29 Big-Batch Summer Cocktails To Help Cool You Off

vodka cherry limeade — Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Scorching summer temperatures call for a batch of refreshing drinks. Whether enjoyed poolside, lakeside, or on the front porch, fresh and flavorful cocktails can help you cool off and beat the heat. Incorporate the season's freshest produce into your beverages, like Peach Mojitos and Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktails. Hosting a backyard barbecue? These recipes can easily be doubled or tripled for hosting a crowd. Make a batch or two of these crowd-pleasing drink recipes along with these party-perfect appetizers, which will carry you from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

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Big-Batch Bloody Marys

Now, that's what we call a bottomless brunch. Never run out of Bloody Marys at your next early afternoon event with this big-batch made with Clamato and freshly grated horseradish. Leafy celery stalks and pickled okra make delicious garnishes.

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Big-Batch Spiked Arnold Palmers

You could say we "Southernized" an Arnold Palmer even more by adding bourbon to it. Serve this sweet tea and lemonade mixture at your next happy hour. Make a second pitcher alcohol-free for a family-friendly event.

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Big-Batch Bourbon Ginger Ale Punch

We're all about muddling and getting fancy with our cocktails, but sometimes it's nice to just throw everything in a pitcher and let the ingredients get friendly with each other. Well, that's exactly what you can do with this Bourbon Ginger Ale Punch. Lime juice and fizzy Champagne punch up the stress-free recipe.

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Watermelon Margaritas

Pink Cadillac Margarita Cocktail — Jennifer Davick

This fun recipe comes from our friends at the National Watermelon Promotion Board, so you better believe it does the sweet melon justice. Make a large batch of watermelon simple syrup and watermelon juice ahead of time, then mix these festive, bright pink margaritas at your next taco party.

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Strawberry Margarita Spritzers

This blender-friendly margarita recipe is easy to make for a crowd. A can of frozen daiquiri mix amps up the strawberry flavor, while the club soda keeps it light and fizzy. What more could you ask for on a sultry summer day?

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Mojitarita

Guests will love this riff on two classic summer cocktails. Muddling isn't necessary—a good shaker will provide all the fresh minty flavor you require. Make the simple syrup the night before, and quickly whip up this crowd-pleasing cocktail four at a time.

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Elderflower-Champagne Cocktail

With only three ingredients, this cocktail is as refreshing as it is easy to make. Be sure to get a good-quality rosé or Prosecco so all of the ingredients have their moment to shine. For added pizazz at your next garden party, serve over floral ice cubes.

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Tarragon-Hibiscus Gin Spritzer

This cocktail isn't too tart or too sweet, but it is unique for its anise and citrus flavors. Use red tea bags like Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger for a pretty pink hue. Made in a pitcher, this spritzer recipe can naturally be scaled up for a large crowd.

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Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade

Liven up traditional lemonade with rum, vodka, and a teaspoon of Tabasco. This recipe can be mixed in a pitcher ahead of time, as long as you add the club soda just before serving. For a special touch, garnish with sugarcane sticks.

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Lemon-Basil Spritzer

We highly recommend keeping Simple Syrup on hand in the fridge at all times, ready to whip out for your sweet tea or this amazing cocktail. Our Lemon-Basil Spritzer requires just three more ingredients: a bottle of sparkling white wine, basil leaves, and lemon twists. We love the spontaneity that can come from mixing up a cocktail on a dime.

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Lavender-Plum Shrub

A shrub is a tangy, fruity, vinegar-based old-fashioned drink. The key is letting the fruit and herbs soak for a few days so that all the ingredients can meld together. You'll love fresh herbs in this version, which can be made soft or hard.

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Bourbon-Peach Iced Tea

You may be skeptical of this drink's qualification as a cocktail, but we politely disagree with you. We love this hard twist on our favorite peach iced tea recipe. This one is best made in summer when fresh peaches are in season.

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Sweet Tea Mule

Here's another boozy spin on sweet tea. This party-ready cocktail is spiced up by ginger beer, bourbon, and lime. With just three ingredients to add to your tea, this might become your signature summer drink.

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Old Fashioned

This citrusy twist on an Old Fashioned will have you believing this cocktail is for summer. The addition of lemon-lime soda water adds just the right amount of sweetness to the original time-honored sipper. Garnish with lemon twists or maraschino cherries, depending on whether you're craving sweet or sour.

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Bourbon Cola Grenadine Slush

Make this slushy for your next grill out in the sweltering heat. What could be better than America's favorite beverage (besides sweet tea, of course) paired with bourbon? Stick the glasses in the freezer ahead of time for the frostiest results.

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Bourbon Slush

No one likes a watered-down cocktail, so try an icy drink that's tasty and oh-so-refreshing for hot summer days. We like to whip up a big batch, freeze it until it's just firm, then scoop the slushy into glasses for serving. A spoonful of maraschino cherry juice adds color.

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Pitcher Mojitos

Make a pitcher of these minty mojitos for your next poolside party. Then pour in each glass and add the club soda. In order to get the most out of your limes, make sure you buy tender ones from the store.

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Vodka Cherry Limeade

This bold summer sipper has a powerful one-two punch of sweet and sour. "Cherries and limes pair beautifully, and a spiked limeade makes a super refreshing and easy-drinking summer cocktail," says Belinda Kelly, bar manager and owner of Simple Goodness Soda Shop.

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Pineapple-Coconut Fizz

This combination of pineapple, coconut, and rum is enough to give you visions of Jimmy Buffett dancing in your head. The fresh pineapple gets whipped into a frothy dream before you stir in coconut-flavored seltzer water and white rum. Head for the nearest lounge chair and play some beach tunes.

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Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler

Unexpected ingredients blend into a sweetened, fresh juice before it's mixed with a floral gin (we like Hendrick's) and served over ice. Pull out your prettiest glasses and slip a cucumber ribbon in each one. We think you'll agree that a Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler makes the perfect sipper for late-afternoon porch swinging.

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Frozen Margarita

We just had to include the traditional frozen margarita on our list—but we skip the margarita mixer to achieve a fresher flavor. Limeade is the key ingredient here, as well as high-quality tequila. Squeeze a couple of tablespoons of orange juice for the final touch.

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Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours

You've already made the blackberry cobbler; now use your surplus of blackberries in this refreshing cocktail. Pisco is a grape brandy popular with origins in Peru. The egg whites in this recipe add frothiness.

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Lemon-Mint Sparklers

Make your lemonade minty fresh by infusing Simple Syrup with a few mint leaves and lemon peel. The kids will love it. For the grown-ups, make our hard version, the Lemon-Mint-Bourbon Sparklers.

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Carolina Peach Sangria

This delicious peach sangria calls for fresh peach slices, fresh raspberries, and peach nectar, a luscious juice made with the pulp. A touch of vodka gives it extra oomph. Be sure to use rosé wine for its pretty color and light flavor.

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Blushing Mimosas

We've added pineapple juice and Grenadine to this champagne cocktail for a more tropical take. This three-ingredient recipe is as easy as can be, but don't mix it until you're ready to serve. You wouldn't want to lose those beachy bubbles.

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Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos

If you're looking for a cocktail that embraces every flavor of summer, look no further. Watermelon, spearmint, lime, and ginger beer come together in this pitcher drink with a kick. The mint simple syrup can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

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29 Big-Batch Summer Cocktails To Help Cool You Off

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