By mid-afternoon, summer can start to feel a little bossy. The air sits still, the kids move slower, and even the dog seems to be looking for shade. That is usually when I reach for something cold to drink. Not because it fixes the heat, but because a glass full of ice and something refreshing makes it easier to handle. These 25 summer drinks are the ones I keep coming back to when the day feels long, the sun feels strong, and everyone could use something cold in their hands.
Purple Electrolyte Mocktail
The color gets everyone's attention first. Made with coconut water, lemon, and butterfly pea powder, it is refreshing without trying too hard. Kids seem especially drawn to it.
Get the Recipe: Purple Electrolyte Mocktail
Caipirinha Cocktail
A few limes, some sugar, and a little muddling are all it takes to get started. The citrus oils end up everywhere they should be, making each sip bright and fresh. Sometimes the simplest drinks are the ones that disappear first.
Get the Recipe: Caipirinha Cocktail
Virgin Strawberry Watermelon Margarita Mocktail
A salt-rimmed glass always feels like a good idea when it is hot outside. Watermelon and strawberries get blended together until everything turns cold and pink. The second glass usually appears before the first is fully gone.
Get the Recipe: Virgin Strawberry Watermelon Margarita Mocktail
Sparkling Grapefruit Mocktail
Not every summer drink needs to be sweet. Grapefruit brings a sharp citrus bite while sparkling water keeps things light. It is the glass I want when the afternoon starts dragging.
Get the Recipe: Sparkling Grapefruit Mocktail
Tangy and Sweet Watermelon Paloma Cocktail
Watermelon softens the citrus just enough without getting in its way. Served ice cold, it feels made for the hottest days of the season. The pitcher rarely makes it back to the fridge with much left inside.
Get the Recipe: Tangy and Sweet Watermelon Paloma Cocktail
Watermelon Juice With Lime
By August, there is usually a watermelon taking up an unreasonable amount of fridge space. Most of it ends up blended with lime and poured over ice. It disappears much faster that way.
Get the Recipe: Watermelon Juice With Lime
Pineapple Mocktail
There are days when complicated drinks feel like too much work. Pineapple, a little tartness, and plenty of ice handle the situation just fine. Nothing about it lasts very long once poured.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Mocktail
Passion Fruit Margarita Mocktail
I keep passion fruit around for the hottest weeks of summer. Mixed with lime and poured over plenty of ice, it is sharp enough to cut through an afternoon that feels stuck in place. The glass usually empties before the heat lets up.
Get the Recipe: Passion Fruit Margarita Mocktail
Lemon Mint Lemonade
Some summers I make this so often that I stop measuring. Lemon, mint, and simple syrup somehow manage to feel colder than the weather forecast. A pitcher rarely lasts until dinner.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Mint Lemonade
Spicy Grapefruit Margarita Mocktail
The salty, spicy rim gets noticed before the grapefruit does. Once everything comes together, the result is bright, tart, and just a little bold. It tends to wake people up better than a fan pointed at their face.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Grapefruit Margarita Mocktail
Tropical Pineapple Dragon Fruit Mocktail
The bright pink color usually gets everyone's attention first. Dragon fruit blends with pineapple and coconut water into a cold drink that feels made for hot afternoons. By the time people stop talking about the color, their glasses are already half empty.
Get the Recipe: Tropical Pineapple Dragon Fruit Mocktail
Non-Alcoholic Strawberry Daiquiri Recipe Without Mix
Frozen strawberries have saved many summer afternoons around here. Blended with lime and nothing from a bottle, they turn into a thick, frosty drink that cools things down quickly. Even the last spoonful is worth chasing.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Strawberry Daiquiri Recipe Without Mix
Midori Sour
Bright green drinks rarely blend into the background. Melon liqueur and lemon keep this one balanced between sweet and tart. It brings a little fun to long summer afternoons.
Get the Recipe: Midori Sour
Strawberry Rhubarb Non-Alcoholic Gin Fizz Mocktail
Most years, I save rhubarb for baking without thinking twice about it. Mixed with strawberries and topped with bubbles, it becomes the kind of drink I keep making once the weather turns hot. It disappears quickly on afternoons when nobody wants to be near the oven.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Non-Alcoholic Gin Fizz Mocktail
Easy Non-Alcoholic Mai Tai
Some afternoons call for something that feels a little more festive than water. Tropical fruit does the heavy lifting here, creating a mocktail that comes together without much fuss. It has a way of making the day feel less hot than it actually is.
Get the Recipe: Easy Non-Alcoholic Mai Tai
Colombian Lulo Juice
The first time someone tries lulo, there is usually a moment of surprise. Blended into a cold juice, it is tangy, bright, and exactly the sort of thing that makes a sticky afternoon feel more manageable. The pitcher tends to attract repeat visitors.
Get the Recipe: Colombian Lulo Juice
Non-Alcoholic Watermelon and Lychee Mocktail
Watermelon and lychee make a surprisingly easy pair. A splash of sparkling water keeps everything light and crisp, even when the day feels heavy with heat. I usually end up making another batch before the first one is gone.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Watermelon and Lychee Mocktail
Easy Lavender Lemonade
I learned pretty quickly that lavender needs a light hand. Stirred into cold lemonade, it adds just enough floral flavor without taking over. This is the kind of pitcher I set out when the ice bucket is working overtime.
Get the Recipe: Easy Lavender Lemonade
Mint Guava Mocktail
Guava has a way of making a drink feel like a vacation without much effort. Fresh mint and bubbles keep it from getting too heavy. This one earns a spot in the shade.
Get the Recipe: Mint Guava Mocktail
Spicy Pineapple Margarita Mocktail (With Jalapeño)
Pineapple does most of the talking here, but the jalapeño makes sure it is not the only voice in the room. Everything gets blended together in minutes with lime and a little sweetness. It is the drink I reach for when plain cold drinks are not quite enough.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Pineapple Margarita Mocktail (With Jalapeño)
Tangy and Spiced Tamarind Mocktail
Tamarind is not interested in being subtle. Mixed with lime, lemonade, and a little spice, it wakes up even the sleepiest summer afternoon. This is the one people ask about after they finish it.
Get the Recipe: Tangy and Spiced Tamarind Mocktail
Blueberry Mojito Mocktail
The mint tends to announce itself before the drink does. Crushed together with blueberries and lemon, it lands somewhere between a mocktail and an excuse to sit outside a little longer. Nobody seems in a hurry after the first sip.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Mojito Mocktail
Limoncello Spritz
Bubbles seem to make hot weather easier to tolerate. Lemon brings brightness while the spritz keeps everything light on its feet. The glass usually needs a refill before sunset.
Get the Recipe: Limoncello Spritz
Lemon Lillet Martini
A bottle of Lillet Blanc sat on my shelf longer than I care to admit before I figured out what to do with it. Paired with gin and plenty of lemon, it turned into the drink I now make almost without thinking. The glass is usually empty before the ice has a chance to catch up.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Lillet Martini
Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail
Warm evenings seem to stretch a little longer with this one around. Passion fruit liqueur and vanilla vodka come together in a drink that feels fruity without going overboard. It is easy to linger over.
Get the Recipe: Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail
Pick one, grab a tall glass, and let the ice cubes do the rest of the work.
