50 Refreshing Drinks You'll Want to Sip All Summer Long

Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos

We know it's scorching outside, so stay hydrated while you lounge by the pool or entertain guests this summer. These summer drinks and cocktails made with fresh fruits like strawberry, watermelon, berries, cherries, and plums and homemade simple syrup will make you look like a trained mixologist. Our most refreshing summer drinks are perfect to make in batches and bring down to the beach (with plastic cups, not glass, and bring a trash bag) or stand as the signature cocktail at an outdoor summer party. These chilled drinks with short ingredient lists and easy instructions will keep summer nights cool after hot days in the sun. Tip: You can make these fresh drinks with or without alcohol, so the kids' table can have a fancy and fun drink, too.

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Texas Ranch Water

Texas Ranch Water
Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman

The summer's hottest drink will keep you nice and cool.

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Salty Dog Cocktail

Salty Dog Cocktail
Caitlin Bensel

Fruity but not sweet, this grapefruit drink is a must.

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Hurricane Cocktail

Hurricane Cocktail
Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

This strong cocktail was made for sipping. Our test kitchen professionals say don't have more than two.

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Frozen Blueberry Lemonade

three glasses of frozen blueberry lemonade
Alison Miksch

Part smoothie, part scoopable sweet, this frozen lemonade is a serious treat. We call for frozen blueberries because they create an extra-thick texture when blended, but you can use fresh if that's what you have from the farmers' market.

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Frozen Margarita

Frozen Margarita
Antonis Achilleos

This frozen classic is sure to cool you down on even the hottest summer day.

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Sweet Tea Mule

Sweet Tea Mule
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This adult version of your favorite lemonade and sweet tea combination is a perfect summertime drink.

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Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon Sangria
Katie Jacobs

Fresh watermelon juice, rosé, rosé Champagne, and St. Germain elderflower liquor all meet to make this sweet sangria.

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Summer Cobbler Cocktail

Summer Cobbler Cocktail
Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Tart lime juice and orange liqueur are balanced out by sweet, fresh blackberries.

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Lemon Basil Spritzer

Lemon-Basil Spritzer
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Garnish with basil leaves and lemon peel twists for flair.

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Peach Margarita

Peach Margaritas
Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

A frozen margarita flavored with summer peaches makes for a nice sunset drink.

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Pineapple-Coconut Fizz

Pineapple-Coconut Fizz
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Whip fresh pineapple and then add rum and coconut-flavored seltzer to complete this fizz.

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Frozen Raspberry Lemonade

raspberry lemonade
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Tangy and bright, raspberries are the perfect fruit to blend with the sweet-tart flavors of lemonade.

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Garden Pleasures Cocktail

Garden Pleasures Cocktail by Tiffanie Barriere
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn

Mixologist Tiffanie Barriere developed the ultimate porch sipper for warm spring and summer days.

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Spicy Watermelon Refresher

Spicy Watermelon Refresher
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Serrano peppers add a punch of spice, while tequila reposado adds a smoky flavor to this drink.

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French 75

French 75
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Gin, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup are all it takes to make this summer favorite.

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Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz

Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz
Peter Frank Edwards

This tart drink has bold color thanks to the blood oranges.

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Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler

Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This light and bright combination is a great way to get those fruits and veggies in on hot summer days.

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Lavender-Plum Shrub

Lavender-Plum Shrub
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox

A shrub is a drink that's usually made with vinegar, sugar and fruit — not that plant on the front lawn that your husband cuts down too short every time. These drinks need to sit for a few days so that the flavors combine, making the vinegar sweet. We used apple cider vinegar, fresh lavender, vanilla and red plums, even though any stone fruit would work.

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Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos

Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Ginger beer adds a subtle spice to this refreshing drink.

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Kentucky Oaks Lily Drink

Southern Living Kentucky Derby Oaks Lily cocktail

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Cranberry juice, lime juice, and Triple Sec make this drink colorful, flavorful, and fun.

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Key Lime Daiquiris

Key Lime Daiquiris
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Daiquiri lovers will adore this tropical twist of rum, citrus juice, and sweetener.

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Strawberry and Peach Sangria

strawberry and peach sangria in a pitcher and wine glasses
Alison Miksch

Mixing sparkling water with dry white wine and a bit of peach brandy turns this summer sangria into the drink of the summer.

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Southern Sunrise

Southern Sunrise
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos

Adding grenadine to this orange juice and tequila mixture gives it the pop of bright red color.

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Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours

Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos

This refreshing recipe is just another reason why we love summer blackberries. If you can't find pisco near you, use tequila or un-aged brandy.

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Mojitarita

Mojitarita
Katie Jacobs

Can't decide between a margarita or a mojito? Well, you don't have to with this twist.

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Rum Swizzles

Rum Swizzles
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos

Often noted as Bermuda's national drink, this rum recipe has tropical vibes written all over it.

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Basil Bourbon Orange Smash

Basil Bourbon Orange Smash
Becky Luigart Stayner

In-season oranges are perfect for this smash that's rounded out with basil-flavored syrup.

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Watermelon Frosé

Southern Living Watermelon-Basil Sweet Tea in a pitcher to serve with other drinks beside

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Frosé is exactly what it sounds like, frozen rosé wine. Our recipe blends fresh watermelon into the mix for an adult version of a summer slushy.

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Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail

Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

Only three ingredients and a cocktail shaker are required for this Prohibition-era drink that's fit for a hip speakeasy.

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Lucy Buffett's Bama Breeze Cocktail

Lucy Buffett's Bama Breeze Cocktail
Courtesy of Lucy Buffett

This drink features Lucy Buffett's favorite ingredients, and is named after her brother Jimmy's song.

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Coconut Bourbon Spritz

Coconut Bourbon Spritz
Southern Living

Coconut simple syrup pairs perfectly with the smoky bourbon in this cocktail

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Raspberry Beer Cocktail

Raspberry Beer Cocktail
Charles Walton IV

This beer cocktail is perfect if you want something that's refreshing but not too sweet (and it has vodka, too).

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Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktails

Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktails
Chris M. Rogers; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

This batch cocktail makes for a refreshing gathering drink.

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Vodka Cherry Limeade

vodka cherry limeade in pitchers and glasses
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist:Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

This summer drink only requires one simple step: Stir. Once everything is all stirred together, all you have to do is add the final cherry on top, and enjoy.

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Classic Transfusion Cocktail

Southern Living Transfusion Cocktail in glasses to serve

Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

A proper Transfusion cocktail contains four ingredients: vodka, ginger ale, Concord grape juice, and lime juice. And while they are synonymous with the golf course, there's no reason you can't enjoy one on a hot afternoon on your porch.

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Strawberry Spritzers

Southern Living Strawberry Spritzer in glasses to serve

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl

This non-alcoholic drink is still full of flavor thanks to our homemade strawberry shrub.

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Paloma

Southern Living Paloma three drinks ready to serve

Dotdash Meredith

Master the art of the perfect paloma with our easy recipe.

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Azalea Cocktail

Azalea Cocktail

Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Don't limit this cocktail to the Masters Tournament each year, it's a delightful drink to sip on all summer long.

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Watermelon-Basil Sweet Tea

Southern Living Watermelon-Basil Sweet Tea in a pitcher to serve with other drinks beside

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

You could sip on plain and simple sweet tea, but we think a splash of watermelon flavor is a nice way to make the drink more exciting for the summer.

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Strawberry Mojito

Southern Living Strawberry Mojito in a glass ready to drink

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl

The strawberry simple syrup in this cocktail lends a subtle berry flavor and bright red color to this classic drink without overwhelming the flavors of the rum or fresh mint.

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Strawberry Ranch Water

Southern Living Strawberry Ranch Water in glasses to serve

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl

Ranch waters are a summer staple, but that doesn't mean you can't mix it up. We infuse the tequila with fresh strawberries for a pretty pink hue, and tart berry flavor.

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Bourbon Slush

Bourbon Slush
Oxmoor House

This is one of our most searched for cocktail recipes in the summer. Try it yourself and you'll understand why so many people want the recipe.

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Shirley Temple Drink

Southern Living Shirley Temple finished drink in a glass

Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

You might think this drink is just for kids, but our recipe will delight adults as well (and you can always add a splash of your favorite spirit too).

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Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade

Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

You might read the ingredient list for this drink and do a double take, but don't worry you're reading it right. We add a splash of hot sauce to this spiked lemonade, and trust us, it works.

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Hemingway Daiquiri

Hemingway Daiquiri
Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This drink originates with the writer Ernest Hemingway who liked his daiquiris extra strong and sour.

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Carolina Peach Sangria

Carolina Peach Sangria
Jennifer Davick

This big-batch cocktail is as pretty as it is refreshing, and comes together quickly with just a few ingredients.

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Frozen Peach Old Fashioned

Frozen Peach Old Fashioned

This drink doesn't skimp on the peach flavor; it includes frozen peach slices, peach sorbet, and peach nectar.

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Big-Batch Spiked Arnold Palmers

How to Make Big-Batch Spiked Arnold Palmers

The mix of tea and lemonade is a perfect match that could only be improved upon with a little bourbon.

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Frozen Lemonade

Frozen Lemonade
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Tart from the fresh lemon juice and sweet from the vanilla ice cream, this drink is exactly the kind of cold and refreshing thing you'll reach for on the hottest of summer days.

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Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch

Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch
Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Swap your usual pitcher of iced tea with our Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch this summer. Made with chilled black tea, this drink is sweetened with a pineapple simple syrup made from fresh pineapple juice and spiked with a splash of vodka.

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