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25 Lemon Cocktails For Sweet-Tart Drink Lovers

Pucker up!

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glass with lemonade on the bottom and iced tea on the top with crushed ice, a lemon squeeze and mint
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Anyone who cooks or bakes knows—lemon juice and zest really pack a punch in everything from sweet to savory recipes. Turns out, the same goes for drinks too, and this list of 25 super lemon-y cocktails is proof. Whether you want to turn homemade (or store-bought, no judgment!) lemonade into a party-worthy drink, keep it simple with just a squeeze of lemon paired with alcohol and liquors for an after-dinner drink, or something in between, there’s something here for everyone, and every occasion.

Speaking of lemonade, it really is the easiest shortcut to a fun cocktail there is. Turn it into our giggle juice, our lemonade mimosas, our blueberry lemonade margaritas, our spiked sparkling basil lemonade…sky’s the limit, but watch out—the sweet-tart flavor of these drinks does help mask the burn of alcohol, but they’re still plenty boozy. Want to switch it up a bit? Try swapping in for pink lemonade to add a pop of color and strawberry flavor.

Want to keep things extra simple? If you’ve got some (freshly squeezed please!) lemon juice, a little simple syrup (honey works too), and your alcohol of choice and you’ll be on your way to a super satisfying beverage, without a ton of work or extra ingredients. Check out our Tom Collins, our Bee’s Knees, our Sidecars, or our lemon drop martinis to see just how easy we’re talking.

Want more cocktail ideas? Don’t forget about frozen drinks! We’ve included our frozen lemonade margaritas and our layered ombre lemonade drops here, but the list doesn’t stop there. Check out our top summer drinks next too.

1

Bee's Knees Cocktail

bee's knees cocktail
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

With only three essential ingredients—honey, lemon, and gin—a good Bee’s Knees perfectly highlights the complex flavors of the starring spirit. Though this Prohibition-era drink may have been created to mask less-than-ideal bathtub gin, it’s still popular today thanks to its refreshing simplicity.

Get the Bee's Knees Cocktail recipe.

2

Lemonade Mimosas

lemonade mimosas
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: TYNA HOANG

Meet the ultimate spring and summer brunch drink—feel free to use either regular lemonade or pink strawberry lemonade to make these extra special.

Get the Lemonade Mimosas recipe.

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3

Copycat Olive Garden Limoncello Lemonade

copycat olive garden limoncello lemonade
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We love a good copycat recipe, particularly one has tasty and pretty as this one. The recipe is very simple, but we do recommend that you use limoncello AND a citrus-infused vodka to really build lemon flavor as much as you can.

Get the Copycat Olive Garden Limoncello Lemonade recipe.

4

Classic Sidecar

sidecar
Erik Bernstein

This is one classic cocktail recipe you'll want to keep in your back pocket. The sugar rim isn't required, but we think it offsets the tart flavors in the drink nicely. If you find your Sidecar too sour, bump up the sweetness with a little more triple sec.

Get the Classic Sidecar recipe.

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5

Spiked Arnold Palmer

glass with lemonade on the bottom and iced tea on the top with crushed ice, a lemon squeeze and mint
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Since Arnold Palmers gained popularity in the 1960s after the eponymous American golfer who was known to order this specialty drink, it’s now become a staple summertime beverage. In this recipe, the classic is made even better with a splash of vodka.

Get the Spiked Arnold Palmer recipe.

6

Spiked Sparkling Basil Lemonade

spiked sparkling basil lemonade
Joel goldberg

Basil-infused vodka brings out the sweetness of the herb and turns the spirit (and this cocktail) a lovely, vibrant green.

Get the Spiked Sparkling Basil Lemonade recipe.

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7

Limoncello

lemon sugar and vodka
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Homemade limoncello is sweet and strong with a lasting, delightful lemon flavor. It's the basis for one of our favorite cocktails—the lemon drop martini—and is perfect for gifting during the holidays. Hot tip for gifting: Make sure you’re working at least 1 week in advance to allow the liquor to take on the lemon flavor.

Get the Limoncello recipe.

8

Tom Collins

tom collins
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MARY RUPP

A Tom Collins is basically a spiked and sparkling lemonade, served in a Collins glass (ofc!). The classic garnish for this fizzy drink is a lemon wedge and a bright red maraschino cherry, but it’s time for an upgrade. Trust us, and go for a dark red cocktail cherry instead.

