Trick all your friends into thinking you’re an expert mixologist with these deceptively easy summer cocktail recipes.
Summer is ideal for experimenting with seasonally-inspired cocktails. From family vacations to neighborhood parties, there’s no wrong time to whip up these tasty alcoholic drinks.
These easy and refreshing cocktails taste like summer in a glass.
White Sangria
Transport yourself to the streets of Portugal with a glass of white sangria. It offers a light and summery twist on the traditional drink. The citrus, fruit, and berries make you feel like you’re drinking liquid sunshine.
Lavender Frozé
Elevate your summer cocktail game with a lavender frozé. This recipe combines homemade lavender syrup with rosé for an addictively fruity taste. As a bonus, you can use the leftover lavender syrup in other seasonal recipes.
Mai Tai
Consider adding a mai tai to your summer drink menu. It’s an excellent drink recipe to impress party guests. It’s strong yet sweet, with multiple rums and juices—the fruity taste will remind you of your favorite tropical beach.
Passionfruit Drink
Every sip of this passionfruit drink tastes like summer. This cocktail is surprisingly flavorful and refreshing despite using only a handful of ingredients. Serve it in a champagne flute for an extra touch of elegance.
Aperol Spritz
Bring a taste of Italy home with an Aperol spritz. It’s a must-try cocktail for Aperol and Prosecco lovers. The unique flavor combination guarantees love at first sip.
Hurricane
Initially invented in New Orleans, the hurricane is a classic choice for summer. You’ll never return to bottled mixes after making a hurricane from scratch. It expertly combines tropical and Southern flavors in a one-of-a-kind concoction.
Mojito
Sipping on a mojito will instantly put you in a summer mood. The cocktail incorporates a refreshing combination of muddled mint leaves and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Mix these with simple syrup and club soda for a hint of sweet fizziness that complements the subtle rum taste.
Though mojitos typically have liquor, it’s easy to make fruity variations of the classic cocktail alcohol-free with mocktail recipes.
Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris
Cool off from the sun with a frozen strawberry daiquiri. Daiquiris are a summertime staple, and this recipe requires only four ingredients. Fresh strawberries are the star of this white rum cocktail.
Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Recipe
Skinny Margarita
Enjoy a guilt-free margarita while sitting by the pool or lounging on the beach. Skinny margaritas are lighter in calories than traditional versions. WellPlated’s recipe has options for a single glass or a 5-drink pitcher, perfect for any occasion.
Vodka Sunrise
Nothing says summer like a vodka sunrise. It’s tart and sweet, thanks to the orange juice and grenadine. The drink uses three ingredients and has a gorgeous pink color that’ll wow everyone.
Classic Moscow Mule
Moscow mules are delicious and easy to whip up in minutes. Vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime are all you need for this fan favorite. It’ll become your new summer obsession after one sip.
Paloma
Everyone should know how to make an old-fashioned Paloma. This grapefruit-based cocktail is tangy, sweet, and bubbly—the ideal refreshment on a hot summer afternoon.
Summer Breeze
A Summer Breeze certainly lives up to its name. The boozy drink uses three kinds of liquor, orange juice, and grenadine syrup. Its beautiful red color is rivaled only by its deliciousness.
Pina Colada
It wouldn’t be summer without enjoying at least one pina colada. Skip the premade mixes in favor of this simple recipe, which you can adjust to make one serving or an entire blender.
Texas Ranch Water
Texas ranch water is one of the hottest summer cocktail trends. This addictively refreshing drink uses three ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s the perfect companion to neighborhood barbecues or days on the lake.
Hippie Juice
Consider making hippie juice this summer if you’ve never tried it before. It’s a fun and festive cocktail with multiple liquors, mixers, and fresh fruit. The pink lemonade mix masks the alcohol, making it dangerously delicious.
Tom Collins
Tom Collins drinks have been popular for centuries. The recipe calls for a handful of familiar cocktail ingredients, like gin and simple syrup. You’ll be everyone’s favorite host when you serve a batch of Tom Collins at your next summer get-together.
Fresh fruit jams are a must for summer
Homemade jam is surprisingly easy to whip up. Try making a fresh, seasonal fruit jam to put on everything this summer.
10 Homemade Summer Jam Recipes
Give traditional s’mores a unique twist
S’mores are an essential sweet treat when temperatures rise. Experiment with unconventional add-ins to take your s’mores game to the next level.
Smores Treats: 4 Sweet and Savory Recipes
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
