How To Turn Your Favorite Drink Into A Frozen Slushie This Summer

You see them in movie theaters, bowling alleys, and county fairs. You call them Icees, slushies, or (if you're in a 7/11) Slurpees. You savor every flavor you can, from cola to cherry to frosted lemonade. Whatever you call them and whatever you do with them, slushies are a sweet, refreshing rebuke to the sweltering heat of a summer's day. But what if it's too hot to go out? What if you're just not in the mood to step outside? (Outside? In this economy?) Well, don't worry: it may give you a slightly more limited range of flavors, but you can use a couple of ingenious hacks to enjoy a slushie version of your favorite carbonated drink whenever you want.

The easiest and most straightforward way to make a slushie out of your drink goes like this: Get a bottle of the drink, preferably at room temperature, and shake it as thoroughly as possible. We really mean it — you gotta shake it up like Zendaya and Bella Thorne. Then, you put the bottle in the freezer for somewhere between three and three and a half hours. You want the drink to be below freezing, but still liquid rather than solid — the magic number for your freezer is 27 degrees Fahrenheit. (Obviously, how long it takes depends on the size of the bottle and the specifics of your freezer.) Once you take it out, twist open the cap to release the built-up pressure inside before quickly twisting it shut again, then flip the bottle upside down. And, presto! Within seconds, the contents should freeze into a frothy, bubbly, ice-cold slushie, ready to pour into a glass and slurp up.

What just happened? Well, there's a phenomenon called "supercooling" that sounds a lot more hardcore than it really is. Essentially, when the soda is cooled past its freezing point without being disturbed in any way, it stays liquid. By releasing the pressure and turning the bottle upside-down, you're disturbing the liquid and allowing the crystal formation to take effect. (This works best with something carbonated, like soda or some other soft drink.)

There are other, even more dramatic ways to trigger the process, too. Put an empty bowl in the freezer and, instead of flipping the bottle, slowly open it and pour it out — you've got an instant bowl of a tasty icy treat on your hands. (It's not quite granita. Hawaiian shave ice, or any other kind of shaved ice treat, but it'll do in a pinch.) Or if you really want to dazzle people, pour it into a non-frozen bowl and just plunk an ice cube in that bad boy. It won't take long, and it'll be truly delicious. Whether you pour it into a glass to drink or eat it up with a spoon, you've got something terrific to help you cool off in a heat wave.