As warmer weather sets in, this list of top twenty summer cocktail recipes will keep you cool and refreshed all season long — perfect for parties or a relaxing day!

On a relaxing summer day, you can typically find me spending time with my family near a beautiful Michigan lake with a refreshing drink in hand! There’s nothing quite like enjoying a light, cooling drink while you’re soaking up sunshine.

When it comes to cocktail recipes, there are many drink ideas out there. Some of the most popular types of alcohol in cocktails are champagne, vodka, rum, sangria, tequila and wine. You can find ingredients like carbonated water, ginger beer, sweet syrup, fruit juices and fresh herbs in cocktails. This New Orleans Hurricane Cocktail, for example, boasts passion fruit juice, orange juice, grenadine, light and dark rum.

Get Creative with These Summer Cocktail Recipes
You can also add fruit to a cocktail for extra flavor. Many cocktail recipes incorporate fresh fruits like watermelon, berries, citrus, apple and more. It’s common to see chunks of apples and pears in sangria, for example (one of my personal favorites)!
To add fruit to a cocktail, you can muddle the fruits to release their juices and use a cocktail shaker to shake the fresh ingredients together. You can also dress up your drink and add fruit to the rim as a garnish like these lime wheels in this Spicy Jalapeno Margarita.

It might feel daunting to find the right drinks for entertaining or planning your next summer date night. In this post, I’ve made it easy for you and I’ve rounded up my top twenty all-time favorite summer cocktail recipes below.
Is sangria your style or are you always up for a skinny margarita? From mojitos and moscow mules to everything in between, I’ve got you covered when it comes to refreshing summer cocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most popular cocktail in the world?
The margarita is the most popular cocktail in 115 countries, according to The Spirits Business.
When it comes to margaritas, what’s the best type of tequila to use?
I like to use any brand of silver tequila, however, feel free to use what you have on hand or what you prefer!
Why is a Moscow mule served in a copper cup?
There are a few answers to this question. Copper mugs become cool when sipped, which makes a Moscow Mule perfect for summer. It also intensifies the fizziness. Many also believe the popular drink is served in a copper cup as a result of the drink’s history.
What’s the best way to make a non-alcoholic drink?
To make mocktails and virgin drinks, you can typically replace the alcohol with a flavored mixer like ginger ale, ginger beer, club soda or tonic water.

Feeling ready to get the party started? Here are my twenty most popular summer cocktail recipes for you to enjoy all summer long!
5 Ingredient Spanish Sangria

Blackberry Ginger Smash

Caribbean Rum Punch Cocktail

Classic Salty Dog Cocktail Recipe

Classic Tom Collins

Frozen Cherry Lime Ricky

Spicy Grapefruit Paloma

Homemade Blueberry Vodka Lemonade

Kir Royale

Strawberry Moscow Mule Cocktail

Mango Margaritas

Mixed Berry Mojitos

New Orleans Hurricane Cocktail

Orange Blossom Citrus Mojitos

Orange Ginger Spritzer

Raspberry Ginger Bellini

Raspberry Peach Frozen Sangria

Skinny Orange Margarita Cocktail

Strawberry Mojito

White Wine Ginger Beer Sangria

Your straw is waiting.