Food and Recipes Party Food and Drink 62 Spirited Cocktail Recipes Sure to Quench Your Thirst By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 4, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Caitlin Bensel Every Southern hostess needs a signature cocktail recipe in her repertoire, and we've gathered our all-time favorites for you. With our best cocktail recipes, you won't just find one signature cocktail recipe—you'll find a signature cocktail recipe for every season, event, holiday, dinner party, and tailgate. With cozy fall cocktails like our classic Hot Toddy, you'll be prepped for game day and beyond. With refreshing summery cocktails like our Grapefruit Gin Slush or Watermelon Sangria, your porch parties will never be boring. Raise a glass and celebrate with our elegant champagne cocktails like the French 75 or Gingered Seelbach, or kick it casual with our Raspberry Beer Cocktail or Big Batch Bloody Marys. Instead of setting out wine and beer the next time you host, refer to this incredible list of cocktail recipes to shake up your night. These are the best cocktails to quench your thirst and generate party buzz. 01 of 62 Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Recipe: Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours Pisco is a South American grape brandy popular in Peru and Chile. If you can't find it in your area, feel free to substitute white tequila, grappa, or vodka. Don't be alarmed by the strength of this new classic; it's a cocktail that's meant to be sipped and savored. 02 of 62 Mint Julep Southern Living Recipe: Mint Julep A hallmark Southern cocktail, we always have the ingredients for a mint julep handy. 03 of 62 Salty Dog Cocktail Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Salty Dog Cocktail Don't let this cocktail's pretty color fool you: It's not one of those too-sweet drinks. Refreshing and slightly tart, this simple cocktail recipe will be a hit with every party goer. 04 of 62 Moscow Mules Jennifer Causey Recipe: Moscow Mule Served in a copper mug, this classic cocktail will keep you cool all summer long. 05 of 62 French 75 Southern Living Recipe: French 75 This timeless cocktail recipe is dressy enough for a fancy dinner party but easy enough for a sunset drink on the porch. 06 of 62 Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine This cocktail mixes two all-time Southern favorites—bourbon and Cheerwine. 07 of 62 White Wine Sangria Caitlin Bensel Recipe: White Wine Sangria Chilled white wine and fresh peaches make this sangria ready for every summer luncheon. 08 of 62 Pitcher Mojitos Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Pitcher Mojitos Don't fuss with the cocktail shaker all night when you're hosting. Whip up a batch of pitcher mojitos and enjoy the party yourself, too. 09 of 62 Berry Patch Cocktail Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Recipe: Berry Patch Cocktail Elderflower liqueur and gin provide a floral, lofty contrast to the tangy limeade and fresh raspberries in this sensational sipper. 10 of 62 Old Fashioned Cocktail Southern Living Recipe: Old Fashioned We put a slight twist on this old-school cocktail to make it more approachable for a crowd. 11 of 62 Aperol Bourbon Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Aperol-Bourbon Fizz A fresh orange peel twist is the prettiest garnish for this festive cocktail. 12 of 62 Watermelon Sangria Katie Jacobs Recipe: Watermelon Sangria This big-batch summer cocktail is our new favorite way to cool off. 13 of 62 Vodka Cherry Limeade Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist:Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Vodka Cherry Limeade When the summer is hot, the drinks should be easy. This five-ingredient limeade is so easy to make, you can easily scale it up to serve a crowd. 14 of 62 Frozen Margarita Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Frozen Margarita Taco Tuesday just got a lot more fun. 15 of 62 Hot Toddy Micah A. Leal Recipe: Hot Toddy This classic cocktail will soothe a sore throat and warm you up on cold winter nights. 16 of 62 Lavender-Plum Shrub Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Lavender-Plum Shrub If you've never tried this old-fashioned cocktail, it's the ultimate make-ahead drink before a party since it needs time to chill for the flavors to combine. 17 of 62 Grapefruit Gin Slush Caroline Rogers Recipe: Grapefruit Gin Slush Refreshing and cool, this slushee cocktail is the perfect porch sipper for hot summer days. 18 of 62 Black and Blue Sparkler Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Black and Blue Sparkler Instead of throwing them in another cobbler or bowl of oatmeal, use the last of your fresh summer berries for a fun and festive cocktail. 