12 Irresistible Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat

Check out some of our favorite fruity summer drink recipes — we've included both cocktails and mocktails so everyone can join in on the fun. Mix these refreshing cocktails, coolers, punches, infused waters and more up for your next picnic or poolside gathering, and watch them go quickly.

Summer Sangria

This easy sangria is a fabulous way to enjoy some of summer’s tastiest bounty, cherries and plums, although frozen fruit also works wonderfully if you’re making the beverage out of season.

Blueberry Summer Refresher

Add as much or as little sparkling water as you like to this blueberry and mint thirst quencher.

Fresh Cherry Limeade

Made with sweet, juicy cherries and tart lime juice, this icy refresher is hard to resist on hot summer days.

Mango-Sake Sling

Sake, a Japanese rice wine, makes its way from the sushi bar cocktail menu to your summer barbecue via this spirited sparkling cocktail. For a frothy, slushy consistency, start with cubes of frozen mango and frozen cherries. Once blended with the sake and lime juice and topped off with sparkling water, it will be one of the most revitalizing drinks you’ll slurp up all season.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

This light, refreshing drink popularized in Mexico, is a terrific thirst quencher on a hot summer day. The trick to making agua fresca (Spanish for “fresh water”) is to infuse the water with fruit essence without turning it into a smoothie or a slushy drink.

Blueberry-Herb Lemonade Punch

Make this refreshing and simple summer punch with tangy prepared lemonade or limeade and a mixture of crushed blueberries and fresh herbs. Personalize with your favorite flavors — we love raspberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary, too.

Strawberry-Lemon Soda

For the kids, the non-drinkers or for between cocktails, have a batch of this easy Strawberry-Lemon Soda at the ready. Start by blending up a semi-homemade strawberry lemonade, then stir in sparkling water and fresh mint leaves to add even more cool, celebratory vibes.

Pink Wine Punch

Just as fitting at a special-occasion brunch as at a casual backyard barbecue, this punch gets prettied up by an ice ring studded with colorful grapes and balls of honeydew, watermelon and cantaloupe. It’s a flavorful fix to keep the white wine and blood orange Italian soda blend nicely on ice for hours.

Tip: Make it a mocktail! Instead of a bottle of white wine, trade in an equal amount of sparkling white grape juice.

Strawberry-Watermelon Water with Basil

Inspired by the idea of “nose-to-tail eating,” we’ve devised a clever way to use the trimmings from summer’s fresh fruits and vegetables — transform them into refreshing flavored waters! Drink in the flavors of the season with this light and sweet infused water while staying cool and hydrated.

Mango Mocktail

Don’t be fooled: While this mocktail looks like a carrot, it tastes like tropical fruit. Memorize this three-ingredient mocktail recipe and you’ll never be more than minutes away from a pretty party drink for kids and adults alike. Spoon fresh mango purée into the bottom of each cup, top with tangerine soda (or any other nonalcoholic citrus sparkling beverage you like) and finish with fresh mint.

Fruity Soda Pop

Jonesing for juice but want something a little less sweet? Stretch it with some sparkling water and your favorite fresh fruit. We’re fond of fruit pairings like apple juice + lime slices, grape juice + blackberries, cranberry juice + cherries, and orange juice + papaya cubes.

Mango Mimosas

Beautify your brunch with a platter of pretty prosecco mimosas. Besides the sparkling wine, the only other ingredient in this no-recipe recipe is puréed diced mango. To preserve the fizz, pour as guests arrive rather than prepping ahead.