Food and Recipes Drinks Cocktails 45 Southern Porch Cocktails Begging To Be Your New House Drink Porch sitting calls for cold-drink sipping. By Southern Living Editors Updated on August 1, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox 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 best Southern porch cocktails to make for every happy hour at home. 01 of 45 Watermelon Frosé Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster If there was a drink of summer, this one would be it. Wow guests by whipping up this recipe—a sweeter, icier take on another seasonal favorite, an ice-cold glass of rosé. 02 of 45 Mint Julep Forrest Mason Mint juleps were made for sipping on a porch in the South. Made with crushed ice, fresh mint, and bourbon, the drink is a refreshing choice for derby day or happy hour. 03 of 45 Texas Ranch Water Getty Images/Lauren King / EyeEm Think of ranch water as a dressed down margarita that's hard to mess up. 04 of 45 Pitcher Mojitos Caitlin Bensel 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. 05 of 45 Kentucky Oaks Lily Drink Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This cocktail is the signature drink of the Kentucky Oaks, the race that takes place the day before the Kentucky Derby, but that doesn't mean you can't serve it at home. The recipe calls for cranberry juice, triple sec, lime juice, and vodka. 06 of 45 Salty Dog Cocktail Caitlin Bensel 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. 07 of 45 Watermelon Sangria Katie Jacobs 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. 08 of 45 Summer Cobbler Cocktail Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns 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. 09 of 45 Sweet Tea Mule Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 10 of 45 Strawberry Ranch Water Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Texans take their ranch water recipe seriously, but we think anyone will appreciate this twist on the classic cocktail. It calls for strawberry-infused tequila and a fresh strawberry for garnish. 11 of 45 Vodka Cherry Limeade Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist:Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer With just five ingredients (most of which are cocktail bar staples), this limeade is ready to sip as soon as a thirst hits. The best part? You can stir up a pitcher and serve all your porch guests easily. 12 of 45 Spicy Watermelon Refresher Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 13 of 45 Berry Patch Cocktail Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Gin and elderflower liqueur provide a vibrant, floral quality for the fresh raspberries and tart limeade. 14 of 45 Lemon-Basil Spritzer Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 15 of 45 Big Batch Bloody Marys Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox 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. 16 of 45 French 75 Southern Living 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. 17 of 45 Pineapple-Coconut Fizz Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 18 of 45 Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz Peter Frank Edwards 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. 19 of 45 Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Cucumber and honeydew is the cocktail duo we never knew we needed—until this cool gin drink walked into our happy hour. 20 of 45 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. 21 of 45 Blackberry-Mint Sparkler Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Your shady porch swing is begging to get a taste of this easy-drinking spritz that uses in-season blackberries and fresh mint. 22 of 45 Watermelon Margaritas Southern Living It's a fact that everyone loves this margarita. End of story. Fresh watermelon makes a classic recipe even better. 23 of 45 Frozen Margarita Antonis Achilleos 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.) 24 of 45 Basil Bourbon Orange Smash Becky Luigart Stayner Fresh seasonal fruit and liquor are smashed together over ice for this citrusy delight. 25 of 45 Key Lime Daiquiris Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Make every day feel like vacation with one of these tropical drinks. 26 of 45 Southern Sunrise Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos The name says it all. This beautiful cocktail relies on just a few ingredients, making it easier than ever to kick back and relax. 27 of 45 Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Blackberries are just one treasure of summer. Try this recipe if you've gone overboard picking and have far too many on your hands. 28 of 45 Hurricane Cocktail Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This drink certainly packs a punch, so take your time as you sip and enjoy. 29 of 45 Strawberry Piña Coladas Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Close your eyes as you sip on this delicious drink and you'll feel like you're on the beach. 30 of 45 Whiskey Sour Slush Southern Living A splash of lemonade and sparkling citrus soda dress these whiskey sours up. 31 of 45 Lemon Mint Sparklers Hector Sanchez Garnish with some mint (grown on the porch of course!) and you're ready to go. 32 of 45 Shoo-Fly Punch Beth Dreiling Hontzas Ginger beer is the secret to this zesty and refreshing cocktail. 33 of 45 Carolina Peach Sangria Jennifer Davick Southern peaches do love to put on a show, don't they? Get epic summer flavor in every sip of this rosé sangria. 34 of 45 Spiked Arnold Palmer Ralph Anderson This recipe marries three Southern favorites—bourbon, tea, and lemonade. 35 of 45 Blushing Mimosas Ralph Anderson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine Pineapple juice and grenadine add a twist to classic mimosas. 36 of 45 Black-Eyed Susan Slushies Victor Protasio; Food Stying: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis 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?! 37 of 45 Mojitarita Katie Jacobs 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. 38 of 45 4th of July Punch Jennifer Causey 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. 39 of 45 Aperol Bourbon Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner 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. 40 of 45 Classic Transfusion Cocktail Getty Images/JB325 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?! 41 of 45 Bourbon-Peach Iced Tea Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin Pair these two Southern staples together for a stellar sipper. 42 of 45 Strawberry Mojito Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl For a sweet twist on a classic mojito, try this strawberry-infused recipe. It is made with strawberry simple syrup, which adds flavor and color to the cocktail. 43 of 45 Hemingway Daiquiri Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Feeling fancy? Show off your best cocktail-making skills by whipping up this precise recipe. It calls for fresh juices and very specific amount of ice. 44 of 45 Long Island Iced Tea Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Despite what the name suggests, this recipe was actually created in Tennessee! It, of course, comes with a Southern spin: whiskey instead of clear liquor. 45 of 45 Texas Margarita Will Dickey If you're looking for a recipe that's sweet, citrus-forward, and easy to sip on, look no further. This margarita, made with fresh orange juice and agave nectar, is sure to become a new favorite. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit