42 Refreshing Summer Drinks to Keep You Cool on a Hot Day

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Published on June 5, 2024

rose sangarita — Photo: Photographer: Ryan Liebe, Food Stylist: Judy Kim; Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks

Sip on one of these cold summer drinks to quench your thirst on a hot day. Whether you’re sitting inside to escape the sun or embracing the heat next to the water, we’ve got just what you need in this roundup. From cocktails like classic margaritas, spritzers and martinis, to seasonal juices, fun slushies and mocktails, you’ll be enjoying your favorite summer flavors like cucumber, cherry and more in these refreshing recipes. Chill out with a helping of our Whipped Frozen Lemonade and Watermelon & Peach Rosé Sangarita. Or, impress your guests (and yourself) with our stunning Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail. You’ll want to make these drinks every time you think of summer.

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Whipped Frozen Lemonade

two glasses of whipped frozen lemonade — Casey Barber

Whipped frozen lemonade combines the creaminess of a milkshake with the thirst-quenching tanginess of freshly squeezed lemonade for an incredibly refreshing treat. And this simple frozen lemonade treat comes together with just four ingredients and a blender. You can use light coconut milk or refrigerated coconut milk in place of full-fat coconut milk, though the end result won't be as rich and creamy.

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Classic Negroni

This brilliant red bittersweet cocktail was first created in Italy about a hundred years ago and remains a widely popular aperitif. Made with staple home bar bottles, the Negroni is a great cocktail to brighten up your happy hour. Don't have gin? Substitute bourbon or rye whiskey to make a classic boulevardier!

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Cucumber-Mint Spritzer

Cucumbers and mint pair delightfully in this refreshing spritzer that's perfect for a summer afternoon on the porch.

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Blueberry Tom Collins

The classic Tom Collins cocktail just got a bit of an upgrade! With a touch of sweet honey and lots fresh blueberries, this drink will have yours guests asking, "Tom who?"

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail

Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail — Amy Traynor

This strawberry-rhubarb honey shrub cocktail celebrates the arrival of spring with a tangy, refreshing gin cooler. The sweet-and-sour flavors of fresh strawberries and rhubarb are enhanced by honey in a quick-cooked shrub syrup.

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Strawberry-Hibiscus Agua Fresca

strawberry hibiscus margarita — Carson Downing

This refreshing drink combines strawberries and water with lime juice for a balance of sweet and tart notes. Hibiscus powder adds vibrant color to this sweetened fruit-infused water popular throughout Mexico and South America. We skip straining the pureed fruit for a thicker drink, but you can opt to strain it if you prefer. To make an alcoholic agua fresca, try stirring 1 1/2 ounces of vodka or tequila into each serving.

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Ginger-Beet Juice

two glasses of Ginger-Beet Juice — Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

In this healthy ginger-beet juice recipe, we pack in vegetables by adding kale and a carrot, and sweeten with an orange and apple. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this beet juice recipe in the blender.

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Watermelon-&-Peach Rosé Sangarita

Watermelon & Peach RosÃ© Sangarita — Ryan Liebe

Can't choose between sangria and a margarita? This big-batch cocktail is for you! We like the summertime combo of peaches and watermelon, but any ripe fruit that catches your eye will be delicious.

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Whipped Frozen Cantaloupe Creamsicle

Got a lot of leftover cantaloupe? Don't worry about wasting it--just throw it in the freezer and you'll be ready for cool cantaloupe creamsicles whenever you get the craving. Frozen cantaloupe cubes make this blended treat refreshingly juicy, and when blended with milk or a nondairy alternative, you get a summery treat that's just sweet enough.

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Cantaloupe-Tarragon Agua Fresca

cantaloupe tarragon agua fresca — Carson Downing

With just five ingredients and five minutes, you can create a refreshing agua fresca, a drink popular throughout Mexico and South America. We blend cantaloupe and water with lime juice and tarragon for a flavorful beverage. We skip straining the fruit for a thicker drink, but you can strain it if you prefer. Try the agua fresca spiked by topping off each serving with a little sparkling wine.

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Whipped Frozen Cherry Limeade

How can you possibly make whipped frozen limeade even more refreshing? Add tart cherry juice to the mix! This homemade slushie tastes like summer in a glass. Add a splash of half-and-half or your favorite nondairy creamer to give it a soft serve-style spin, or leave it plain to evoke an old-time cherry-lime rickey. And while bottled tart cherry juice is perfect for this drink, if you have fresh cherry juice from picking your own fruit, feel free to use it here! Either way, this homemade refresher will make your summer even sunnier.

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Beet Margaritas

Drink your vegetables at happy hour with these beet margaritas, also known as "margabeetas." These cocktails get their gorgeous pink hue naturally from inherently sweet beet juice. You can buy the juice in the produce section of most grocery stores, or juice your own at home.

