60 Summer Cocktails You Can Make All Season Long
It's summertime and the living (and cocktail-mixing) is easy. 😎
Chances are, if you're looking for a member of Team Delish this summer—likely by a pool or the beach—you'll likely also see us with a fruity, flirty, fun cocktail in hand. What could be better than that? Very little, it turns out, especially when we're enjoying all the beach days, BBQs, and picnics that pair perfectly with one of these summery drink. From frozen drinks to icy margaritas to tropical tiki drinks, there's something here for every mood, party, and holiday this summer. Celebrate the return of warm weather and sunshine with these 60 essential summer cocktails—cheers!
Summer days are loooong, which means you’re likely to find yourself drinking during the day and into the night. If you don’t want to risk going overboard (or like us, getting sleepy early 😴 ), try one of our tips for lower ABV cocktails. First off, we love adding seltzer to a cocktail to make it extra bubbly and keep us hydrated. Try our bittersweet Aperol spritz or our piña colada spritz—we’ve added soda water to both to great effect. You could also go simple with our ranch water cocktail: It’s pretty much a tequila soda with lime, with added Cointreau to make it like a less-sweet margarita. Our second trick is to make your drink more savory than sweet. It’s super-easy to suck down a sweet cocktail fast, but add a few salty umami ingredients, and it becomes something to savor. Try our beer-based Michelada (secret ingredient: soy sauce) or something that feels like a vacation in a glass, like our Pimm's Cup or our newest Bikini Bellini.
Don’t have a blender? No sweat. Go with one of our summer fruit-inspired margaritas instead. We’ve got a peach margarita, a frozen margarita, a spicy jalapeño margarita, and more...take these recipes as proof you can pretty much turn anything into a marg, then get creative!
Not a tequila fan? We got you too. Try our rum runner (with two kinds of rum!), our light, bright strawberry mint sangria, or our classic citrusy, almond-y Mai Tai.
If you’re having a summer party, cocktails ARE important, but don’t forget options for other refreshing beverages too. Whether it’s mocktails for your teetotaler friends or non-alcoholic drinks like lemonade and iced tea, we’ve got options.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Frosty, vibrant, and the perfect amount of sweet, this frozen daiquiri’s blend of juicy, red strawberries brightened with zesty lime is too refreshing to deny. Only requiring four ingredients, it’s our ideal summer cocktail to welcome the warm days ahead.
Get the Strawberry Daiquiri recipe.
Campari Spritz
Move over, Aperol, there’s a new spritz in town! The Campari spritz—bubbly, bitter, and very refreshing—is the perfect drink for a leisurely pre-dinner hang or happy hour with friends. With just 5 minutes and 5 ingredients, you can have this cocktail in hand ASAP.
Get the Campari Spritz recipe.
Cosmo Summer Slush
A frozen, slushy drink can make any summer day or Tuesday evening feel like a mini tropical vacation. While frozen margaritas might be a classic for summer, we think that now that Sex And The City is back on Netflix, cosmos (especially this frozen version) are back in the chat and ready for their summer spotlight.
Get the Cosmo Summer Slush recipe.
Hugo Spritz
If you're not always into the bitterness of the omnipresent Aperol Spritz, try the Hugo Spritz. Featuring floral, fruity St-Germain, fresh lime, and mint, it’s the perfect crisp alternative to heavier drinks. Whether you're hanging by the pool or throwing a backyard party, it’s bound to become your go-to summer sip.
Get the Hugo Spritz recipe.
Frozen Margarita
Classic margaritas are a staple summer cocktail, and we've had our fair share of fun experimenting with endless variations. From fruity varieties like peach and pineapple to spicy jalapeño, Delish has a margarita recipe for any (and every) taste and occasion. But, when we're craving an icy, oh-so-refreshing twist on the classic, we turn to these frozen margaritas.
Get the Frozen Margarita recipe.
Poolside Popsicle Spritzers
As much as we love sipping on a cold, low-ABV spritz, watching the ice rapidly melt and water down our cocktail is less than ideal. Enter: the poolside popsicle spritzer. We swap the plain old ice for a homemade boozy pop. As it melts, the pop infuses your drink with sweet summer flavors all while keeping it cold.
Get the Poolside Popsicle Spritzers recipe.
Frozen Limoncello Drop
You know what they say—when life gives you lemons, add a splash of vodka. Think lemonade slushy but make it Italian (and alcoholic), and you'll have this frozen cocktail. This limoncello drop martini is the perfect blend of tart and sweet and is the easiest, most refreshing drink you’ll make this summer.
