Is there anything more lovely than sitting out on a warm summer evening sipping a delicious drink? I love experimenting with making new cocktails, and with the profusion of fruit in season, it’s easy in the summer! All of these smooth, drinkable, refreshing summer cocktails are perfect for sipping on a patio or at a cookout.
Summer Cocktail Recipes
Ranch Water
The beauty of this refreshing summer cocktail is in its simplicity: easy to make and easy to drink. You can fit all the ingredients in your bottle of Topo Chico. To make it easier, juice your lime into a funnel set on the neck of the bottle; it’ll make sure as much of that wonderfully tart juice as possible gets directly into the bottle. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Ranch Water
Equipment
- Citrus Juicer
- Bottle opener
- Cocktail jigger
Ingredients
- 1 Topo Chico
- 2 oz Tequila
- Juice of 1 Lime about 2 Tbs
Instructions
- Open a cold bottle of Topo Chico and take a few big swigs (or pour some out).
- Add the tequila and lime juice. Consume immediately.
Nutrition
Peach Old-Fashioned
An old fashioned is just about the most distinguished drink with sugar in it, and adding fresh peach gives it a summery twist. First, add the peach, sugar, and water to the bottom of a rocks glass (the wide mouth will help) and muddle by crushing them together. Add the whiskey, as much ice as you like, and a dash of orange bitters. Stir to combine. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil.
Peach Old-Fashioned
Equipment
- Muddler
- Knife and cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- Fresh peach slice
- Sugar cube or 1 ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp Water
- 2 oz Rye whiskey
- 3 dashes Orange bitters
- Fresh rosemary
Instructions
To peel your peach
- Run warm water over the peach and gently pull the skin off. Then cut down the seam of the naked peach, and twist to pull it off the stone.
To make the cocktail
- Add the peach, sugar, and water to the bottom of a rocks glass (the wide mouth will help) and muddle by crushing them together.
- Add the whiskey, as much ice as you like, and a dash of orange bitters. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Nutrition
Watermelon Margaritas
Margaritas are a classic for a reason, but watermelon makes them uniquely seasonal. Typically, I’m an on-the-rocks gal, but it’s hard to pass up how easily watermelon makes a frozen margarita. Simply freeze your watermelon the day before, then blend with the tequila, lime and simple syrup (if adding). Garnish with salgar and a lime wedge.
Watermelon Margaritas
Equipment
- Blender
- Margarita Glass
- Citrus Juicer
- Cocktail jigger
Ingredients
- 1 c Frozen watermelon
- 2 oz Silver tequila
- 1 oz Triple sec
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp Jalapeño simple syrup optional
Instructions
- Cut up and freeze your watermelon the day before.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend well.
- Pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Nutrition
Clementine Martini
This is a great martini for the winter (when clementines are in season in the northern hemisphere), but since you can get clementines and mandarins just about any time of year nowadays, they make a very refreshing summer cocktail, too.
Clementine Martini
Equipment
- Citrus Juicer
- Martini glass
- Cocktail jigger
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail strainer
Ingredients
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Clear Orange Liqueur such as Triple Sec
- 4 oz Clementine Juice
- Orange Bitters
Instructions
- Juice 2 clementines in a citrus juicer directly into a cocktail shaker.
- Add your vodka, orange liqueur, a dash of bitters, and a cup of ice.
- Shake well strain directly into a martini glass.
- Garnish with a clementine peel or orange slice.
Nutrition
Pink Drink
If you’ve never had St. Germain – the delicious elderflower liqueur – let this be your introduction. It’s fabulous as an addition to a glass of good Prosecco, but it also thrives in a variety of martini-esque cocktails.
Pink Drink
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail strainer
- Cocktail jigger
- Martini glass
- Citrus Juicer
Ingredients
- 1 Grapfruit's worth of juice about 6 oz
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz St. Germain
- Splash of Grenadine
- Maraschino Cherry
Instructions
- Juice a whole grapefruit into a cocktail shaker, then add your gin and St. Germain.
- Shake well with 1 c of ice.
- Add a splash of grenadine to the bottom of your preferred glass, and pour your cocktail mix over it. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Nutrition
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