What does the arrival of summer mean to you? For some folks, it means barbecues and family time. For others, it means going away to some exotic location for a time out from work.
If you are the kind of person who likes entertaining at home during the summertime, then you will need to learn recipes for a summer cocktail or two, to enthrall and impress your guests.
In the article below, we have shared some of the best summer cocktail recipes, so you can make them at your next shindig.
Watermelon Daiquiri
You might be seeing lots of juicy ripe watermelons for sale in your local Costco or grocery store, and wondering what you could use the watermelon juice for. Well, you could just make a salad out of it and stay healthy.
Or you could have a bit of fun and make a Watermelon Daiquiri for yourself and your guests. It’s so easy to slurp down these refreshing frozen drinks.
All you need is some rum, a sated rim, and sweet agave syrup. Depending on the size of your watermelon and the amount of juice it produces, you could make enough daiquiris for a party of 8.
- Thai Basil Sangria
Sangrias are a given when it comes to creating summer cocktails. They are the epitome of drinking in the summer.
And it feels good while drinking Sangrias because they are filled with juicy fresh fruits of all kinds and that’s just so nutritious!
In this version of the Sangria, you would add some white wine, freshly squeezed orange juice, a kick of brandy, and some Thai basil for garnish. You can also add orange rinds to give it that extra kick of flavor.
Once you try this Sangria, you will have a hard time returning to the traditional red wine kind.
- Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz
Folks are adding flowers to all sorts of dishes, like salads, teas, and now even summer cocktails. In this version, you use dried rose petals to add a subtle floral flavor to your drink and also use them as a garnish that everyone will be entranced by.
The combination of gin, lemon, and club soda makes up the spritz part of the drink, and you can also add cucumber, basil, and cardamom-infused syrup to complete the picture.
Your guests will find this drink unique and flavorful and will be bugging you for the recipe in the days to come. Whether you wish to share the goodness with them is up to you.
- Strawberry-Rum Coolers
If you are in North America, you are probably inundated by delicious sweet fresh strawberries as soon as summer arrives. What better way to take advantage of this abundance than by using it in a summer cocktail recipe?
Cook the ripe strawberries with lime, ginger, and agave, until they get fragrant and tender. Then you will want to blend them with white and dark rum, and also top it with a bit of ginger beer, if you have it.
These coolers are perfect for a hot day as they will chill you from the inside out. Just be wary that they are way too easy to drink and might get you tipsy before you know it.
You should always have a designated driver in place even if you live two blocks away. There’s no need to take a risk in this regard.
- Malibu Pina Coladas
The brilliant thing about this Malibu Pina Colada, a classic summer drink, is that you use coconut cream to give it its richness. You may want to use frozen pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, or fresh pineapple depending on availability for the base.
Add 1 part Malibu Original, and then pineapple juice, chunks or fresh pineapple, and then coconut cream according to how creamy you want it. Blend it all and then present it to your guests who are probably going to appreciate the creamy cool drink on a hot summer day.
There are many ways to make a Pina Colada your own, so experiment and figure out what works best for your taste buds. There are no wrong steps when it comes to making a delicious summer cocktail recipe, so go crazy.
- Mai Tai
A summer drink that makes you feel like you have gone to the Tropics, Mai Tai is the best way to celebrate your love for rum. You will use orgeat, which is a sweet cocktail syrup made from blanched ground almonds (boiled and sweetened with sugar) to give Mai Tais their unique flavor.
Also, add the citrus flavors that you love the most to make this drink your own. The great thing about creating summer cocktails is that over time, you are going to find the flavors that match your palate and the summer cuisine you love the most. But it does require you to stay open-minded to all the available cocktail recipes.
- Strawberry-Lemon Mojitos
Another classic summer drink, you will be using whatever kind of berries that are available in the grocery stores. Strawberries are usually the most common, but blueberries or blackberries will work as well.
And then mix it with lemon juice for a delicious fruity alcoholic drink. Don’t forget the rum of your choice, mint for garnish, and a bit of sugar to make it as sweet as you prefer.
A Good Summer Cocktail Recipe Makes Everything Better
Summer is already the best time of the year to be alive. If you have some good summer cocktail recipes on hand, then summertime only gets better.
So try some of the recipes laid out above to get the party started.
Also, don’t forget to check out related articles on our website about other culinary topics.
