21 Easy, Breezy Cocktails You'll Want to Drink All Summer Long
If you're looking for a cooling beverage, try one of these floral and fruity summer cocktails. From daiquiris and snowcones to margaritas and mojitos, these cocktails are perfect for sipping on while you lounge by the pool or relax in a hammock. Recipes like Whipped Frozen Creamsicles and Pomegranate Margaritas are easy to make and refreshing in the summer sun.
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Pomegranate Margaritas
Who says margaritas are just for summer? This pomegranate twist on a cocktail favorite is good all year long--elegant enough for the holidays and fun enough for an outdoor barbecue.
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Whipped Frozen Creamsicle
For those of you who always loved to run to the curb to buy a little bit of summer on a stick, this drink is right up your alley. The secret to the straight-from-the-ice-cream truck taste of this creamy frozen treat? Double the fruit! A little bit of frozen mango helps thicken the drink naturally in the blender while boosting the juicy flavor of fresh orange juice. Unsweetened vanilla coconut milk brings just a hint of sweetness while keeping this added-sugar-free and vegan. You could also use a sweetened coconut milk if you prefer a little more sweetness. Enjoy this refreshing and nostalgic drink on its own, or add a splash of your favorite vodka or rum for a summer happy hour indulgence. P.S.: Unlike the ice cream version, this one travels well in an insulated cup if you want to take it poolside!
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Watermelon Gin Fizz
This pretty pink cocktail would be perfect for a bridal shower luncheon. Any leftover pureed juice is refreshing on its own.
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Strawberry Margarita Snow Cones
These boozy snow cones make cocktail hour extra fun.
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Rose Mojito
A homemade simple syrup fragrant with delicate rose petals is an easy way to elevate cocktail hour. Find dried rose petals online, or in the bulk herb section of well-stocked supermarkets and natural-foods stores.
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Classic Negroni
This brilliant red bittersweet cocktail was first created in Italy about a hundred years ago and remains a widely popular aperitif. Made with staple home bar bottles, the Negroni is a great cocktail to brighten up your happy hour. Don't have gin? Substitute bourbon or rye whiskey to make a classic boulevardier!
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Beer Cocktail with Lime & Tajín
A refreshing way to enjoy a beer, a chelada is a popular Mexican cocktail (aka michelada and featuring many variations). One version takes a mild lager (like Corona), mixes in a hefty dose of lime juice and is served in a glass with a salted rim. To spice things up a bit, in this recipe, we dip the rim of the glass in Tajín (a chile-lime seasoning) to give each sip a tangy bite, and add a little ice to the glass to keep things extra chilled.
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Grapefruit Elderflower Spritz
The combination of gin, grapefruit and elderflower seems to be a new, trending combination in cocktails. Our version is super straightforward, but the twist is that we call for spiked grapefruit-flavored seltzer. We think it makes it that much more delicious and refreshing.
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Blueberry Tom Collins
The classic Tom Collins cocktail just got a bit of an upgrade! With a touch of sweet honey and lots fresh blueberries, this drink will have yours guests asking, "Tom who?"
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Whipped Frozen Cherry Limeade
How can you possibly make whipped frozen limeade even more refreshing? Add tart cherry juice to the mix! This homemade slushie tastes like summer in a glass. Add a splash of half-and-half or your favorite nondairy creamer to give it a soft serve-style spin, or leave it plain to evoke an old-time cherry-lime rickey. And while bottled tart cherry juice is perfect for this drink, if you have fresh cherry juice from picking your own fruit, feel free to use it here! Either way, this homemade refresher will make your summer even sunnier.
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Spicy Mezcal Margarita
Feel the heat in this zippy mezcal margarita! What's the difference between tequila and mezcal? Tequila is a type of mezcal. They're both made from agave, with mezcal traditionally picking up its signature smoky flavor from being cooked in underground pits. We love it paired with a little bit of heat and agave syrup for a touch of sweetness.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail
This strawberry-rhubarb honey shrub cocktail celebrates the arrival of spring with a tangy, refreshing gin cooler. The sweet-and-sour flavors of fresh strawberries and rhubarb are enhanced by honey in a quick-cooked shrub syrup.
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Frozen Pineapple Margaritas
These frosty pineapple margaritas taste just like restaurant-style frozen margaritas, but without all the sugar, for a skinny cocktail you can easily whip up at home.
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Peach Sangria
You'll want to bring a pitcher of this white sangria to parties and potlucks all summer long. Fresh peaches look gorgeous in these delicious sparkling peach cocktails, but frozen peaches work too (and help keep your drink cool).
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Fresh Strawberry Margarita
This fresh strawberry margarita is sweet, with a light herbal note from the basil. It's got the classic margarita taste—with the added benefit of fresh strawberries shining through, making it light and very refreshing.
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Berry Bubbly Vodka Soda
This bright and bubbly sipper combines berries with vodka and seltzer to make a colorful 3-ingredient cocktail you can enjoy year-round, thanks to frozen berries. Amp up the flavor even more by using a flavored seltzer rather than plain!
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Blackberry-Rosemary Vodka & Soda
Blackberries give this vodka cocktail its gorgeous hue and jammy flavor. Use the leftover simple syrup to mix up drinks for friends or skip the vodka for a mocktail.
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Coconut Margarita
Coconut water brings just enough sweetness to this frozen coconut margarita to add flavor to the drink without making it too sweet. The lime juice and Coco López give this drink a tropical flavor, while the tequila and triple sec make it taste like a solid margarita.
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Frozen Peach Bee's Knees Cocktail
The Bee's Knees is a popular classic cocktail made with a blend of gin, lemon and honey. This fruity frozen version is blended with frozen peaches and plenty of ice for a crisp and refreshingly light summer cocktail.
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Red Sangria
This fruity red sangria is just like what you would get in a restaurant. It's easy to make with just five ingredients. A big batch is perfect for parties--or any night on the patio.
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Tangerine Bourbon Sidecars
A fresh twist on a classic cocktail, this quick drink recipe uses sweet tangerine juice to balance the tang of bourbon.