19 of 62 Big Batch Bloody Marys Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Big-Batch Bloody Marys If you're hosting brunch, there's no better way to serve drinks than with a favorite pitcher recipe. 20 of 62 Carrot-Ginger Beer Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Carrot-Ginger Beer Use brown sugar and aromatic mint leaves when making the simple syrup for this thirst-quencher. 21 of 62 Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos This incredibly refreshing pitcher drink has fresh mint and summer watermelon. 22 of 62 Basil Bourbon Orange Smash Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Basil Bourbon Orange Smash This citrusy cocktail is oh-so-refreshing regardless the season. 23 of 62 Summer Cobbler Cocktail Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns Recipe: Summer Cobbler Cocktail This refreshing cocktail makes use of those summer blackberries you've been picking up at the farmers' market each weekend. 24 of 62 Bourbon and Hard Pear Cider Cocktail Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Bourbon and Hard Pear Cider Cocktail Apple cider is everywhere during the fall, so this pear cider cocktail will be unique when you host. 25 of 62 Mojitarita Katie Jacobs Recipe: Mojitarita Can't decide between a mojito and a margarita? This so-fresh cocktail combines the best of both. 26 of 62 Sparkling Punch Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Sparkling Punch Every shower needs a pretty punch bowl filled with a crowd-pleasing recipe. 27 of 62 Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail This cocktail recipe dates all the way back to Prohibition, and there's a reason it's stuck around our bar carts all that time—it truly is the bee's knees. 28 of 62 Big Batch Mint Tea Juleps Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Big Batch Mint Tea Juleps You don't have to waste valuable party time individually measuring ingredients for each cocktail glass with this big-batch recipe. 29 of 62 Mint Julep Slush Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Mint Julep Slush What do we do when we love a cocktail recipe? Make it into an icy slush so we can drink it on even the hottest summer day. 30 of 62 Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch Spicy ginger is balanced by sweet orange and lemon juice. Before serving, add orange slices to punch bowl for garnish. 31 of 62 Bourbon Pink Grapefruit Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Bourbon Pink Grapefruit Fizz This fizzy and fun cocktail will be a hit with every guest. 32 of 62 Gingered Seelbach Cocktail Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Gingered Seelbach Cocktail Vintage-inspired and prettier than plain-ole champagne, this elegant cocktail will become your signature dinner party drink. 33 of 62 Honeysuckle Lemonade Cocktail Walden Recipe: Honeysuckle Lemonade Cocktail This light, refreshing cocktail will be your summer go-to for last-minute gatherings. 34 of 62 Spiked Arnold Palmer Ralph Anderson Recipe: Spiked Arnold Palmer Spice up your party with this spirited version of the classic lemonade-sweet tea combo. 35 of 62 Sparkling Citrus Punch with Lemonade Ice Cubes Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Sparkling Citrus Punch with Lemonade Ice Cubes Colorful lemonade ice cubes take the presentation level over the top for this fun brunch cocktail. 36 of 62 Papaya-Strawberry Cocktail Wynn Myers; Prop Styling: Lauren Smith Ford Recipe: Papaya-Strawberry Cocktail Fresh and fruity, this tequila cocktail will be a fun diversion from your usual margaritas. 37 of 62 Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch With a yield of 10 servings, there's plenty for everyone at the tailgate to enjoy this fall cocktail. 38 of 62 Watermelon Margaritas Southern Living Recipe: Watermelon Margaritas This watermelon margarita recipe might be the only margarita recipe we ever make again. 39 of 62 Big Batch Bourbon Ginger Ale Punch Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Big Batch Bourbon Ginger Ale Punch You don't need to be a professional mixologist to whip up a delicious party punch that serves a crowd. 40 of 62 Spiced Hard Cider Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Spiced Hard Cider Fizz This fall cocktail would make a great pre-Thanksgiving dinner drink to welcome guests in. 41 of 62 Spiked Watermelon Lemonade Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Spiked Watermelon Lemonade There's few things more refreshing than a tall glass of tangy lemonade. Add some vodka and watermelon juice for an adult version of this summer favorite. 