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Our Best Summer Drink and Cocktail Ideas
Whether you’re thirsting for an any-time-of-day sip like homemade lemonade or looking for a mixed drink to serve at your backyard barbecue, nothing is quite as refreshing as a cold drink on a sunny day. So, it’s no wonder that when we try to pick our favorite summer drinks that we can’t come up with anything less than 100 recipes! Fun mocktails, pitchers of sangria, and classic cocktails — the list goes on and on. And, while we’re confident that there’s a drink for everyone in this roundup, we’re even more certain that summer isn’t complete (for anyone!) until they’ve had at least one of these fruity slushies. Fresh basil is the secret ingredient: Steep it in a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water), then remove it before blending the slushie for a subtle herbaceous note that screams ‘summer’.
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Photo: Matt Armendariz
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Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Rum Punch
There's a little extra love in this Caribbean rum punch, and it's not the freshly squeezed orange and lime juice or the fun ice-and-fruit float — it's taking the time to make your own spiced rum. It's super simple, and you can totally steal the rum recipe to make and give to friends and family (or a pirate).
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Pina Colada
If you like pina coladas, then you'll love this classic version with pineapple juice, coconut cream and both white and dark rum.
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The New Frose
Can frose (slushy, frozen rose wine) get any easier? With the help of a blender and ice cream maker, it certainly can.
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Whipped Arnold Palmer
Inspired by TikTok’s viral whipped lemonade – a summery beverage pushed to popularity with the help of user @goldenxclouds in 2020 – this version caps a fizzy spiked ice tea with a creamy lemonade topping. It plays up the flavors of the classic Arnold Palmer in a new way. Feel free to swap sweetened plain iced tea for the hard seltzer variety if you want a non-alcoholic version.
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Watermelon Mai Tai
Ted Allen puts a fresher, summery twist on this classic rum cocktail by replacing the usual orgeat syrup with cubed watermelon for just the right touch of sweetness.
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Painkiller Cocktail Keg
Nothing says festive like a party-ready cocktail dispensed directly from a pineapple!
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Mai Tai
This iconic rum-based cocktail was invented by Victor Bergeron in the 1940s at his first Trader Vic’s restaurant, in Oakland, California. (Bergeron’s nickname was Trader Vic.) There are countless interpretations, many of them sugar bombs. We stayed true to the original to create a balanced Mai Tai that includes the key flavors of almond (in the form of orgeat syrup, an essential ingredient in many tiki cocktails), citrus and caramelized sugar.
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Moscow Mule
The classic Moscow mule requires only 3 ingredients: vodka, lime and ginger beer. We up the ginger flavor by freezing slices of fresh ginger into ice cubes to keep your beverage cold and fresh.
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White Sangria
Rachael's sangria takes five to 10 minutes to assemble in a large pitcher. Take the time to prepare it in the morning so the sangria has several hours to develop its fruity flavor. Pull it out when dinner is ready to serve that evening.
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Froscato Sunrise
No fancy liquors or special equipment are necessary for this beautiful frozen cocktail — it's made with the sweet wine moscato. It is as easy as it is tasty!
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Mojito
Fresh mint sprigs or spearmint are the secret to this classic summertime cocktail that features light rum.
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Strawberry-Rosé Daiquiri
Kardea says, "This is the perfect warm weather cocktail. I love a glass of frosé to cool off, and my version gets it rosy hue and sweetness from strawberries. Substitute frozen peaches or your other favorite fruits for a different version."
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Photo: Tara Donne
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Ice Cream Maker Margaritas
Slushy margaritas are just one more thing you can throw together in your ice cream maker. Chill the sweetened tequila-lime base ahead of time so that your cocktails churn up more quickly.
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Frozen Watermelon Pink Lemonade
Frozen watermelon chunks and pink lemonade meet in this easy-breezy, hot-pink frosty drink that’s as beautiful as it is refreshing.
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Copycat Pink Drink
This homemade version of the famous Pink Drink is quick and easy to make. Once the tea steeps and cools, the refreshing drink comes together in just about 5 minutes.
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Sangria Slushie
Consider this sangria 2.0. Your favorite Spanish beverage has gone slushy thanks to some clever homemade red wine ice cubes and a blender.
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Passion Fruit Hurricane
Ted gives this New Orleans classic a frosty makeover by combining the rum, grapefruit juice and passion fruit puree with ice in a blender.
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Raspberry Lemonade
Ree Drummond's kid-friendly drink pairs from-scratch lemonade with frozen raspberries.
