35 Southern Porch Cocktails Begging To Be Your New House Drink
The porch, being a perfectly Southern space, calls for perfect Southern manners—and it'd be rude not to offer every visitor a refreshing beverage, right? That's what our mamas taught us, anyway. So better get that bar cart stocked because you're going to want to have these cool, crisp, and perfectly thirst-quenching cocktails on hand for afternoons spent out on the porch, where it seems to always be happy hour.
From big-batch recipes like minty pitcher mojitos and watermelon sangria to all-time favorites like spiked sweet tea and the classic French 75, these are our favorite cocktails to offer up any time someone gathers on our Southern porches. (Serve 'em up time and again, and they just might become your signature house drink.) Here are the 35 best Southern porch cocktails to make for every happy hour at home.
Pitcher Mojitos
Recipe: Pitcher Mojitos
These go down so easy you'll need to go ahead and make a pitcher. Garnish each glass with fresh mint and lime for a heavenly aroma that hits you before you even take a sip.
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Watermelon Sangria
Recipe: Watermelon Sangria
We combined two of our favorite summer treats: fresh watermelon and iced-down sangria. This sangria gets a blush-colored upgrade with a mix of both still and sparkling rosé wines, making it more than ideal to sip by the pool, on the porch, or at the beach.
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Salty Dog Cocktail
Recipe: Salty Dog Cocktail
A twist on the classic vodka- and grapefruit-infused Greyhound drink, this refresher makes use of gin, grapefruit juice, and salt for a cocktail that's anything but saccharine-sweet.
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Summer Cobbler Cocktail
Recipe: Summer Cobbler Cocktail
This recipe proves that whiskey drinks can be refreshing and fit for summer. Made with fresh blackberries, blackberry preserves, white whiskey, and lime, it is like summer in a shaker.
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Sweet Tea Mule
Recipe: Sweet Tea Mule
This one is a boozy spin on sweet tea, the South's favorite beverage. All you need is ginger beer, bourbon, and lime juice to have the ultimate porch cocktail.
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Spicy Watermelon Refresher
Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Refresher
A spicy, more bubbly version of a watermelon margarita, this recipe makes use of serrano peppers and tequila reposado (which is slightly smoky and incredibly smooth). Ah, feeling the good vibrations already.
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Lemon-Basil Spritzer
Recipe: Lemon-Basil Spritzer
We kept the list of ingredients short and sweet on this spritzer: lemon, fresh basil leaves, our simple syrup, and your bubbly mix-in of choice. Because you don't need all the bells and whistles when you have hard-working flavors like lemon and super aromatic basil.
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Big Batch Bloody Marys
Recipe: Big Batch Bloody Marys
A perfectly balanced, not-too-heavy Bloody Mary is hard to master—but luckily we already did the leg work for you. This big-batch recipe serves ten people, easy. Switch the vodka out for tequila to turn it into a Bloody Maria.
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French 75
Recipe: French 75
Classy as a string of pearls, this gin cocktail makes you want to sit back and fan yourself with a bit of flair. Top it off with a lemon twist and rosemary sprigs for a fancy finish.
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Pineapple-Coconut Fizz
Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Fizz
This combination of pineapple, coconut, and rum is enough to transport you straight to the Keys. Swaying palm trees included. Like a piña colada, but way lighter and more low maintenance.
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Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz
Recipe: Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz
Aperol spritzes are quite en vogue right now, and we get it. They're light, fresh, and make you feel like you're on an Italian beach somewhere. We added blood orange juice and fresh mint to make it even more vibrant.
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Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler
Recipe: Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler
Cucumber and honeydew is the cocktail duo we never knew we needed—until this cool gin drink walked into our happy hour.
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Moscow Mules
Recipe: Moscow Mules
How cute are the copper mugs alone? That's reason enough to make this simple but crowd-pleasing cocktail of crisp vodka, slightly spicy ginger beer (read: NOT ginger ale), and zingy lime juice.
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Blackberry-Mint Sparkler
Recipe: Blackberry-Mint Sparkler
Your shady porch swing is begging to get a taste of this easy-drinking spritz that uses in-season blackberries and fresh mint.
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Watermelon Margaritas
Recipe: Watermelon Margaritas
Fact: Everyone loves this margarita. End of story. Fresh watermelon makes a classic recipe even better.
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Frozen Margarita
Recipe: Frozen Margarita
Trust us, this is way better than the sugary restaurant renditions you'll order elsewhere. This recipe hits the perfect blend of salt, sweetness, slush, and spirits—and it serves eight people. (Or less, if you're motivated.)
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Basil Bourbon Orange Smash
Recipe: Basil Bourbon Orange Smash
Fresh seasonal fruit and liquor are smashed together over ice for this citrusy delight.
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Key Lime Daiquiris
Recipe: Key Lime Daiquiris
Make every day feel like vacation with one of these tropical drinks.
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Southern Sunrise
Recipe: Southern Sunrise
The name says it all. This beautiful cocktail relies on just a few ingredients, making it easier than ever to kick back and relax.
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Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours
Recipe: Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours
Blackberries are just one treasure of summer. Try this recipe if you've gone overboard picking and have far too many on your hands.
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Hurricane Cocktail
Recipe: Hurricane Cocktail
This drink certainly packs a punch, so take your time as you sip and enjoy.
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Strawberry Piña Coladas
Recipe: Strawberry Piña Coladas
Close your eyes as you sip on this delicious drink and you'll feel like you're on the beach.
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Texas Ranch Water
Recipe: Texas Ranch Water
Think of ranch water as a dressed down margarita that's hard to mess up.
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Bourbon-Peach Iced Tea
Recipe: Bourbon-Peach Iced Tea
Pair these two Southern staples together for a stellar sipper.
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Whiskey Sour Slush
Recipe: Whiskey Sour Slush
A splash of lemonade and sparkling citrus soda dress these whiskey sours up.
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Lemon Mint Sparklers
Recipe: Lemon Mint Sparklers
Garnish with some mint (grown on the porch of course!) and you're ready to go.
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Shoo-Fly Punch
Recipe: Shoo-Fly Punch
Ginger beer is the secret to this zesty and refreshing cocktail.
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Carolina Peach Sangria
Recipe: Carolina Peach Sangria
Southern peaches do love to put on a show, don't they? Get epic summer flavor in every sip of this rosé sangria.
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Spiked Arnold Palmer
Recipe: Spiked Arnold Palmer
This recipe marries three Southern favorites—bourbon, tea, and lemonade.
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Blushing Mimosas
Recipe: Blushing Mimosas
Pineapple juice and grenadine add a twist to classic mimosas.
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Black-Eyed Susan Slushies
Recipe: Black-Eyed Susan Slushies
Test kitchen star Ivy Odom whipped up this recipe for the Derby this year, but we think it deserves a spot on your summer drink line-up too. With citrus, pineapple juice, ginger ale, and bourbon all mixed up in a slushie, what's not to love?!
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Mojitarita
Recipe: Mojitarita
Mojitos and margaritas are both summertime favorites—and thanks to this recipe, there's no need to decide between the two. This cocktail is as refreshing as a margarita but with the minty kick of a mojito.
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4th of July Punch
Recipe: 4th of July Punch
With a name like this, this punch needs no explanation. But trust us: This batch-made cocktail is perfect for group gatherings on the 4th of July and beyond.
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Aperol Bourbon Fizz
Recipe: Aperol Bourbon Fizz
Bourbon drinkers, we didn't forget about you. This recipe calls for bourbon and Aperol, making it a go-to drink for a hot afternoon in the South.
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Classic Transfusion Cocktail
Recipe: Classic Transfusion Cocktail
This cocktail is a favorite on the golf course so you know it's designed for enjoying outside. This summer, we say, why not make it a staple on your front porch too?!