Just like hot cocoa on a cold winter day, Summer Cocktail Recipes just make things better when the weather is too hot.
You can typically order these cocktails in bars or on the beach, but you don’t have to go miles just to sip this good stuff, right?
You can now recreate these sinfully delicious drinks in the comfort of your home.
Serve your gal pals a refreshing pitcher of Sangria for the best summer meals.
Better yet, clutch a tall glass of Long Island Iced Tea while you watch your favorite Netflix shows in your bedroom.
Save the best for last and serve #4 for your friends on Friday nights and wait for them to thank you after a swelteringly hot day outside.
We know you’re itching to grab your booze and fruits, so here are 30 invigorating summer cocktails.
1. Piña Colada
This is a well-known classic to everyone who knows cocktails.
And it is as iconic as the second summer cocktail on this list.
This drink has a refreshing pineapple taste and a great blend of liquor.
This is one of the classic symbols of summer, after all.
And if it hasn’t been one of your summer besties in the past, you need to check out this recipe before you miss out on another awesome summer.
There are so many exciting flavors in this drink!
It’s named as such for a good reason.
Sex On The Beach is known as one of the most iconic summer cocktails.
You can easily order this at the bar and enjoy a perfect balance of booze and beach.
Frozen drinks are always welcomed, and much more if they’re cocktails.
It’s like having a spiked slushy on a warm summer day.
The zesty, fruity flavor from the strawberry just makes everything even better.
Look no further if you’re looking for a drink to satisfy your sweet tooth while adding a little heat and spice.
This cocktail blends the perfection of mangoes with some of summer’s best spices to create an adventure of flavors on your tongue.
Indeed, nothing speaks of summer like the sweetness of mangoes, but when it’s combined with cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and orange liqueur and served in a martini glass?
Now that’s what I call the perfect cocktail.
In addition to the satisfying color contrast, this beverage also brings a welcome tartness to the table.
Cranberry juice is an exceptionally good mate for Sprite, with its clean and crisp lemon-lime flavor cutting through the sweetness of the fruit.
The Sprite is just enough to take the edge off.
The final result is an invigorating mix, and it should be blue raspberry-flavored.
But we assure you—it’ll taste as good as it looks!
Aperol hails from Italy, and nothing speaks more elegance than this drink.
It’s just the right amount of spritz and booze.
Serve it to the thirsty working ladies, and you’ll be delighted with their responses.
Indeed, this is a perfect ladies’ drink.
8. Lemon Mojito
You’ll want to keep your Lemon Mojito on hand for hot days when the ice quickly melts, and the booze gets watered down.
Bonus: You won’t ever have to feel bad about drinking with a straw.
It’s basically nature’s way of helping you stay hydrated.
The key here is using good mint, plenty of ice, and a quality lime juice.
9. Red Sangria
Sangria is a Spanish drink primarily made with red wine, fruits, other liquors, and spices.
It’s the perfect beverage for outdoor lunches and dinners because it takes the stress away in one sip.
Red Sangria will make you feel like you are strolling along the streets of Spain—minus the jetlag and foreign language barrier.
It is the representative drink of Spain and one of its best contributions to the world.
10. Sea Breeze
The Sea Breeze is a popular and refreshing drink variation of the equally-loved Greyhound.
Some historians suggest that the original Greyhound contained gin instead of vodka and was simply called a Greyhound.
The Sea Breeze is considered an official cocktail by the International Bartenders Association and can be found on their list of IBA official cocktails.
11. Caipiroska
The Caipiroska is the Brazilian version of an already popular drink: the Caipirinha.
It’s like a classic mojito, but it uses vodka instead of rum.
This cocktail is insanely popular in Brazil and is considered to be Rio de Janeiro’s signature beverage.
If you’re fortunate to find yourself on a Brazilian beach, this cocktail should be the first thing you order.
It’s energizing and an excellent accessory for your tan.
Get ready to sing “The Girl from Ipanema” while sipping on this Caipiroska as you watch the sunset into the ocean… in your dreams!
12. Summer Breeze
With its refreshing citrus flavors and light sweetness from orange juice combined with vodka or rum, this cocktail is sure to be an instant summertime favorite!
You’ll be making it regularly for every backyard barbecue and pool party you attend this season because everyone at those events will love it so much (and ask for more).
This fruity, summery drink is a cherry lover’s dream.
Yes, we know you’re probably thinking that you can’t just make vodka taste like cherries by throwing some maraschino liqueur into the bottle and shaking it up—but that’s not how this works.
The finished cocktail is smooth yet subtle in the back of the throat.
Anyone who likes whiskey-based drinks, including men, will enjoy it, thanks to the manly-man ingredient of bourbon.
14. Rainbow Paradise
Rainbow Paradise is a cocktail that will turn your summer into a festival of flavors and spirits bursting in your mouth.
Rainbow Paradise is not only beautiful but pretty strong.
It comes in a bigger glass than most cocktails because it has to contain all the ice cubes you’ll use to cool down after every sip of this perfection in a glass.
15. Rose Spritzer
Rose Spritzer is a simple and refreshing summer cocktail.
It’s a riff on the classic French 75 with a sparkling rose instead of gin.
The cocktail is garnished with fresh basil and fresh raspberries.
It’s a simple cocktail recipe that is perfect for a summer day.
16. Paloma
The name’s origins are unclear, but legend has it that some people mistook grapefruit for pomelo (a citrus fruit with pinkish flesh), which got confused as Paloma in Spanish.
Today, however, the Paloma is almost exclusively made with grapefruit juice or soda and tequila.
Despite what its name might suggest, this cocktail packs a punch with every sip.
It is tangy and refreshing, making it an ideal summertime drink.
Just be sure to take care when you’re out in the sun after enjoying one.
They may be delicious and energizing, but they can also sneak up on you if you have enough of them!
17. Negroni
The Negroni was invented in Florence, Italy, in 1919 by legendary bartender Count Camillo Negroni who asked for an Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda) to be made stronger by replacing the soda with gin.
That’s all good, but there are a couple of problems with this origin story.
The first is that the drink is named after Count Camillo Negroni (1868-1934), not his contemporary Count Camillo Negroni (1836-1877).
Nevertheless, it is still a summer cocktail with everything summer can wish for.
18. Gin Basil Smash
Who says basil is only for food?
Gin and basil have always complemented each other.
The sharp taste of the basil blends well with the kick of the gin.
This is great for those who want a stronger summer cocktail to enjoy with friends over.
These Vodka Watermelon Cocktails are super easy to make.
And you can even make a pitcher of them for your next get-together.
They’re also perfect for catching a little buzz without getting too drunk since the soda dilutes the juice.
20. Melon Patch
Cool down with the Melon Patch, a simple-yet-exciting cocktail that will be your new summer bestie this season.
The Melon Patch is an easy cocktail recipe that you’ll want to keep in your back pocket for those sweltering heatwaves that just won’t break.
The sweet watermelon gets balanced out by the tangy lime juice, and the tequila base will have you buzzin’ after one drink!
Be sure to serve it over ice in a Highball glass for full effect.
It doesn’t have any dog bits in it, don’t worry!
The Salty Dog Cocktail is a refreshing twist on the standard Grapefruit Cocktail.
It’s slightly salty, fizzy, and easy to make with only three ingredients.
This summer cocktail is easy to make and ideal for unplanned hangouts with your friends after work.
Did you know that Lillet Blanc and rosemary are best friends?
It’s true.
They get along so well that they should host a daytime talk show together.
When combined, they make a refreshingly light cocktail that will take the edge off your stress when it’s hot outside.
Drinking this is like sipping on a conversation between best friends while sitting in the shade.
23. Southside Fizz
The Southside Fizz is a product of the Prohibition era, a dark time in our nation’s history when alcohol was illegal for over 15 years.