Get the Tom Collins recipe.

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9

Blueberry Lemonade Margaritas

blueberry lemonade margarita
EMILY HLAVAC GREEN

Turn your margarita into summer goals with this blueberry lemonade version. Have some leftover blueberry simple syrup? It tastes AMAZING in seltzer water, and is a great sweetener for iced tea. You can even stir it into yogurt or ice cream for a punch of blueberry flavor.

Get the Blueberry Lemonade Margaritas recipe.

10

Lemosas

lemosa cocktail garnished with skewered blueberries
JOEL GOLDBERG

The blueberry simple syrup in these is delicious and truly so simple to whip up. You're going to want to use it to sweeten all your cocktails (and iced teas maybe?).

Get the Lemosas recipe.

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11

Long Island Iced Tea

long island iced tea cocktail with lemon slices and a splash of coca cola
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER, FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Long Island iced teas are the ultimate cocktail mystery. How does this classic cocktail, with its combination of five alcohols, manage to taste just like a lemony sweet tea?! We may never know. What we are sure of is how worth it is to make your own sour mix from lemon, lime, and grapefruit.

Get the Long Island Iced Tea recipe.

12

French 75

french 75
Andrew bui

Champagne is what makes this drink distinctively French (and totally worth the splurge), but a more affordable sparkling wine such as Prosecco or Cava are both sound options. Make sure to squeeze the lemon twist into your drink to add some of those floral lemon oils.

Get the French 75 recipe.

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13

Layered Ombre Lemonade Drops

layered ombre lemonade drops
RACHEL VANNI

These take the idea behind classic faves like frozen margaritas and strawberry daiquiris to the next level with colorful, bright layers. They’re quick, simple, and best of all, only need 5 ingredients (plus fresh fruit garnishes, if you like) 😍.

Get the Layered Ombre Lemonade Drops recipe.

14

Long Island Iced Tea Jell-O Shots

long island iced tea jello shots
Emily Hlavac Green

After we made our Long Island Iced Tea pops, we knew we had to make a Jell-O shot version. Don't let their adorable appearance fool you—these little guys pack a PUNCH!

Get the Long Island Iced Tea Jell-O Shots recipe.

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15

Lemonade Margaritas

lemonade margaritas delishcom

If you want to use classic lemonade instead of pink lemonade for these, that's totally cool. Your margaritas will still take on a beautiful pink hue from the strawberries.

Get the Lemonade Margaritas recipe.

16

Aviation Cocktail

aviation cocktail

After crème de violette, the main ingredient here, was discontinued in the '60s, it was all but impossible to mix up a classic Aviation at home. Thankfully, it was brought back in the mid-aughts. Though it can still be tricky to find, fans of this floral cocktail know it's worth the search.

Get the Aviation Cocktail recipe

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17

Lemon Drop Martini

lemon drop martini
Brandon Bales

Here, a classic martini gets a sweet upgrade with the addition of limoncello. It tastes just like your favorite sweet tart lemon candy, which is a very good thing.

Get the Lemon Drop Martini recipe.

18

Lemon Blueberry Daiquiri

lemon blueberry daiquiri
LUCY SCHAEFFER

Inspired by our love of lemon blueberry margs, this brightly colored daiquiri has major springtime vibes. Between the fruity sweetness of the berries and the bright, citrusy flavor, the rum tends to fade to the background, making these surprisingly drinkable despite the strength. (So please drink responsibly!).

Get the Lemon Blueberry Daiquiri recipe.

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19

Lemon-Poppyseed Drop

lemon poppy drop
PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

Combining our love of sweet-tart lemon drop martinis and spring-y lemon poppyseed muffins, this cheery cocktail is the perfect balance of citrus and nutty poppy seed flavor.

Get the Lemon-Poppyseed Drop recipe.

20

Giggle Juice

giggle juice vertical

This fruity drink is filled with wine, lemonade and vodka, which is pretty much the most delicious, irresistible drink combo. Get ready to be giggling with your friends all night long once you've had a few of these extra-sweet cocktails.

Get the Giggle Juice recipe.

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