Food & Cooking Recipes Drink Recipes Cocktail Recipes 25 Summer Cocktail Recipes to Make All Season Stay cool on hot days with these refreshing drinks. By Jennifer Anderson Jennifer Anderson Jennifer is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines and Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland is a contributing writer with more than a decade of experience as a freelance lifestyle writer. Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 6, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Lennert Weibull Sunny days and warm evenings, cookouts and pool parties—these are the things we look forward to most during the summer. The best way to complete the picture? A frosty cocktail. The ideal summer cocktail is refreshing, fruity, and well-balanced. You can enjoy it while soaking up the sun by the pool, in a hammock, or at an elevated outdoor dinner party. It's cool enough to counteract the hottest summer afternoons, but light and easy enough to make without a lot of fussy mixing and measuring. (And trust us: It doesn't come from a can.) Add the ingredients for these for smoky, sweet, and spicy margaritas, refreshing sangrias, tropical, beach-inspired blends, and frosty frozen cocktails to your at-home bar for a summer full of satisfying sips. How to Set Up a Self-Serve Bar for Easy Outdoor Entertaining 01 of 25 Habanero-Hibiscus Sour Lennart Weibull A traditional pisco sour gets a spicy, tropical twist with the addition of an aromatic syrup made with habanero chiles and dried hibiscus flowers. View Recipe 02 of 25 Spiced Pineapple Cocktail Anders Schønnemann A small amount of chili powder added to a blend of pineapple juice, pineapple cubes, agave, and tequila provides a welcome dose of spice in this sweet and frosty summer cocktail. View Recipe 03 of 25 La Paloma Cooler MIKKEL VANG Platinum tequila, Mexican grapefruit soda, and lime juice are a laid-back alternative to a traditional margarita. This cocktail also calls for an eye-catching garnish: half a lime, hollowed out and filled with a shot of tequila. View Recipe 04 of 25 Peach-and-Mint Frappes Matthew Williams Frozen peaches (used in place of ice cubes) make this vodka-based drink slushy and cool. It's easy to make a virgin version of this frappe by simply subbing water for the spirits. View Recipe 05 of 25 Summer Spritzes Christopher Testani Making the perfect spritz is easy once you know the formula. Practice makes perfect with three of our summer cocktail favorites: Pineapple-Cucumber Spritz, Hibiscus-Ginger Spritz, and Spicy Grapefruit Spritz. 06 of 25 Aperol Jasmine Spritz Petrina Tinslay Enjoy the season in true Martha style with a variation of her favorite cocktail, the Aperol spritz, inspired by the classic gin-based Jasmine cocktail. View Recipe 07 of 25 Citrus Mule Invite a breath of summer into the usual Moscow mule by making it with a lime, lemon, and an orange, and just a hint of mint. View Recipe 08 of 25 Mango Mojito Splash some sunshine into a basic minty mojito with the addition of fresh mango. This recipe also works beautifully with other fruits, such as strawberries or pineapple. View Recipe 09 of 25 Pimm's Cup Bryan Gardner This classic English summer cocktail evokes images of croquet lawns and white linen. Pimm's, a gin-based herbal liqueur, works in harmony with ginger ale, fresh mint, cucumber, and strawberries. View Recipe 10 of 25 Lemon Mezcal Margarita Bryan Gardner The traditional margarita gets a smoky twist thanks to the mezcal used to make this delicious drink; don't forget the unexpected salt-and-pepper rim. View Recipe 11 of 25 Boozy White Sangria Sidney Bensimon Macerated fruits including pineapple, honeydew, grapes, and kiwi soak together in this delicious drink. Best of all, it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. View Recipe 12 of 25 Shaken Piña Colada Bryan Gardner Nothing says beachfront happy hour quite like a piña colada. Ours is shaken, not blended, and the taste transports you to a tropical island. View Recipe 13 of 25 Strawberry Daiquiri Mike Krautter A tried and true summer cocktail classic, this boozy smoothie relative can be made in a myriad of ways. If you get tired of the strawberry flavor, try our Pineapple-Mint iteration. View Recipe 14 of 25 Modern Mai Tai Yunhee Kim Enjoy this summertime favorite—which includes four different types of alcohol— beside the pool or on the beach for the ultimate in relaxation. View Recipe 15 of 25 Sour-Cherry Cordial Rumored to be a favorite of President George Washington, this sour cherry cocktail is a timeless refresher made with fresh, in-season fruit. View Recipe 16 of 25 Watermelon-Tequila Refresher Not only will this drink hit the spot on a hot day, but it requires only five ingredients: Watermelon, sugar, ice, lemon juice, and tequila. View Recipe 17 of 25 Blue Hawaiian getty images / ~UserGI15966731 Whip up this tiki-inspired drink the next time you're dreaming of a tropical vacation. The blue hue and frozen consistency will keep you as cool as a salty ocean breeze. View Recipe 18 of 25 Spiked Elderflower Lemonade Give a kid-friendly beverage an adult twist with vodka and Elderflower Cordial, for a drink that's sweet, refreshing, and just a little tart. View Recipe 19 of 25 Sumac-Mint Fizz Bryan Gardner Sumac, a citrusy spice, is the base for the simple syrup in this tasty drink. Add a dash of alcohol of your choosing to give it a boozy finish. View Recipe 20 of 25 Ginger Caipirinhas Marcus Nilsson This iconic Brazilian cocktail is made with cachaca, a spirit derived from sugarcane, fresh muddled ginger, and lime. View Recipe 21 of 25 Pineapple-Raspberry Bellini Armando Rafael Amp up your summer brunch menu with this refreshing take on a bellini, made with sparkling white wine, raspberries, pineapple juice, seltzer, and vanilla extract. View Recipe 22 of 25 Limoncello Sparkler Pernille Loof Toast to the summer days ahead with this light, bright cocktail. Prosecco, limoncello, and a sprig of fresh rosemary blend savory and sweet flavors for a complex, grown-up take on lemonade. View Recipe 23 of 25 Pineapple Highball Kana Okada This tiki-inspired summer cocktail uses a vanilla-and-star-anise syrup, white rum, and seltzer—plus maraschino cherries for a dose of sweetness. View Recipe 24 of 25 Cucumber-Ginger Fizz A ginger-infused simple syrup complements vodka, limes, sparkling water, and ribbons of fresh cucumber in this drink—an obvious match for sweltering August afternoons. View Recipe 25 of 25 Melon Mule A homemade infusion of vodka with melons and mint provides the base for this rejuvenating take on a Moscow mule. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit