There’s just something about summer and cocktails…the sun, heat, and humidity immediately transport me poolside in some tropical location. But alas, that’s not the reality of my summer most of the time.
HOWEVER, these delicious (and mostly very easy) summer cocktails can recreate that vibe for you all summer long!
I’m a huge fan of making cocktails at home, and I think a lot of people don’t realize just how easy it is! You can whip up something delicious in just 2-3 minutes, and in most cases don’t need any fancy ingredients (though once you realize that it takes about 30 seconds to make flavored simple syrup, it will rock your world).
So I’ve assembled a bunch of my favorite summer drink recipes for you, ranging from a twist on a gin & tonic, to a few more complex (but still crazy easy) summer cocktails!
Maybe my favorite cocktail of all time?? It’s certainly my #1 go-to during summer, when fresh basil abounds. And it’s perfect in its simplicity…sweet, tart, boozy, herbacious.
On the other hand, this was my “drink of summer” last year. I got high-key obsessed. It’s packed with fresh strawberry flavor, sweet and boozy, with a warmth and kick at the end from the black pepper syrup.
It’s one that’s harder to make for a crowd, but if there are just a couple of you (or, just YOU), trust me when I say you need this in your life.
When I was in middle and high school, once in a blue moon on the way home from an away basketball game or something, we’d get to stop at Sonic Drive-In. And their cherry limeade was one of the must-have items. This is the grown-up version.
I’m in love with Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco liqueur, which has the most intense sweet cherry flavor. I’ve played around with it in a number of drinks, but this may be my fave. So recapture the summer taste of your youth (but…with gin)!
This “Mayan Sour” was inspired by a cocktail I had in Charleston a couple years ago, and it is DELICIOUS. It’s a twist on a whiskey sour, using banana-infused bourbon (super easy to make yourself) and a spiced simple syrup. It’s delicate and refreshing and tropical, a perfect summer drink!
I initially made the blueberry syrup featured in this recipe for a blueberry basil espresso tonic (which is as weird and delicious as it sounds).
But I had more sitting around, so started playing with it and fell in love with this blueberry mint twist on a gin smash. It’s a great way to use up all that fresh mint you might have in your garden as well…
Never heard of a porto tonico?? You’re not alone. This isn’t something that you’ll find in the U.S. for many reasons, not the least of which is that white port is practically unknown here.
I’m on a mission to change that! I discovered white port and the refreshing “& tonic” version while touring Portugal’s Douro Valley, and fell in love. It is the perfect summer cocktail…crazy easy, affordable (white port costs like…$18 a bottle?), and brings the perfect balance of sweet and bitter for the heat.
This patriotic-sounding drink is a classic gin cocktail dating (supposedly) back to around the World War II era. It is icy, citrusy, and packs a heck of a boozy punch. This is what I wish martinis tasted like…
I usually only drink rum when I’m lounging beside a pool in a foreign country, but I’ve started playing around with it in more traditional cocktails. This twist on the classic daiquiri was a winner, with tropical notes from the banana liqueur and warm spice from the cinnamon syrup.
This is what you *wish* your luxury Caribbean resort served…
Confession: I have a soft spot for those Bartles & James fuzzy navel wine coolers from back in the ’90s. My mom would have them at get-togethers when I was growing up, and I loved that peachy flavor. This is not that drink…it’s SO much better!
The syrup for this drink was an accidental discovery, made for the most amazing cake that I’m obsessed with. The leftovers went into this cocktail, which I then had to remake a few times just to make sure I got it right 🙂 Apricot and mint are a juicy, refreshing pair!
Speaking of peach flavors, this one is a winner! This would be the perfect drink for sliding into late summer, a fruity drink but with lovely warm spice notes.
Plus, if you ever bought a bottle of peach schnapps for bellinis and weren’t sure what to do with it…this cocktail has got your back.
You may be sensing a theme here—I love fresh herbs in my cocktails, but especially basil! The smash is one of the O.G. classic cocktails, with endless ways to adapt it. This lemon and basil combo plays great in spring and summer, the ultimate in refreshment!
This cocktail sounds a bit odd at first (though I love the name!) but it has become a firm dinner party favorite.
The green chartreuse (when deployed with a light hand) brings such a fascinating freshness and herbal notes to what is otherwise a fairly straightforward gimlet with fresh mint. It’s incredibly refreshing to sip on pre-dinner, or on the porch as the sun sets.
While I can’t claim this is my favorite cocktail in the world, it’s been a lifesaver at times. That’s because this simple cocktail consisting of gin, fresh lime juice, and soda water has no sugar and basically no carbs, so has been an occasional treat when I’ve been on a super restrictive diet.
It is incredibly light and refreshing, and sometimes I’ll add a few drops of monkfruit syrup just to take the tartness edge off.
The O.G.! Guys, I looooove me a gimlet. Love. It’s perfect in its simplicity, and oh-so easy. I also love that it’s endlessly adaptable with different flavors, syrups, and liqueurs, but I never forget how amazing the original gimlet is.
Speaking of that adaptability, this was my intro to gimlets. It started with a bachelorette weekend just me and my bestie, shopping and whatnot, and ended with homemade pizzas and a few French gimlets, and me taking an expensive cab to LAX because she could no longer drive me 🙂
This is a less tart take on a gimlet, and it packs a punch. It’s got this floral and boozy layer that mutes the lime juice, and is absolutely craveable.
This is the very definition of an easy summer drink, but with interesting and refreshing flavors that go well beyond a simple slice of lime.
The citrus-herbal combo (sensing a theme here??) pairs with a delicious London Dry gin that has similar citrus-y notes, and takes about…15 seconds to make?
So I’ve got you covered with all your summer drink recipe needs…let me know in the comments which one you’ll be whipping up this summer!
Other beverage recommendations you’ll love:
So I’ve got you covered with all your summer drink recipe needs…let me know in the comments which one you’ll be whipping up this summer!
Other beverage recommendations you’ll love:
