as you can.

Here’s a convenient Pinterest-friendly image for you to use if you want to save this recipe for later:

P.S., if you want to turn this into an adults-only beverage, I would recommend rum or tequila as the alcoholic complements for the cantaloupe and lime juices.