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Whipped Frozen Pink Lemonade

Feeling in the pink? It's berry easy to bring a blush to your cheeks when you whip up this creamy frozen pink lemonade made with frozen strawberries. It's the perfect balance of tangy and sweet--a better-for-you indulgence that you can whip up quickly with homemade lemon simple syrup. Use your favorite neutral-flavored nondairy milk in this vegan treat, though almond milk and other nut milks will add a stronger nutty flavor than coconut milk or oat milk.

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Layered Strawberry-Mango Margaritas

Swirl layers of red strawberry margarita with yellow mango margarita in this skinny frozen cocktail for a festive party drink that will wow your guests. It tastes just as good as a restaurant frozen margarita, without all the sugar!

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Tarragon Raspberry Shrub Spritzer

Here, tangy raspberries and tarragon transform into a shrub--a sweet vinegar-based syrup that's been around since Colonial times. Mix into sparkling water for a refreshing sip. You'll make enough shrub to mix up 20 drinks.

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Watermelon Juice

Clean and simple, it just takes a blender to whip up this DIY watermelon juice. You can enjoy this refreshing drink with no added sugar on its own, or jazz it up with one of our variations (see below).

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Sour Cherry Gin Fizz

We've added a little red, white and blue to the classic gin fizz to create a summer cocktail that's perfect for Fourth of July celebrations or any other summer party. Sour cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants shown to reduce muscle soreness after workouts, and melatonin, which can help you sleep better. If you can't find them fresh, use frozen. Skip jarred or canned cherries to avoid added sugar.

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No-Sugar-Added Frozen Strawberry Piña Coladas

a recipe photo of the Frozen Strawberry PinÌa Colada — Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Anna Kelly, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman

This frozen strawberry piña colada is super fresh and fruity with just the right amount of sweetness for a cocktail. Use a pineapple-flavored rum that uses 100% juice to avoid excess added sugars like we do here. You can use store-bought frozen pineapple, or if you have a perfectly ripe fresh pineapple on your hands, you can cut and freeze it instead (reserve a few fresh spears for garnish). To freeze pineapple, peel off the skin with a sharp knife and slice the fruit into 1-inch chunks. Freeze in a single layer on a small baking sheet or large plate to prevent the pieces from sticking together.

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Smoky Tajín Margarita

This easy margarita recipe is like vacation in a glass. A bit of the chile-lime seasoning Tajín on the rim of your glass contrasts with the sweet orange and agave.

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Peach Sangria

three glasses of Peach Sangria

You'll want to bring a pitcher of this white sangria to parties and potlucks all summer long. Fresh peaches look gorgeous in these delicious sparkling peach cocktails, but frozen peaches work too (and help keep your drink cool).

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Elderberry Sunset Cocktail

This refreshing cocktail calls for elderberry syrup--if you've tried trendy St-Germain elderflower liqueur, which is made from the same plant, the flavor of elderberry syrup is somewhat similar but not as floral. Stock up on the syrup for this cocktail and for your health--research shows that it can help you recover from a cold faster. (One brand, Sambucol, is widely available in supermarket supplement sections.)

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Moscow Mule Mocktail

Moscow Mule Mocktail — Antonis Achilleos

In this Moscow Mule mocktail, the slightly spicy flavor of ginger is balanced with fresh lime juice for a tart and refreshing drink. If you can't find ginger syrup in stores, you can easily make your own.

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Spicy Mango Margaritas

no-sugar-added spicy mango margarita — Jacob Fox

These margaritas get sweetness from mango nectar instead of simple syrup. The nectar adds a refreshingly tropical flavor that pairs nicely with muddled jalapeño and the spicy seasoning along the rim of each glass.

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Whipped Frozen Limeade

Whipped Frozen Limeade

This whipped frozen limeade is a blast from the past--but much better for you! It's got the nostalgic taste of a lemon-lime slushie, and this time it's made with real lime juice and fresh, homemade syrup. Just a splash of dairy is enough to evoke the creaminess of vanilla soft serve mixed with the cool and tangy iced slush. Or use coconut milk creamer for a tropical twist.

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Watermelon-Basil Agua Fresca

watermelon-basil agua fresca — Carson Downing

Sweetened fruit-infused water popular throughout Mexico and South America, this refreshing drink blends watermelon and water with lime juice and basil for even more flavor. The fruit for agua fresca is pureed and can be strained, but we skip the latter step for a thicker drink. Try it spiked by stirring 1 1/2 ounces gin or vodka into each serving.

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Gin & Blackberry Spritz

Gin & Blackberry Spritz — Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.

This "berry" fresh spritzer is light and satisfying and really can be enjoyed year-round. It gets its beautiful color from muddled blackberries and its kick from gin (or vodka). Top it off with a little soda water and there you have it! We intentionally kept the added sugar out of this cocktail, but if you want a little sweetness, stir in some honey.

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Whipped Blueberry Lemonade

glass of pink smoothie with dark blue specs and a blue straw — Rachel Marek

This whipped blueberry lemonade whirls coconut milk, lemon-infused simple syrup and fresh blueberries together into one thirst-quenching beverage perfect for a hot summer day. Keep the extra simple syrup on hand to whip up another batch of lemonade, or combine it with lemon-flavored seltzer and a splash of vodka for a light cocktail. To keep this drink extra cool, serve it over ice cubes.

