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Our Editor-Approved Summer Cocktails Will Keep You Sipping All Season Long

Is it even summer without a fun bev in hand?

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glasses filled with grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, tequila, and soda water garnished with a grapefruit wedge, pineapple leaves, and a salted rim
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Summer brings to mind pool days, BBQs, and, most importantly, fun bevs. With spritz cocktails, tiki drinks, martinis, and frozen concoctions, there's no shortage of fun summer cocktail options, which can make it difficult to decide what to sip on poolside. If the drink indecision is hitting you, then let these 15 hand-picked summer cocktails quench your thirst. These drinks are editor-favorites, the ones our Test Kitchen makes—and iterates on—every single summer.

We love a classic cocktail (margaritas, you'll always have our heart), but we’re also Delish, which means that we can’t help getting creative. We’ve got your classic summer favorites here, but many of the drinks we keep going back to have something extra special about them. From Key lime mojitos to our frozen limoncello drop and piña colada spritz, our favorite cocktails combine refreshing flavors all in one glass—no missing out here! If you’re looking to shake up your happy hour game or celebrate the warmer days ahead, let these beloved summer cocktails brighten up your day. Cheers—your future looks bright. 😉

1

Piña Colada Spritz

pina colada spritz topped with a maraschino cherry and a pineapple wedge
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

2

Porn Star Martini

orange passion fruit martini garnished with a passionfruit
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If you’re unfamiliar with this provocatively named cocktail, it’s made up of vanilla vodka, simple syrup, tart passion fruit (purée and liqueur), and bubbly Prosecco. It’s a summertime mood in a glass, and is ideal for when you're hot, sweaty, and thirsty. It was 2024's drink of the summer, but we're still sipping on it today.

Get the Porn Star Martini recipe.

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3

Poolside Popsicle Spritzers

spritz with orange popsicles in them by a pool
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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 in a spritz for a homemade boozy pop. As it melts, the pop infuses your drink with sweet summer flavors, all while keeping it cold. So feel free to set it down during a day at the pool or at any outdoor gathering—this spritz only gets better the longer it sits.

Get the Poolside Popsicle Spritzers recipe.

4

Strawberry Mezcal Margarita

strawberry mezcal margarita with lime and strawberries
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

With an earthy, slightly smoky flavor, mezcal brings a uniquely savory quality to the typically tequila-based margarita. Add some fresh strawberries, and you have the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and a hint of smokiness. If you're looking for a way to shake up your classic summer cocktail, this is it.

Get the Strawberry Mezcal Margarita recipe.

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5

Hugo Spritz

featuring floral, fruity st germain, fresh lime, mint, and prosecco bubbles, this is the perfect crisp alternative to heavier drinks
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

The official drink of the summer of 2023, the Hugo spritz will never go out of style. 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. It’s also low ABV, so you can enjoy them from afternoon 'til night, too.

Get the Hugo Spritz recipe.

6

Cosmo Summer Slush

pink frozen cosmo in a glass with a lime circle
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: TIFFANY SCHLEIGH

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 cosmos (especially this frozen version) are back in the chat and ready for their summer spotlight.

Get the Cosmo Summer Slush recipe.

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7

Key Lime Mojitos

key lime mojitos
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Got an abundance of Key limes after making a classic Key lime pie? Use them to make this refreshing twist on a mojito. The tart Key lime juice paired with cream and a graham cracker crust-inspired rim tastes just like the fruit pie you love (but with WAY less effort 😉).

Get the Key Lime Mojitos recipe.

8

Frozen Limoncello Drop

frozen limoncello cocktail with a lemon peel
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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.

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9

Piña Paloma

glasses filled with grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, tequila, and soda water garnished with a grapefruit wedge, pineapple leaves, and a salted rim
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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, which adds a mild, fruit-forward sweetness that's perfect for summer.

Get the Piña Paloma recipe.

10

Blackberry Margarita

blended pink blackberry margarita with a rugar rim, lime wedge and blackberries
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We love to riff on the standard margarita, and now, we offer a new-for-the-summer tequila cocktail: the blackberry margarita. Juicy fresh blackberries are in season in July and August in most of the U.S. and have a balanced sweet, tart, and tangy flavor. What’s the best way to get all of the fresh berry flavor into a margarita? A blackberry syrup that you're going to want to keep on hand all summer long.

Get the Blackberry Margarita recipe.

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11

Frozen Espresso Martini

frozen espresso martini with foam and coffee beans on top
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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 and super-impressive.

Get the Frozen Espresso Martini recipe.

12

Tomato Tini

martini glasses with gin, tomato infused vermouth, and a basil leaf
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Instead of olive brine, this martini gets its rich flavor and vibrant color from tomatoes. If you’re skeptical, hear us out: Think of this cocktail as a cleaner, crisper version of a Bloody Mary. And the botanical flavors of gin pair surprisingly well with the tomato, and evoke flavors of both the fruit and the leaves of the plant (an aroma that has inspired many trendy candles, BTW).

Get the Tomato Tini recipe.

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13

Blueberry Jam Gin Spritz

gin spritz in a jam jar garnished with a lemon twist and blueberries
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Jam jar cocktails? Yes PLEASE! This easy, delicious summer cocktail is a perfect way to clean out your jar of jam and enjoy a refreshing jam spritz in a chic, creative glass! The best thing about this cocktail hack? You can mix and match flavors with your favorite jam for endless possibilities!

Get the Blueberry Jam Gin Spritz recipe.

14

Campari Spritz

campari spritz with orange slices
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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 five minutes and five ingredients, you can have this cocktail in hand ASAP.

Get the Campari Spritz recipe.

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15

Strawberry-Mint Sangria

a pitcher and glasses of sangria made with white wine and strawberry syrup with ice, pieces of mint, sliced strawberry, and sliced lemons
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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. And the strawberry flavor takes center stage in this sangria. Not only are there sliced strawberries swimming in the glass, but also a strawberry mint syrup that gives the sangria a beautiful pink tint.

Get the Strawberry-Mint Sangria recipe.

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