21 Summer Cocktails to Help You Cool Off

By Food & Wine
Updated June 04, 2020
Victor Protasio
When the weather heats up, refreshing summer cocktails are the perfect way to stay cool. Some of our favorites include a cucumber-rose gin spritz, which gets subtle floral flavor from dried rose petals, and a rosy-red sangria flavored with hibiscus tea—we’d never pass up a frozen drink, either. Read on for those recipes, and more summer cocktails we love.

Related: More Cocktail Recipes
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Watermelon-Tequila Cocktails

JOHN KERNICK
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When watermelon is in abundance, this is a great way to use it. Bobby Flay purees seedless watermelon chunks, then strains the juice through a sieve and mixes it with silver tequila, sugar syrup, blueberries, mint and fresh lime juice.

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Tabernacle Crush

© John Kernick
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This light and refreshing cocktail is as reminiscent of the American South as it is of the South of France.

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Limoncello Collins

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The Collins was most likely named after 19th-century bartender John Collins of London’s Limmer’s Hotel. The Tom Collins was originally made with Old Tom, a sweet style of gin that’s extremely hard to find today.

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Strawberry-Lemon Mojitos

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Strawberries sweeten these mojitos from mixologist Joaquin Simo.

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Sunset Punch

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This super-easy Bourbon-based punch only has five ingredients.

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Chasing Summer

DAVID MALOSH
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"I love this drink so much that it seems like my glass is always empty," says Lacy Hawkins. Her favorite part is the balsamic vinegar. "It adds wonderful acidity to the drink and creates a caramelized finish.”

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Manhattan Ice Cream Float

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Gabriel Frasca makes his own bourbon ice cream and cherry syrup for this clever riff on a Manhattan. For his super quick version, he blends vanilla ice cream with bourbon and uses a high-quality black cherry soda like Stewart’s or IBC.

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Thai-Basil Sangria

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The Spanish drink sangria draws its name from the blood-red color of its traditional red wine base. This stripped-down version gets its rich golden hue—and zingy flavors—from white wine, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a kick of brandy.

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Cucumber Margarita

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The only thing more refreshing than a margarita is one made with cucumbers. The cucumber-infused tequila also makes a great punch.

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Tequila-Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco

ADRIAN GAUT
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In this refreshing cocktail, Prosecco adds a lively spritz to a light, watermelon-forward margarita. If you happen to have a juicer on hand, you can certainly use it here.

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Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz

Victor Protasio
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A classic combination of gin, lemon, and club soda gets a refreshing twist with cucumber, basil, and cardamom-infused syrup. Dried rose petals add a subtle floral flavor and act as a beautiful garnish.

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Lemon-and-Lavender Gin Fizz

Victor Protasio
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Leopold’s Summer Gin brings a smooth, floral flavor to this botanical cocktail with notes of cucumber, sage, lemon, and lavender.

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Tamarind-Mezcal Sour

Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
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Smoky mezcal and savory bitters are rounded out by sweet-tart lemon juice and tamarind puree in this punchy cocktail.

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Third-Wave Swizzle

Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
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A swizzle stick is the key to a cold, well-mixed, frothy drink, but if you don’t have one on hand, you can use a long bar spoon to mix.

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Banana-Rum Old-Fashioned

Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
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A bold, strong cocktail with both high-proof bourbon and light rum gets a hit of floral sweetness from mellow crème de banane.

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Sandy Bottoms

Victor Protasio
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This pitcher drink pairs hydrating watermelon with the delicate fennel-and-herb flavor of Peychaud's bitters.

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Sanibel Sangria

Victor Protasio
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Fresh raspberries and the tangy punch of hibiscus tea make this rosy-red sangria bright and tart.

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Kettle Cove

Victor Protasio
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Grapefruit brings out the delicate floral flavors of Peruvian pisco, an unaged grape brandy, in this frosty blended drink.

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Strawberry Daiquiri

Victor Protasio
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The best strawberry daiquiri is bright and full-flavored but never too sweet, balancing juicy berries and tart lime.

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Frozen Cucumber Margaritas with Chili-Sumac Salt

Victor Protasio
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For a perfect texture that never gets icy or watery, Gail Simmons freezes the cucumbers before blending.

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Normandie Club Spritz

© David Malosh
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This lovely, light spritz includes fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice, grapefruit liquor, and blanco tequila, plus plenty of bubbles.

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