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Grape-Pineapple Mint Fizz

The sweet flavors of grape and pineapple fuse with fresh mint in this quick and tasty summer drink.

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Fresh Mint Mojito Cocktail

fresh mint mojito

Fresh mint and zesty lime combine to create a flavor base for this classic rum cocktail. We use superfine sugar to ensure it all dissolves for the smoothest refreshing mojito.

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Color-Changing Lemonade Slushies

Color-Changing Lemonade Slushies

Kids and adults alike will be wowed watching this delicious slush turn from blue to pink and purple in an instant. The magical concoction is made with natural blue tea and refreshing lemonade for a fun science experiment that's tasty too. Perfect for your child's birthday party! (Adults may enjoy spiking their drink with a little vodka or gin.)

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Whipped Frozen Creamsicle

Whipped Frozen Creamsicle

For those of you who always loved to run to the curb to buy a little bit of summer on a stick, this drink is right up your alley. The secret to the straight-from-the-ice-cream truck taste of this creamy frozen treat? Double the fruit! A little bit of frozen mango helps thicken the drink naturally in the blender while boosting the juicy flavor of fresh orange juice. Unsweetened vanilla coconut milk brings just a hint of sweetness while keeping this added-sugar-free and vegan. You could also use a sweetened coconut milk if you prefer a little more sweetness. Enjoy this refreshing and nostalgic drink on its own, or add a splash of your favorite vodka or rum for a summer happy hour indulgence. P.S.: Unlike the ice cream version, this one travels well in an insulated cup if you want to take it poolside!

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Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri

You'll feel like you're on a tropical getaway with this refreshing strawberry-coconut cocktail. To keep it cool in warmer weather, freeze fresh berries for 30 minutes before blending. Variation: For a nonalcoholic version, omit the rum and add 1/2 cup additional strawberries.

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Frozen Peach Margaritas

Enjoy sweet peach flavor anytime of year with this skinny frozen margarita. It tastes just like a restaurant version, but with less sugar, for an easy cocktail you will actually want to make at home.

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Blackberry Margarita

Blackberry Margarita — Fred Hardy

This vibrant blackberry margarita is filled with fresh berry flavor. Pureeing the fresh blackberries with a little jam gives the drink additional sweetness without having to make a simple syrup. Diluting with the lime-flavored sparkling water adds a nice effervescence.

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Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca (Agua de Melon Verde)

We've knocked back the sugar quite a bit in this healthier Mexican agua fresca recipe. This refreshing drink is often a way that Mexicans use up their leftover fruit, so feel free to use this technique with whatever fruit you have, especially other melons and tropical fruits like pineapple and mango.

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Red Sangria

This fruity red sangria is just like what you would get in a restaurant. It's easy to make with just five ingredients. A big batch is perfect for parties--or any night on the patio.

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Frozen Tiramisu Espresso Martini

a recipe photo of the Frozen Tiramisu Espresso Martini — Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith , Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

These frozen espresso martinis draw inspiration from tiramisu, a popular Italian dessert. Here, coffee and espresso are used to create the frozen drink while mascarpone combines with cream to create a light, fluffy topping. Whip the cream until it’s just thickened, but doesn’t form soft peaks, or the mixture will be too firm to drink. Finish the drinks with a dusting of cocoa powder to mimic the iconic look of the dessert.

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Cucumber Juice

Cucumber Juice — Victor Protasio

This beautiful bright green cucumber juice is packed with fresh cucumber flavor. Coconut water and apple add natural sweetness to this refreshing drink.

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Frozen Watermelon Margarita

frozen watermelon margarita — Jen Causey

This frozen watermelon margarita is refreshingly balanced with sweet watermelon and tart lime juice. Seasoning around the rim offers a little heat. Feel free to swap out the watermelon for cantaloupe or honeydew for a different take.

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The Best Pomegranate Martini You’ll Ever Have

a recipe photo of the Pomegranate Martini — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This fruity, tart pomegranate martini is light and bright with a subtle hint of citrus from orange blossom water—an ingredient with Middle Eastern roots that gets its floral, citrus scent from the essence of bitter orange petals. You can substitute the orange blossom water with 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest if you prefer.

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Hurricane Cocktail

Skinny Hurricane Cocktail — Jennifer Causey

This hurricane cocktail is refreshing with less sugar and calories than the original. The fruit-forward flavor is amplified by passion fruit-flavored sparkling water, which adds effervescence and a sweet floral finish. Serve this drink for Mardi Gras or anytime you want a fruity cocktail.

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Piña Colada in a Pineapple

This classic piña colada is served in a fun and festive pineapple bowl! For the pineapple juice called for in this recipe, you can use store-bought unsweetened pineapple juice or, better yet, extract juice by mashing the pineapple flesh that you remove from the inside of the pineapple. For a thicker drink, you can also add some of the pineapple flesh to the blender when you're mixing up the drink.

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