Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 41 Summer Cocktails That Are Easy and Refreshing During Peak Heat From melon and peach to blood orange and berries, enjoy a splash of the best flavors summer has to offer. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 23, 2024 Close Photo: Getty Images Up there with great guests and festive warm-weather food, top-notch drinks are the most important part of any summer entertaining endeavor. Bartending—especially in your own backyard—can be an intimidating business, but these super simple summer cocktails might save your soiree. Whether grilling with the girls, lounging lakeside, or just cooling off with a cocktail, keep a tray or two of these delightful drinks within reach. From classic cocktails to punches, spritzes, and slushies, these summery sips are almost as wow-worthy as the host (that's you!). If you're just starting your home-bartending career, keep it simple by stocking your bar cart with these six bottle-shop basics: Clear spirits: tequila, gin, and vodka Dark spirits: scotch, bourbon, and rum No need to buy the super-premium bottles for cocktails, but always keep quality top of mind. Whatever you do, stay away from those sugary, pre-packaged mixers at the grocery store. 01 of 41 Boozy Watermelon Frozen Slushie Getty Images Sure, watermelon is a popular summer snack for kids, but why leave adults out in the cold? This slushie combines frozen watermelon chunks with rum or vodka, citrus juice, and simple syrup. It's the perfect sipper for watching your kids' watermelon-spitting contest! GET THE RECIPE 02 of 41 Blood Orange and Kombucha Mule Stephen DeVries Ginger kombucha and ginger beer go hand in hand and make your gut happy on a hot day. Blood orange juice adds gorgeous color to the mix, and fresh slices will make this twist on a Moscow Mule a fan favorite. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 41 White Grapefruit-Ginger Spritz Christopher Testani Like most spritzers, this one is fresh, cool, and perfect for sipping on a hot day. This big-batch cocktail combines zesty-sweet ginger syrup with tart grapefruit juice before adding Prosecco. Garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and thyme for a festive touch. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 41 Frosé (Frozen Rosé) bhofack2 If your idea of cooling down on a sultry summer night is a chilly glass of rosé or a fruity frozen drink, there's good news: You don't have to choose! If you have a blender and an ice cube tray, make this mashup your new swelter-buster. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 41 Cucumber Spritzer Victor Protasio To make this bubbly summer drink, start by simmering sugar, water, and mint leaves to make a minty syrup. Next, blend that syrup with lime juice and chopped cucumbers, and then add club soda and gin for an easy, effervescent cocktail. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 41 Dirty Shirley Dudits/Getty Images Imagine a Shirley Temple all grown up, and you'd come up with this refreshing summer cocktail. It starts as the original kid-friendly mixture of ginger ale, grenadine, and lime juice but is spiked with vodka for adults-only enjoyment. Don't forget the maraschino cherry; it's the most important ingredient! GET THE RECIPE 07 of 41 Mojito Getty Images Rum, sugar, freshly squeezed lime juice, soda water, and mint combine to create a summer cocktail of minty-fresh perfection. Fresh limes give it a boost, making this the ideal refresher on a hot summer day. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 41 Cherry Gin Rickey Victor Protasio Sour cherries have a short season—generally 2 to 3 weeks in late spring or early summer—so grab them when you can and save a few for this refreshing cocktail. Their natural tartness is balanced with sweetness from a simple syrup and lemon-lime soda. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 41 Grapefruit Kombucha Margarita Stephen DeVries This easy cocktail recipe quickly transforms a standard kombucha into a delectable margarita. We especially love it with grapefruit juice for its tartness, but feel free to mix and match it with other citruses. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 41 Raspberry Rum Cocktail Belmond La Samanna Sign us up for any drink that combines dark rum and pureed raspberries. This tropical vacation in a glass also includes lime, fresh apple juice, and a splash of ginger ale. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 41 Amaretto Sour Popsicles Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner At your next poolside happy hour, hand your party guests a popsicle instead of a cocktail glass. Allot plenty of time (at least a day and a half) to let these set up in the freezer, and you'll be rewarded with color-banded, fruit-filled, boozy pops your guests will lap up. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 41 Mint Julep Greg DuPree While its association with a certain Kentucky horserace is undeniable, this summer cocktail is just as refreshing on non-Derby days. With just three ingredients—fresh mint leaves, sugar, and bourbon—poured over ice, there's no reason not to include this cocktail in your summer bartending repertoire. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 41 Bekaa Highball Jen Causey On a hot summer day, the only thing that might be better than ice is frozen grapes. This cocktail recipe uses them in lieu of ice cubes while allowing for a juicy, sweet bite every other sip. White grape juice, Lillet Blanc, apple brandy, tonic, and champagne make for a drink on the dry side with lots of flavors. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 41 Mai Tai Antonis Achilleos A Mai Tai is a sweet, strong rum cocktail that transports you to the tropics. It's the type of drink that merits a tiny paper umbrella, but if you don't have one, just add a maraschino cherry and a pineapple slice. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 41 White Negroni Punch J Muckle; Styling: Rebekah Peppler You'll be dreaming of a white… negroni. No, seriously, this summer cocktail is so good you'll want to make it all year round—and you definitely can. It's refreshing and elegant, but don't be fooled: It'll knock your socks off! GET THE RECIPE 16 of 41 Bloody Mary Getty Images People either love or hate this classic brunch cocktail, but this recipe might lure some haters into the "love" category. It features the traditional vodka, tomato juice, and Worcestershire sauce combo but adds more kick with horseradish, hot sauce, and pepperoncini peppers. Of course, don't forget the celery sticks! GET THE RECIPE 17 of 41 Spiced Apple Kombucha Cocktail Stephen DeVries Consider this a cozy cocktail with benefits. Cinnamon sticks and apple slices make this drink look pretty, but the real treat is in the spiced rum. Mixed with apple cider and apple kombucha, this is the ultimate apple lover's dream. GET THE RECIPE 18 of 41 Red Sangria With Blackberries Maura McEvoy All you need to make this delightful sangria is a bottle of red wine, brandy, sugar, club soda, and plenty of blackberries and oranges. Allow enough time (at least an hour) to chill before serving. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 41 Boozy Cold Brew Slushie wmaster890/Getty Images How about a caffeine kick with your boozy summer buzz? With ½ cup of Irish Cream in the mix, this drink is more decadent than anything you'll find at Starbucks. We'll leave it to you if you want to top it off with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 41 John Collins Wendy Granger You know the classic Tom Collins cocktail, but have you met its brother, John? This cocktail recipe features Irish whiskey instead of traditional gin. Mix in club soda, lemon juice, and simple syrup, and pucker up! GET THE RECIPE 21 of 41 Classic Amaretto Sour RealSimple.com Don't let the name fool you: This "sour" drink is plenty sweet, too. It can taste a little like sweet and sour candy, depending on how much lemon juice you cut it with. This recipe strikes a just right balance that's tasty and refreshing. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 41 Easy Irish Iced Coffee Getty Images Don't wait for St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this refreshing, milkshake-like concoction. It calls for only four ingredients: Irish whiskey, coffee, heavy cream, and a simple syrup. If you're feeling ambitious, top it off with your own homemade whipped cream. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 41 Sex on the Beach bhofack2/Getty Images Most people can name the ingredients in this classic drink: vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. This recipe also features four upgrade options if you want to cut the sugar, eliminate the alcohol, make it even boozier, or turn it into a slushie. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 41 Boozy Dole Whip Debbie Galbraith/Getty Images Yes, the Disney parks' popular pineapple smoothie can be easily whipped up at home! (Sorry, Mickey.) This version of the creamy, tangy concoction is fortified with rum for a decidedly grown-up take on Disney's famous soft-serve frozen treat. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 41 Partida Passion Fruit Cocktail Getty Images This tequila cocktail gets a fresh, sweet upgrade of passion fruit puree that balances out the tartness of lime and grapefruit juices. Serve with lime wedges and lots of ice. GET THE RECIPE 26 of 41 Long Island Iced Tea bhofack2 / Getty Images Despite its name, the Long Island iced tea is tea-free. Its moniker is derived from its sweet flavor and amber hue that resembles the look of iced tea, yet this potent cocktail contains five types of alcohol: gin, tequila, rum, vodka, and triple sec. Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola for the ideal summer drink that's best enjoyed in moderation. GET THE RECIPE 27 of 41 Classic Ranch Water DEBBY LEWIS-HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES Think of ranch water as a kinder, gentler, less sugary margarita. With just three ingredients—tequila, fresh lime juice, and Topo Chico, a brand of seltzer with an extra hit of carbonation—it also delivers refreshment faster. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 41 Jalapeño-Lime Spritzer Charles Masters Chill out with this welcome departure from syrupy-sweet daiquiris, sangrias, frozen drinks, and punches. Tropical, light, and fizzy, this citrusy spritzer promises to keep guests cool and the conversation bubbly. Don't be shy with the free-floating lime slices, and for a splash of color, serve with bright bendy straws and eye-catching stirrers. GET THE RECIPE 29 of 41 Coffee Spritz Greg DuPree Here's a cocktail that'll put that "I need an afternoon nap" idea on the back burner. It combines cold brew coffee, coffee liqueur, a splash of orange juice, and crisp club soda for a refreshing take on the espresso martini. Swap the cold brew with decaf for all the enjoyment without the caffeine kick. GET THE RECIPE 30 of 41 Gin, Grapefruit, and Thyme Cocktail Levi Brown Anyone can achieve that gorgeous garnish on these glasses: Simply rub the rims of each glass with a grapefruit wedge and sprinkle with a sugar-thyme mixture. For a tangier drink, use white grapefruit, which is slightly less sweet than pink or red varieties. GET THE RECIPE 31 of 41 Pirate Passion Fruit Mule You don't have to be a pirate to enjoy this chilled cocktail, but it helps. It features rum, of course, and takes a tropical turn with the addition of muddled pineapple and passion fruit puree. Ginger beer and lime round out the ingredient list to create a spicy, fruity refresher. GET THE RECIPE 32 of 41 Cantaloupe Cooler Levi Brown Cantaloupe isn't just for fruit salad, as proven by this fun summertime sipper. Melon is the star of this drink, so be sure to pick the best cantaloupe at the store. Avoid bruises and cracks, and don't be afraid to get caught sniffing in the produce aisle. Tender, juicy cantaloupes should smell sweet and almost floral. GET THE RECIPE 33 of 41 Campari Soda With Orange Greg DuPree Campari has a citrusy flavor that's slightly bitter, with hints of spices like clove and cinnamon. The orange juice in this recipe sweetens it a bit, but if you need more sweetness, drop in an orange slice. GET THE RECIPE 34 of 41 Spicy Jalapeño-Mint Margaritas Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images Jalapeños have been taking a front seat in cocktails, and for good reason. This spicy margarita pairs the chile with mint for a match made in heaven. Lime brings the tanginess of a traditional margarita, and agave syrup rounds out the flavors. GET THE RECIPE 35 of 41 Limoncello Spritz Greg DuPree Try this lemon liqueur from southern Italy. Serve it as an after-dinner digestivo. The tart spritz combines dry sparkling wine and club soda with limoncello and a rosemary sprig as garnish for the glass. This spritz is as simple to make as it is to sip. GET THE RECIPE 36 of 41 Mango Bellini Spritz Greg DuPree This bellini cocktail is super easy to make: it's simple, refreshing, and not too sweet. To a wine or martini glass filled halfway with ice, add Prosecco, mango juice, triple sec, and a couple of splashes of club soda. Garnish with a slice of mango and toast to summer fun. GET THE RECIPE 37 of 41 Elderflower Spritz Greg DuPree There's nothing more refreshing than a simple spritz on a hot summer night. This recipe, featuring elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, lime, and fresh mint is like summer in a glass. It's light, refreshing, and not too heavy on the alcohol. GET THE RECIPE 38 of 41 Lillet-Strawberry Spritz Greg DuPree This summery cocktail couldn't be easier: three parts sparkling rosé, two parts Lillet Blanc, and one part club soda. Easy-peasy! Garnish with fresh strawberries, jump on a pool float, and drift away into summer. GET THE RECIPE 39 of 41 Cherry Americano Cocktail Greg DuPree Cherries are practically synonymous with summer, and this cherry cocktail will become one of your summer faves. Among its five ingredients, Campari, a bitter liqueur, and vermouth, an aromatized wine, are the boozy part. Part Negroni, part Shirley Temple, all delightful! GET THE RECIPE 40 of 41 Red Wine Spritz Greg DuPree Sweeten up the summer with a simple, four-ingredient red wine spritz. Mix sweet vermouth, dry sparkling red wine, and club soda for a combination that's sure to get the backyard party starting. You can also add a pretty peach garnish to elevate the drink. GET THE RECIPE 41 of 41 Martini Jonathan Knowles/Getty Images You can't go wrong with a classic martini any time of year. A martini makes for a simple summer vice. It's made from just three key ingredients: vodka, gin, and vermouth, and you can tweak it to be as dry or dirty as you'd like. Add some fresh summer fruits to make it more seasonal. 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