The shorts and tank tops, the beaches and sun tans…can you blame us for swooning over summertime? But what are we most excited about? Refreshing and flavorful summer cocktails! Here are some of our favorite summer cocktails – and their accompanying recipes.
Peach Margarita
We’ll never say no to a margarita, but how about changing things up this summer and swapping out the more traditional flavors for peach? The fruitiness puts a sweet twist on the classic margarita – and it just takes a few tweaks to find the right taste. We love the below recipe from Delish.
Ingredients:
- 1 small peach, peeled and roughly chopped
- Tajín, for rimming
- 2 oz tequila
- ½ oz peach schnapps
- 1 oz lime juice
- Lime wheels or peach slices for garnish
Instructions:
- Add chopped peach into a food processor or blender. Blend completely until liquidy. Rub the outer rim of a rocks glass with a lime; rim with tajín.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, peach schnapps, lime juice, and 1 oz peach purée. Add ice; shake vigorously until the shaker is frosty.
- Strain into rocks glass and top with ice. Garnish with a peach slice or lime wedge.
Whiskey Smash
This drink is sure to win over our whiskey lovers out there. Similar to a mojito, this cocktail is light and smooth on the lips. Check out this recipe from My Bartender.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon or whiskey
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- 4-5 mint leaves
- 3 large lemon wedges
- 1 mint sprig garnish
Instructions:
- Muddle the mint and lemon together well.
- Add simple syrup, bourbon, and ice; shake until thoroughly mixed.
- Strain; pour into a rocks glass over cubed ice.
- Adorn the glass with a sprig of mint.
Long Island Iced Tea
This one brings back memories! You’ll want to drink these smooth and slow. Why? Because they sneak up on you quicker than many other alcoholic beverages out there. Try this classic recipe from Cosmopolitan.
Ingredients:
- 15 ml vodka
- 15 ml gin
- 15 ml white rum
- 15 ml silver tequila
- 15 ml triple sec
- 25 ml lemon juice
- 25 ml Coke
- 2 tsp sugar syrup
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients (except the Coke) into a cocktail shaker.
- Shake; strain into a glass with crushed ice.
- Top with the Coke.
Mixed Berry Sangria
This fruity blend is perfectly concocted with the right amount of sparkling wine, juice, and liquor. The “cherry on top” seems to be the berries that float up onto the top or sink to the bottom. For a crowd-pleasing recipe, check out this one from Taste of Home.
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling white wine
- 2½ cups white cranberry juice
- ⅔ cup light or coconut rum
- ⅓ cup each fresh blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh strawberries
- Ice cubes
Instructions:
- In a large pitcher, mix wine, juice, and rum; add fruit.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours; serve over ice.
Whipped Frozen Creamsicle
Did anyone say orange creamsicle? This is the well-known ice cream stick in summer cocktail form! Check out this recipe from Eating Well.
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups orange juice or tangerine juice (not from concentrate)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk
- 1½ cups ice cubes
- ¼ cup frozen mango chunks
- 2 oz vodka, vanilla vodka, orange vodka, vanilla rum, or white rum (optional)
- 2 orange slices for garnish
Instructions:
- Combine juice, coconut milk, ice, frozen mango, and vodka or rum in a blender.
- Blend until the mango is puréed and the ice is crushed to a slushy consistency.
- Divide the creamsicle between two 12-oz glasses.
- Garnish each with an orange slice; serve immediately.
Blackberry Mojito
The mint combined with fresh lime juice, rum, and sparkling water is scrumptious, but the added blackberries enhance this classic drink with a tart and sweet taste. Follow this recipe from Delish for perfection.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup blackberries
- Handful fresh mint leaves
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1½ cup light rum
- Crushed ice
- Club soda
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, muddle blackberries; set aside.
- Place mint leaves in the bottom of glasses; Divide and spoon blackberry mixture on top.
- Add rum, sugar, and lime juice; stir to combine. Top with crushed ice.
- Add club soda and garnish with mint leaves and more blackberries.
Piña Colada
Do you like piña coladas? Getting caught in the rain? That song pops into our minds every time we think of this frozen pineapple and coconut-flavored beverage. Check out this easy-to-follow recipe from Taste of Home.
Ingredients:
- 2¼ cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut
- 1½ cups light rum
- 6 cups crushed ice
- Pineapple wedges
Instructions:
- In a 2-quart pitcher, combine pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and rum.
- Refrigerate, covered, until chilled.
- For each serving, add a generous cup of rum mixture and 1 cup of ice to a blender. Process, covered, until smooth.
- Pour into a chilled hurricane or highball glass. Cut a 1-inch slit into the tip of a pineapple wedge; slide wedge over rim of glass.
Salty Dog
This grapefruit-flavored drink is so easy to whip up in seconds! Check out how to prepare this well-liked cocktail from My Bartender.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz gin or vodka
- 3 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- Coarse salt for the rim
- 1 grapefruit slice as garnish
Instructions:
- Wet the rim of your glass, then dip it into the salt.
- Add ice to the glass, then the vodka, and, finally, the grapefruit juice.
- Gently stir (don’t shake).
- Add the grapefruit slice as garnish and serve.
Let us know if you try any of these cocktail recipes, and share your experience below!