Frozen Long Island Iced Tea
A frozen Long Island Iced Tea with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, orange liqueur, lemon and a cola top — sized so the slush still sets in a Margaritaville machine.
Jump to recipe ↓A Long Island Iced Tea stacks five spirits with lemon and a cola finish. The classic is strong; a frozen concoction maker needs less alcohol or the slush won’t set — this batch keeps spirits near a third of the liquid so it still freezes.
Cola goes on after pouring. Blending soda foams over the jar and kills the fizz that gives the drink its iced-tea look.
Frozen Long Island recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- ¾ oz vodka
- ¾ oz white rum
- ¾ oz gin
- ¾ oz blanco tequila
- ¾ oz orange liqueur (triple sec)
- 3 oz fresh lemon juice
- 2½ oz simple syrup (paid link)
- 3 oz cold water
- 3 oz cola (to top after pouring — do not blend)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lemon wheel. Glass: Highball or collins glass.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add all five spirits, lemon juice, syrup and water to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour into tall glasses and top each with about 1 oz cold cola. Stir once.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vodka | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | ½ oz | ⅔ oz | 1⅓ oz |
| white rum | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | ½ oz | ⅔ oz | 1⅓ oz |
| gin | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | ½ oz | ⅔ oz | 1⅓ oz |
| blanco tequila | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | ½ oz | ⅔ oz | 1⅓ oz |
| orange liqueur (triple sec) | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | ½ oz | ⅔ oz | 1⅓ oz |
| fresh lemon juice | 2⅓ oz | 3¼ oz | 2 oz | 2⅔ oz | 5⅓ oz |
| simple syrup | 2 oz | 2⅔ oz | 1¾ oz | 2¼ oz | 4½ oz |
| cold water | 2⅓ oz | 3¼ oz | 2 oz | 2⅔ oz | 5⅓ oz |
| cola (to top after pouring — do not blend) | 2⅓ oz | 3¼ oz | 2 oz | 2⅔ oz | 5⅓ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- This batch uses about 12.25 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Equal parts of five spirits keep the flavor balanced; lemon and syrup stand in for sweet-and-sour mix; water brings the jar to a full ~13 oz batch.
About vodka slushes
Vodka is the easiest spirit to freeze-blend because it adds alcohol without flavor. That makes the fruit and citrus the stars — use the best juice you can. Keep vodka near a third of the liquid for a slush that holds its shape.
Tips for the best texture
- Measure carefully — five pours add up fast.
- Cola last, and cold.
- If the slush is soft, shave a little extra ice with Shave Only, then Blend Only.
- This is still a strong drink; serve smaller pours at parties.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with lemon wheel and serve in a highball or collins glass. Vodka slushes are a natural for pitchers and parties: mix the juice base in advance and keep the vodka in the freezer so it goes in ice-cold. Mason jars and highball glasses suit the casual style, and a citrus wheel on the rim is all the garnish you need.
Variations
- Long Beach: Use cranberry juice instead of cola on top.
- Texas tea: Add ¾ oz bourbon and reduce water by ¾ oz.
- Lighter: Cut each spirit to ½ oz and add 1¼ oz more water.
Mocktail swap
Skip the spirits; blend 4 oz cold black tea, 3 oz lemon juice, 3 oz syrup and 3 oz water, then top with cola.
Shop the ingredients
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Why is this weaker than a bar Long Island?
Too much alcohol and shaved ice won’t set. This version still tastes like a Long Island but freezes properly.
Can I use sour mix?
Yes — replace lemon juice and syrup with about 5.5 oz sweet-and-sour mix (Collins Stone Sour or similar).
How strong is one drink?
About 1¼ oz combined spirits per drink, plus the cola top.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