42 of 62 Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch Pineapple simple syrup and lime juice gives this version of sweet tea a tropical twist. 43 of 62 Rum Swizzles Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Recipe: Rum Swizzles Close your eyes and picture Bermuda as you sip this fruity and tropical cocktail. 44 of 62 Sweet Tea Mule Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sweet Tea Mule Add bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice to this sweet tea for a refreshing and light cocktail. 45 of 62 Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler Cool as can be, this green drink is slightly sweet and hits the spot. 46 of 62 Pink Cadillac Margaritas Jennifer Davick Recipe: Pink Cadillac Margaritas Fast Flourish: Rub rims of chilled glasses with a lime wedge, dip in a saucer of coarse salt and sparkling sugar, and twirl to coat. 47 of 62 Shoo-Fly Punch Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Shoo-Fly Punch Ginger beer is a nonalcoholic fizzy beverage with a pop of spicy ginger. It's the flavor secret in this spicy but refreshing cocktail. 48 of 62 Cranberry Mojito Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Cranberry Mojito Introduce the tart fall flavor of cranberries to your favorite minty cocktail. 49 of 62 Mississippi Mudslides Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Mississippi Mudslides A little bourbon makes these mudslides perfectly rich and flavorful. For a dramatic and delicious effect, use a small kitchen torch to brown the marshmallows topping. 50 of 62 Sparkling Rum Punch Photo: Jim Franco Recipe: Sparkling Rum Punch You'll see smiles all around when these signature cocktails are offered at your festive fete. 51 of 62 Apple-Pie Infused Bourbon Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Apple Pie-Infused Bourbon Turn a plain bottle of hooch into a top-shelf indulgence, infused with sweet autumn flavor. At 7 ounces, these cute corked bottles are the perfect size for gifts ($2.09 each; specialtybottle.com). You can also use mini mason jars or any other food-safe glass container with a lid. Download the Infused Bourbon Labels 52 of 62 Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktail Chris M. Rogers Recipe: Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktail We used Mississippi's Cathead Honeysuckle Flavored Vodka to give the cocktail a delicate floral note, but plain vodka works too. 53 of 62 Cherry Frost Ralph Anderson Recipe: Cherry Frost This refreshing drink is composed of black cherry liqueur, brandy, crushed ice, and then topped off with sparkling white wine. Of course, no cocktail is complete without a maraschino cherry on top! 54 of 62 Strawberry Margarita Spritzers Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Strawberry Margarita Spritzers Club soda, fresh whole strawberries, and frozen daiquiri mix set these margarita spritzers apart. Serve on sultry summer days and enjoy the fizzy sweetness of these colorful cocktails. 55 of 62 Mint Julep Sweet Tea Jennifer Davick Recipe: Mint Julep Sweet Tea This iced cocktail features the best of two classic Southern drinks: the mint julep and sweet tea. For best results, sip in a rocking chair on a front porch somewhere. 56 of 62 Sparkling Autumn Chianti Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Sparkling Autumn Chianti A blanc de noirs, with its fruity, hint of vanilla flavor, is a great sparkling wine choice for this recipe. We also suggest using Lady or Gala apples. 57 of 62 Apple Butter Sparklers Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Apple Butter Sparklers For a kid-friendly version, substitute sparkling apple juice for the Prosecco. 58 of 62 Lost in Texas Photo: Jody Horton Recipe: Lost in Texas This refreshing beer cocktail balances a malty bock-style beer with fruit-tinged apricot brandy. 59 of 62 Retro Rum Punch Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Retro Rum Punch We love bringing back vintage recipes, and we're getting out Grandma's punch bowl to make this fruity cocktail ASAP. 60 of 62 Raspberry Beer Cocktail Charles Walton IV Recipe: Raspberry Beer Cocktail This big-batch cocktail can be made up to three days in advance to help you with poolside party prep. 61 of 62 Montgomery Punch Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Montgomery Punch If you found a recipe in a vintage junior league cookbook, you know it's bound to be amazing. 62 of 62 Sparkling Cherry Limeade Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Annette Joseph; Food Styling: Cynthia Groseclose Recipe: Sparkling Cherry Limeade This pretty cocktail just reminded us: It's about time for a girls' night! 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