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Non-Alcoholic Margarita
When you're craving a sweet-tart, refreshing margarita, but you don't want the alcohol, break out your blender and start here.
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Long Island Iced Tea
This cocktail has a little bit of everything: vodka, gin, white rum, white tequila and Triple Sec.
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Marga-Heat-A
This spicy margarita starts out with a subtle heat, but thanks to the chile pepper ice cubes, the fire builds as the ice melts!
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Cucumber Pineapple Tequila Cooler
This smooth summer cocktail made with pineapple and cucumber juices is perfectly balanced — not too sweet.
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Mint Julep
Bobby's classic mint julep is filled with bourbon whiskey, mint, sugar and water.
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Ginger-Peach Beer Cooler
Giada combines peach nectar and fresh summer peaches with light beer for a simple cocktail that's ready to serve a crowd.
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Ginger Lemongrass Piña Colada
Make a ginger and lemongrass syrup to sweeten this twist on the classic piña colada.
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Earl Grey Tea and Blueberry Spritzer
Just five simple ingredients make this sophisticated and beautiful summer drink. The iced tea and simple syrup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week. Keep them on hand, then just pop open a bottle of sparkling wine and mix the drinks when guests arrive.
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Watermelon Martinis
Combine frozen watermelon puree with vodka and melon liqueur for a smooth and frosty cocktail. Garnish with a lemon twist for a playful touch.
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Fresh Peach Bellinis
Ina spoons dollops of peach puree into elegant glasses before topping them off with cold Prosecco.
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Red Wine Sangria
Bobby combines orange juice and pomegranate juice with Spanish table wine, brandy and triple sec as the base for this sangria that's filled with oranges, apples, blackberries and pomegranate seeds.
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Blackberry Gin Fizz Float
Sunny's boozy blackberry float will please dessert lovers and cocktail enthusiasts alike.
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Frozen Mojito
Bobby throws fresh mint into the blender for his frosty drink.
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Watermelon Bloody Mary Bar
Celebrate summer with this showstopping Bloody Mary bar. Turn watermelons of all sizes into garnish bowls and put a watermelon twist on the traditional cocktail.
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Pineapple-Raspberry Rum Refresher
Melissa's fruity cooler combines muddled raspberries with pineapple juice, coconut water, mint and light rum. For a non-alcoholic refresher, omit the rum and top with 1 ounce of sparkling water.
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Watermelon Punch Keg
Expect guests to do a double take when they see your watermelon with a tap attached — and to come back for seconds after sampling the spiked punch concealed within.
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Margarita
Alton's margarita is zesty, fresh and absolutely fabulous. Silver tequila, lime juice, salt and agave nectar are all present, but fresh orange juice is the real secret behind these wonderful margaritas.
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Blackberry and Gin Slushie
Alex Guarnaschelli blitzes macerated blackberries, gin, club soda and lime juice in the blender for an icy grownups-only summer treat.
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Blueberry Lemonade
For those who love a fruitier flavor, mix up a batch of this blueberry lemonade. A bunch of fresh, sugary blueberries add a seasonal twist to the classic lemonade.
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Cucumber Cocktail
Bobby uses cucumber vodka and cucumber juice to make these refreshingly crisp summer cocktails.
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Limoncello
Giada makes her own limoncello with just lemon peel and vodka then lets it steep for four days. Add a bit of simple syrup to the mixture and let it sit overnight before straining. You can drink it straight or add it to cocktails.
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White Sangria
This drink is an inexpensive way to serve a crowd. You can buy inexpensive wine and a small bottle of brandy to get started.
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Sweet Tea Mojito
It's Miami Beach meets the Old South: Combine the mint, rum and turbinado sugar from the classic mojito with ice-cold black tea.
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Sandra's Tropical Temptation
"Tropical Temptation is truly summer vacation in a glass," says Sandra. "The best part is that you don't have to go away, you can enjoy it with your friends and family at your next party."
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Ultimate Margarita
Tyler uses giant glasses to hold these gold tequila and freshly squeezed lime juice margaritas.
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Grilled Arnold Palmer Cocktail
The unboozy Arnold Palmer-named after the golfer-is a mix of half lemonade and half iced tea. Keep the tea and add grilled-lemon lemonade and a shot of bourbon for a sophisticated, not-too-sweet take on this favorite summer drink.
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Mojito Limeade
Bobby's crowd-sized mojito gets a triple dose of lime: It's muddled in at the beginning with mint leaves, added to the lime-mint syrup, then poured in with rum and club soda at the end.
