Top 6 Summer Cocktail Recipes
If you enjoy cocktails, fresh ingredients like cucumber, mint, lemon, and berries mixed with juice and ice are a simple pleasure on a hot summer evening. We have selected 6 delicious and easy to make beverages to enjoy by the hot tub this summer. Learn how to make these delicious cocktails or mocktails below!
Blueberry Mojito
A simple recipe for blueberry mojitos, which includes fresh mint, fresh blueberries, and lime!
Ingredients:
- 8 blueberries plus a few for garnish
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
- 6-8 fresh mint leaves, plus a few for garnish
- ¼ cup white rum (or you can substitute sparkling lemonade for virgin drinks)
- 2 Tablespoons club soda
- 1 lime slice for the glass rim
Directions: In a cocktail shaker, add lime juice, sugar, mint leaves and blueberries. Use a cocktail muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon to smash-up or muddle the mint into the lime juice and sugar. This will release the flavor-rich mint, nicely dissolve the sugar into the lime juice and crushe the blueberries to create an evenly blended beverage. Add the rum or sparkling lemonade, stir well and pour over ice, leaving around 1” of space. Top off with club soda and garnish with blueberries, mint leaves and a lime slice. Serving 1. Enjoy!
Cucumber Lemon Chiller
A refreshing and crisp cucumber lemon chiller cocktail recipe that includes fresh rosemary, cucumber and lemon juice!
Ingredients:
- 3 cucumbers
- 1 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary, plus a few sprigs for garnishing
- 1 cup water
- ¾ gin
- Substitute lemon-lime soda for a virgin drink
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons agave syrup
Directions: Slice cucumber into 12 thin slices for garnish. Peel and chop remaining cucumber. In a food processor, add fresh rosemary and cucumber, puree mixture. Pour the pureed ingredients into a fine-mesh strainer and set onto a medium size bowl. Press on the solids to extract the juice. Add water, gin (or sparkling soda), lemon juice, and agave syrup to the cucumber juice. Stir until agave is dissolved. Pour over ice, garnish with rosemary spring & cucumber. Serves 4.
Fresh Mint Margaritas
Your classic margarita with a refreshing, mint twist!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup fresh chopped mint leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8 limes)
- 4 cups crushed ice
- 1 ½ cups tequila (substitute lemon lime soda for virgin drinks)
- 1 cup Triple Sec (omit for virgin drinks)
Directions: In the bottom of a pitcher, crush together ice, salt and mint with the handle of a wooden spoon or cocktail muddler. Add the lime juice, tequila (or lemon lime soda) and Triple Sec. Stir vigorously. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh lemon and lime wedges and mint. Serves 4-5.
Grape Sparkler
A refreshingly tingling cocktail recipe that includes fresh grapes, honey and lemon juice!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of seedless grapes, plus more for garnishing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 ounces vodka (substitute Sprite or Sierra Mist for virgin drinks)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups seltzer water
Directions: Puree grapes in a blender. Pour puree through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and press solids to extract all the juice. Add honey and lemon to strained juice and stir until honey is dissolved. Add seltzer water and vodka (or lemon lime soda). Pour over ice and garnish with fresh grapes. Serves 4.
Tomato-Jalapeno Bloody Mary
Your classic Bloody Mary recipe with a burst of jalapeno flavor!
Ingredients:
- 3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and stemmed
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 6 ounces vodka (substitute V8 juice for virgin drinks)
- Cherry tomatoes or large green olives for garnishing
Limes or celery for garnish
Directions: Puree tomatoes in a blender with jalapenos, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, celery salt, sugar and pepper. Scrape the sides of blender as necessary. Stir in vodka (or V8 juice). Refrigerate until chilled (about 2 hours). Pour over ice. Garnish with choice of, olives ,celery, lime or tomatoes. Serves 4.
Watermelon Martini
A delightful summer spin on your classic martini!
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces of Kettle One Citroen (substitute citrus or melon sparkling soda for virgin drinks)
- 1 ounce Watermelon Pucker (omit for virgin drinks)
- ½ ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec (omit for virgin drinks)
- 1 splash lemonade
- 1 splash 7-Up
- Watermeleon for garnish
Directions: Mix Kettle One Citroen (or sparkling soda), Watermelon Pucker, Cointreau or Triple Sec, 7-Up and lemonade together, pour over ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with fresh watermelon.
Cocktails in the Hot Tub
Sipping on cold drinks while hot tubbing is wonderful, but a few tips that can increase your enjoyment and save you from some common mishaps:
- Always use plastic cups when drinking in or around a hot tub or pool.
- Hot water can accelerate dehydration, so limit alcohol consumption while in the hot tub. Try one of the delicious virgin drink recipes above!
- Fresh fruit and finger foods go great with each one of these drinks. Load up a plate with your favorites to enjoy!