Get the Frozen Limoncello Drop recipe.
Pimm's Cup
Few beverages capture the feeling of summer like a Pimm’s Cup. This iconic British cocktail is bright, refreshing, and filled to the brim with fruit. Even the late Queen Elizabeth rang in "Pimm’s O’Clock" at Buckingham Palace picnics.
Get the Pimm's Cup recipe.
Frozen Strawberry Margaritas
This fruit-forward margarita works best with frozen strawberries, so you can make it year-round (but it's the BEST with fresh ones you've frozen overnight). We love adding fresh basil for some sweet anise-y flavor, but other fresh herbs like mint or even cilantro can kick up the flavor of this sunny cocktail too.
Get the Frozen Strawberry Margaritas recipe.
Strawberry-Mint Sangria
Strawberries, mint, and lemon all come together to bring out the best of a bottle of white wine. It’s slightly tart, slightly sweet, and super-refreshing. With sliced strawberries swimming in the glass and strawberry mint syrup that gives the sangria a beautiful pink tint, strawberry flavor takes center stage in this sangria.
Get the Strawberry-Mint Sangria recipe.
Limoncello Spritz
This limoncello cocktail will transport you to Italy after just one sip. Garnish with a slice of fresh lemon and some fresh basil for herby, Italian vibes, and you've got yourself the perfect summer cocktail.
Get the Limoncello Spritz recipe.
Piña Colada Spritz
With rum or without, the combination of coconut, pineapple, and lime is pretty unbeatable. Some days we want a piña colada, but we don’t want to get out the blender. For these times, may we suggest the delightfully effervescent and very easy piña colada spritz? It’s fast, fuss-free, and still hits all the right notes.
Get the Piña Colada Spritz recipe.
Long Island Iced Tea
How does this classic cocktail, with its combination of 5 different kinds of alcohol, manage to taste incredible and resemble the taste of a lemony sweet iced tea? Other than those spirits and the all-important splash of Coke, it all comes down to an easy homemade sour mix.
Get the Long Island Iced Tea recipe.
Dragon Fruit Drop Martini
When life gives you lemons, make a lemon drop. But if you want to make a lemon drop even more delicious, add dragon fruit. The tropical fruit, also known as pitaya, offers a delicate sweetness and a vibrant pink hue that adds a colorful complement to the iconic citrus cocktail. The dragon fruit drop martini is perfect for summer sipping.
Get the Dragon Fruit Drop Martini recipe.
Lemon Meringue Pie Martinis
If you rarely break out of your espresso martini shell, now is the time. This lemon meringue pie martini has all the things we weren't sure we wanted in a cocktail, but now do. Unapologetically sweet, tart, and boozy, this martini is like having your dessert and drinking it too.
Get the Lemon Meringue Pie Martinis recipe.
Frozen Espresso Martini
What’s better than an ice-cold espresso martini on a hot summer day? A frozen espresso martini, any day of the year. By freezing concentrated cold brew, blending it with Kahlúa and vodka, and topping it with an instant espresso Baileys whipped cream, we’ve created a frozen espresso martini that is not only perfectly balanced, but also incredibly easy to make.
Get the Frozen Espresso Martini recipe.
Aperol Spritz
The Aperol Spritz, also known as the Spritz Veneziano, is an Italian classic that pairs the bittersweetness of Aperol (a bright red liquor that tastes like burnt orange and rhubarb) with Prosecco and soda water for THE most iconic summer cocktail.
Get the Aperol Spritz recipe.
Drunken Tequila Mangoes
These tequila-soaked mango bites are the elevated, fruity version of the classic tequila shots. We’ve soaked mango chunks in a mixture of lime juice and tequila, then dipped them into lime and chili salt for what is soon to be your new party staple. Keep the infused tequila to serve friends or to add to your favorite cocktail.
Get the Drunken Tequila Mangoes recipe.
Creamsicle Mimosas
Peaches and cream have met their match in this delightful orange creamsicle mimosa. This mimosa hits on the creamsicle nostalgia in an uncommon way—half-and-half and condensed milk come together to embody the sentimental creamy sweetness of the childhood favorite, while freshly squeezed orange juice brightens up the brunch drink in the best way.
Get the Creamsicle Mimosas recipe.
Piña Paloma
Sorry to the margarita, but the paloma just might be our favorite tequila cocktail. Grapefruit’s light bitterness and floral aroma add a little oomph to an otherwise simple beverage. This recipe for a piña paloma takes the classic recipe and adds a tropical twist by swapping out simple syrup for pineapple juice.
Get the Piña Paloma recipe.
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