Honey Deuce Cocktail Recipe: US Open’s Famous Signature Drink 

The Honey Deuce is the US Open’s signature cocktail: a blend of vodka, fresh lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, garnished with honeydew melon balls that look like tiny tennis balls. Created in 2006 by mixologist Nick Mautone for Grey Goose, it’s sold over half a million times each tournament and is easy to recreate at home.

If you’ve watched the US Open on TV, you’ve probably spotted fans holding tall glasses topped with pale green melon balls skewered on a stick. That’s the Honey Deuce, and it’s become just as synonymous with the tournament as the tennis itself. In 2024 alone, the US Tennis Association sold 556,782 of these cocktails at $23 each, generating roughly $12.8 million in a single event.

What Is the Honey Deuce Cocktail?

The Honey Deuce is a vodka-based cocktail made with fresh lemonade and raspberry liqueur, garnished with three honeydew melon balls skewered to resemble tennis balls. It has a sweet, tart, and fruity flavor profile that’s light enough to sip through a long afternoon of tennis. The name is a clever play on tennis scoring “deuce” refers to a tied score paired with “honey” for the honeydew garnish.

The History and Origin of the Honey Deuce

Who created the Honey Deuce and why?

Grey Goose Vodka commissioned restaurateur and mixologist Nick Mautone to create a signature cocktail for the US Open in 2006. Mautone designed the drink specifically with the tournament in mind, using the honeydew melon garnish to visually echo tennis balls. It debuted at the 2007 US Open and has been served every year since.

How did the Honey Deuce become a cultural phenomenon?

What started as a single tournament’s specialty drink has become a full-blown internet moment. Since its debut, the US Open has sold over 2.25 million Honey Deuces. The drink now regularly trends on social media each August and September, with fans sharing copycat recipes, ranking its price against other stadium concessions, and even recreating it using fast-food ingredients.

What Makes the Honey Deuce Different From Other Cocktails?

Unlike most vodka cocktails that rely on citrus or soda for balance, the Honey Deuce leans on fresh lemonade for its tart backbone and raspberry liqueur for depth and color. The honeydew garnish isn’t just decorative. It adds a subtle, cooling sweetness as it slowly chills the drink. This combination makes it lighter and fruitier than a classic vodka lemonade, and less boozy-tasting than a cosmopolitan, which is likely why it appeals to casual drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts alike.

Honey Deuce Ingredients: Complete Breakdown

Here’s exactly what goes into the original recipe, based on the official version served at the US Open:

• Vodka: 1¼ oz (Grey Goose is the official brand, though any quality vodka works)
• Fresh lemonade: 3 oz (freshly squeezed produces the best flavor, but store-bought works in a pinch)
• Raspberry liqueur: ½ oz (Chambord is the standard choice)
• Honeydew melon balls: 3, scooped with a melon baller to mimic tennis balls
• Ice: enough to fill a highball glass
• Skewer or cocktail pick: for the melon garnish

Ingredient substitutions

• No Chambord? Raspberry syrup or another raspberry liqueur works as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly less rich.
• Want it non-alcoholic? Swap the vodka for sparkling water and use a raspberry syrup in place of the liqueur for a mocktail version.
• Prefer it less sweet? Reduce the lemonade to 2½ oz and add a splash of soda water.

Step-by-Step Honey Deuce Recipe Instructions

Instructions

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour in the vodka, followed by the fresh lemonade.
3. Add the raspberry liqueur, letting it settle for a layered look, or stir it in for a fully blended cocktail.
4. Use a melon baller to scoop three honeydew balls.
5. Skewer the melon balls on a cocktail pick and rest it across the top of the glass, mimicking a tennis ball resting on the net.
6. Serve immediately with a straw.

Pro tips for the perfect Honey Deuce

• Chill your lemonade and glass beforehand to keep the drink cold without diluting it with excess ice.
• Freeze the honeydew balls for an hour before serving. They’ll double as ice cubes and keep the drink cold longer without watering it down.
• For a party batch, multiply the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur by your guest count and mix in a large pitcher, garnishing individual glasses just before serving.

Honey Deuce at Starbucks and Dunkin: What You Need to Know

Does Starbucks sell an official Honey Deuce?

Starbucks does not have an official Honey Deuce on its menu. What’s gone viral instead is a customer-created “secret menu” hack that combines Starbucks’ lemonade, raspberry syrup, and other add-ins to approximate the cocktail’s flavor without alcohol. Results vary by location since it depends on how baristas interpret the order.

What is Dunkin’s Melon Deuce Energy drink?

Dunkin’s Melon Deuce Energy is an official menu item inspired by the Honey Deuce trend. It’s a watermelon-lime flavored energy drink combined with raspberry flavors and lemonade, fortified with B vitamins and containing 145mg of caffeine. Unlike the original cocktail, it’s non-alcoholic and priced around $5.24, making it a caffeinated, kid-friendly nod to the tennis classic rather than a direct copy.

How to Make the Perfect Honey Deuce at Home

What equipment do I need?

You only need a few basic tools: a highball glass, a jigger or measuring cup for the alcohol, a melon baller, and a cocktail pick or skewer. No shaker or strainer is required since the drink is built directly in the glass.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

The most common mistake is using bottled lemonade with added preservatives, which can make the drink taste artificially sweet. Another is over-pouring the raspberry liqueur, which overwhelms the citrus balance. Finally, skipping the melon garnish removes the drink’s signature visual and its slow-melting sweetness.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in a Honey Deuce?
A standard Honey Deuce contains approximately 185 calories, based on 1¼ oz vodka, 3 oz lemonade, ½ oz raspberry liqueur, and honeydew garnish.

How much alcohol is in a Honey Deuce?
The cocktail contains 1¼ oz of vodka (typically 80-proof), giving it a moderate alcohol content similar to a standard mixed drink, roughly 10-12% ABV depending on total volume.

Can I make a Honey Deuce without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the vodka with sparkling water or a non-alcoholic spirit alternative, and swap the raspberry liqueur for raspberry syrup to keep the flavor intact.

How many Honey Deuces are sold at the US Open each year?
In 2024, the US Open sold 556,782 Honey Deuces at $23 each, generating an estimated $12.8 million in revenue over the tournament.

Who invented the Honey Deuce?
Mixologist Nick Mautone created the Honey Deuce in 2006 at Grey Goose’s request, and it debuted at the 2007 US Open.

Can I prepare Honey Deuces ahead of time for a party?
Yes. Mix the vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur in a large pitcher ahead of time, but add ice and the melon garnish just before serving to prevent dilution.

What’s the difference between the Honey Deuce and Dunkin’s Melon Deuce Energy?
The Honey Deuce is an alcoholic cocktail with vodka, while Dunkin’s Melon Deuce Energy is a non-alcoholic, caffeinated drink with 145mg of caffeine and no vodka.

Why is it called a “Honey Deuce”?
“Deuce” references the tennis term for a tied score, while “honey” refers to the honeydew melon garnish shaped to resemble tennis balls.

What can I substitute for Chambord in a Honey Deuce?
Any raspberry liqueur or raspberry syrup works as a substitute, though Chambord’s rounder, slightly sweeter flavor is closest to the original.

How long does a Honey Deuce last once made?
A mixed Honey Deuce is best consumed within 15-20 minutes, as the ice and melon garnish will dilute the drink the longer it sits.