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Cucumber-Mint Gimlets
Cucumber, mint, lemon and a touch of sugar get muddled together for one cool and refreshing gin gimlet.
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Aperol Spritz
This simple, classic aperitif evokes sunny days in Italy, with its beautiful hue and distinctive herbaceous flavor.
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Grapefruit Sparklers
These fruity cocktails get their kick from a splash of Campari.
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Sandra's Strawberry Orange Daiquiri
Sandra says, "This delicious frozen treat made with fresh strawberries and oranges will keep your thirst at bay all summer long."
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Mule-ade
A traditional Moscow Mule mixes vodka with lime, sugar and ginger beer (the classic cocktail was devised in the 1940s by a producer of ginger beer). We give ours more depth and zip by infusing maple syrup with fresh ginger and adding club soda for bubbles.
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Coconut Mojito
Add coconut water to a classic mojito for a new spin on this light rum favorite.
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Raspberry Mimosa
This brunch (or anytime) cocktail features fresh, muddled raspberries and is finished with champagne or prosecco.
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High-Tea Cocktail
Spice up black tea with ginger and cardamom, then spike it up with gin, vermouth and orange bitters.
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Simple Singapore Sling
Developed in the early 20th century at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, this simple take on the Sling shakes together pineapple juice, gin, grenadine and a squeeze of lime.
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Lychee-Mint Spritzers
Bubbly and fresh, this mint and lime spritzer gets an unusual hit of flavor from a handful of lychees, a fruit native to China.
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Lemon Moscow Mule
The secret to this cocktail is homemade limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur made from lemon zest and vodka, which imparts a unique sweet-tart flavor to the classic Moscow mule. Use leftover limoncello in other cocktails or sip it after dinner as a digestif all summer long.
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Honey Lemon-Drop Martini
Replace sweet vermouth with fresh lemon juice in this refreshing summer take on a classic martini. For an added touch of sweetness, flavor the martini with Honey Syrup, made with equal parts honey and water.
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Rosemary Julep
Ted revises the traditional mint julep by replacing the mint with rosemary, an earthier-tasting herb. Start by preparing a rosemary syrup by simmering sugar, water and rosemary sprigs in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
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Peppery Punch
Please your whole party with a '70s throwback punch. This spiced gin version has a hint of ground pepper.
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Paloma Margaritas
While the base of this margarita is tequila, it's definitely not traditional. Grapefruit juice and grapefruit soda give it a unique flavor.
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Orange Mojito
Muddle oranges and limes with sugar and rum for a citrus take on the classic mojito.
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Whole Citrus Margarita
Put tangy citrus fruit like oranges, lemons and limes through a juicer before combining them with tequila for a super fresh margarita.
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Lemon Drop Cocktail
Ina's Lemon Drop Cocktail is like a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade, with just a kick of vodka.
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Watermelon Mojitos
Add chunks of in season watermelon to classic rum mojitos.
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Easy Mango Lemonade Margaritas
Prefer your margaritas on the slushy side? Incorporate a few cups of ice while blending frozen mango chunks, lemonade concentrate, tequila and orange liqueur.
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Campari and Soda
Just three ingredients are needed for this colorful cocktail: Campari, seltzer and orange slices.
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Sour Pineapple Tiki Cocktail
Molly adds a splash of dark rum to her tropical-inspired treat, but it can easily be skipped if you (or your guests) prefer a colorful mocktail.
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Frozen Watermelon Margaritas
Pureed watermelon is the base of this fruity margarita, topped off with tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur. Garnish with a cube of watermelon for a playful touch.
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Bobby Flay's Coconut-Banana Colada
This fruity, blended drink is filled with cream of coconut, bananas and crushed pineapple.
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Mai Tai
Ina decorates her classic Mai Tais with the traditional assortment of orange slices, pineapple cubes and cocktail cherries for a tropical summertime feel.
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Beer Colada
Skip the cream of coconut and a blender in favor of this crowd-pleasing colada that uses lager or light beer as its base.
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Michelada
This Mexican cocktail is best for savory drink lovers. It's a bit salty and as spicy as you prefer to make it.
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Pimm's Cup
This grown-up lemonade combines the classic summer drink with Pimm's and cucumber juice.
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Pomegranate Rum Punch for a Crowd
Pomegranate juice and lemonade plus a bottle of white rum make a party-ready punch. Create an ice float the night before for your punch bowl.