It is said to have been created by the best bartenders in New York City, who refused to let the law take their passion away.
It’s made with gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint leaves—a chill drink perfect for hanging out with friends on those long summer nights.
This drink is named after a musical, which was named after a popular song in the late 19th century.
The cocktail and the musical are equally boozy and chill-inducing.
There’s definitely a place for this cocktail in your summer bestie lineup.
This one’s for you for those who want just a little bit of zest!
Long Island Iced Tea is a classic summer drink, ideal for hot days at the beach or by the pool.
You’ll want to make sure you’re sitting in a chair with back support for this one because it’s strong and easy to drink.
This is a common fixture in any beach destination, with several tourists downing them while basking in the warmth of the golden sun.
This cocktail is a vintage recipe from 1917.
Even though it may look complicated, it’s actually easy to make.
The egg white gives it a foamy taste and adds a zingy boost as your sip.
It also has a smooth mint taste that you’ll love!
This is the ideal summer drink to serve at your next pool party.
You can’t go wrong with watermelon and vodka.
It’s basically a match made in heaven.
This Watermelon Martini mixes the best flavors of summer (watermelon, lemon juice, and basil) with vodka to create a refreshing drink that will remind you of warm weather all year long.
What screams “summer cocktail” more than a martini glass full of pink liquid?
Nothing except eating an entire watermelon naked on your front porch.
When you live alone in the middle of nowhere, you can do whatever you want.
28. Whiskey Highball
So simple and so classic.
This is a highball cocktail containing whiskey (bourbon or rye are preferred, but any will do), club soda or ginger ale, and ice.
The whiskey provides the alcohol content while the other ingredient removes some of its burn and adds bubbles.
A Malibu Bay Breeze is a fruity cocktail perfectly suited to summer evenings.
Originally from Malibu Bay, Florida, it’s made with rum, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice.
It’s straightforward to make and is the perfect drink to serve at a summer party.
Taking a sip of this summer cocktail is like getting ready for your adventures at the beach the next day.
30. Caribbean Sunset
This cocktail is as close to taking a mini-vacation as you’re gonna get without a boat or a passport.
The mixture of tropical liquors and summer fruits is the right drink for a stressful summer day or can be served to friends on a Friday.
This Caribbean Sunset will take you straight to paradise.
With the Caribbean Sunset, you can be lounging on your couch, imagining having fun with the gorgeous people in the Bahamas.
The bottom line
What’s Summer without cocktails to enjoy?
These cocktails are here to complete the summer getaway you have always been dreaming of!
Can’t wait to serve these to your guests?
What are you waiting for?
Make some today, and let us know how they turned out!
Looking for more Cocktails options, we’ve compiled lists of 31 Halloween Cocktails, 29 Fall Cocktails, 21 Christmas Cocktails, and 27 Best Birthday Cocktails that you should definitely check out!
Top 30 BEST Summer Cocktails 🍹
Easy Summer Cocktails just make things more refreshing and tasty when the weather is too hot.
Ingredients
- Piña Colada
- Classic Margarita
- Sex On The Beach
- Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
- Mango Spice Cocktail
- Sex On The Driveway
- Classic Aperol Spritz
- Lemon Mojito
- Red Sangria
- Sea Breeze
- Caipiroska
- Summer Breeze
- Bourbon Cherry Cocktail
- Rainbow Paradise
- Rose Spritzer
- Paloma
- Negroni
- Gin Basil Smash
- Vodka Watermelon Cocktails
- Melon Patch
- Salty Dog Cocktail
- Rosemary Lillet Spritz
- Southside Fizz
- Raspberry Rose Floradora
- Long Island Iced Tea
- Clover Leaf Cocktail
- Watermelon Martini
- Whiskey Highball
- Malibu Bay Breeze
- Caribbean Sunset
Instructions
- Have a look at our list of Summer Cocktail Recipes.
- Choose the dish you want to recreate.
- Start making your newly found recipe!
- Share your insights on our Facebook page!