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Summer Peach
This colorful cocktail features white wine, peach puree and peach-flavored vodka that's inspired by in season peaches.
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Cherry Lime Slushies
Trisha’s easy slushies are a family-friendly summer sip. She blends maraschino cherries with lemon-lime soda, frozen limeade concentrate and ice, then garnishes each drink with plenty of extra fruit.
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Shark Attack
You don't have to be near the beach for this potent drink to attack your senses. Guy Fieri brings the fire and fun with his tequila, triple sec, orange and pineapple juice cocktail.
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Scarpetta Signature San Remo Cocktail
A classic on the menu at Scott's Scarpetta restaurants, this subtly sweet drink is made with bourbon, orange liqueur and elderflower.
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Burnt Orange Negroni
Give the classic Negroni a fresh twist by charring an orange on the grill and adding a smoky slice to each glass.
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The Wild Flower
Ted's crisp cocktail gets its name from the muddled lavender that's mixed with dry white wine, elderflower liqueur, vodka and club soda.
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Pompelmo Fizz
For a cooling cocktail, Geoffrey combines gin, orange liqueur and fizzy grapefruit soda and serves it up in a chilled glass.
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Strawberry-Basil Mojitos
You don’t need mint to make a great mojito. Ree purees strawberries with lemon and basil and tops the mixture with simple syrup, rum and a splash of seltzer.
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Nimbu Pani Mint Julep
Give a classic mint julep an Indian accent by using black Indian rock salt in a sweet-salty simple syrup. If you can't find it, use the same amount of regular rock salt or 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
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Lemon-Cucumber Cocktail
The bright lemony flavor and crisp cucumber slices perfectly complement gin's piney aroma in Sandra Lee's simple summer cocktail.
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Sparkling Sangria
Cognac, lemon juice, white grape juice, sugar and fruit chill overnight to allow all of the sweet flavors of this sangria to develop. Right before serving, add a bottle of sparkling wine.
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Caipirinha
Traditionally, this Brazilian cocktail requires just three ingredients: sugar, lime and cachaca, or distilled sugarcane juice. Ingrid gives it her own twist by adding chunks of fresh orange, lemon and mint.
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Fresh Strawberry Balsamic Basil Daiquiri
Ted's sophisticated daiquiri is not overly sweet, but if you are a fan of a sweet daiquiri, you can add a drizzle of simple syrup.
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Gin Rummy Cocktail
Valerie’s boozy beverage is filled with rum, gin, brandy and orange juice. Don’t skip the grenadine, either — the syrup contributes both sweetness and color to the cocktail.
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Rosemary-Infused Lemonade
Marcela steeps rosemary in boiling water to give her agave-sweetened lemonade a refreshing twist.
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Spiked Sweet Tea
Lemon iced tea, summer's ultimate thirst quencher, gets a boozy makeover in this Spiked Sweet Tea recipe featuring Southern Comfort whiskey liqueur.
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Pisco Sour
The base of this frothy drink is Pisco, a traditional South American grape brandy that blends beautifully with lemon juice and bitters.
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Hibiscus Tequila Cooler
Take the sweet, mellow flavor of hibiscus tea to a new level this summer by combining it with tequila and citrus juice for a refreshing cocktail with a surprising kick.
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Rum Punch
Pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine come together with a pinch of nutmeg in this rum punch, striking a perfect tangy balance.
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Sidecars with Dried Cherries
Ina gives classic sidecars a summer makeover by trading the traditional orange peel garnish for a few skewered cherries. She also adds cherry juice to her cocktail shaker, which lends the drink a sweet edge.
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Double Apple Mojito
Guy's fruit-focused spin on the classic mojito adds apple juice plus red and green apple slices to the minty refresher.
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Blackberry-Black Pepper Cocktail
Trisha balances out the sweetness of summer-ripe blackberries with a pinch of coarsely ground pepper in this refreshing cocktail.
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Cider-Berry Moon Cocktail
Ayesha pairs hard cider and moonshine for a sweet, refreshing cocktail -- exactly what you want to be drinking on a hot summer’s night.
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The Cherry-Chipotle Cooler
This potent tequila cocktail packs a punch of heat thanks to chipotle puree in the mix and chipotle powder rimming the glasses.
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Rose Spritzer
This simple cocktail is perfect for a summer brunch; Italian lemon soda adds a subtle sweet-tart flavor to everyone’s favorite summer wine for a crisp, sparkling sip.
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