Healthy Recipes Healthy Seasonal Recipes Healthy Summer Recipes Healthy Summer Drink Recipes 42 Refreshing Summer Drinks to Keep You Cool on a Hot Day By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 5, 2024 Close Photo: Photographer: Ryan Liebe, Food Stylist: Judy Kim; Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks Sip on one of these cold summer drinks to quench your thirst on a hot day. Whether you’re sitting inside to escape the sun or embracing the heat next to the water, we’ve got just what you need in this roundup. From cocktails like classic margaritas, spritzers and martinis, to seasonal juices, fun slushies and mocktails, you’ll be enjoying your favorite summer flavors like cucumber, cherry and more in these refreshing recipes. Chill out with a helping of our Whipped Frozen Lemonade and Watermelon & Peach Rosé Sangarita. Or, impress your guests (and yourself) with our stunning Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail. You’ll want to make these drinks every time you think of summer. 01 of 42 Whipped Frozen Lemonade Casey Barber Whipped frozen lemonade combines the creaminess of a milkshake with the thirst-quenching tanginess of freshly squeezed lemonade for an incredibly refreshing treat. And this simple frozen lemonade treat comes together with just four ingredients and a blender. You can use light coconut milk or refrigerated coconut milk in place of full-fat coconut milk, though the end result won't be as rich and creamy. View Recipe 02 of 42 Classic Negroni This brilliant red bittersweet cocktail was first created in Italy about a hundred years ago and remains a widely popular aperitif. Made with staple home bar bottles, the Negroni is a great cocktail to brighten up your happy hour. Don't have gin? Substitute bourbon or rye whiskey to make a classic boulevardier! View Recipe 03 of 42 Cucumber-Mint Spritzer Cucumbers and mint pair delightfully in this refreshing spritzer that's perfect for a summer afternoon on the porch. View Recipe 04 of 42 Blueberry Tom Collins The classic Tom Collins cocktail just got a bit of an upgrade! With a touch of sweet honey and lots fresh blueberries, this drink will have yours guests asking, "Tom who?" View Recipe 05 of 42 Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail Amy Traynor This strawberry-rhubarb honey shrub cocktail celebrates the arrival of spring with a tangy, refreshing gin cooler. The sweet-and-sour flavors of fresh strawberries and rhubarb are enhanced by honey in a quick-cooked shrub syrup. View Recipe 06 of 42 Strawberry-Hibiscus Agua Fresca Carson Downing This refreshing drink combines strawberries and water with lime juice for a balance of sweet and tart notes. Hibiscus powder adds vibrant color to this sweetened fruit-infused water popular throughout Mexico and South America. We skip straining the pureed fruit for a thicker drink, but you can opt to strain it if you prefer. To make an alcoholic agua fresca, try stirring 1 1/2 ounces of vodka or tequila into each serving. View Recipe 07 of 42 Ginger-Beet Juice Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser In this healthy ginger-beet juice recipe, we pack in vegetables by adding kale and a carrot, and sweeten with an orange and apple. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this beet juice recipe in the blender. View Recipe 08 of 42 Watermelon-&-Peach Rosé Sangarita Ryan Liebe Can't choose between sangria and a margarita? This big-batch cocktail is for you! We like the summertime combo of peaches and watermelon, but any ripe fruit that catches your eye will be delicious. View Recipe 09 of 42 Whipped Frozen Cantaloupe Creamsicle Got a lot of leftover cantaloupe? Don't worry about wasting it--just throw it in the freezer and you'll be ready for cool cantaloupe creamsicles whenever you get the craving. Frozen cantaloupe cubes make this blended treat refreshingly juicy, and when blended with milk or a nondairy alternative, you get a summery treat that's just sweet enough. View Recipe 10 of 42 Cantaloupe-Tarragon Agua Fresca Carson Downing With just five ingredients and five minutes, you can create a refreshing agua fresca, a drink popular throughout Mexico and South America. We blend cantaloupe and water with lime juice and tarragon for a flavorful beverage. We skip straining the fruit for a thicker drink, but you can strain it if you prefer. Try the agua fresca spiked by topping off each serving with a little sparkling wine. View Recipe 11 of 42 Whipped Frozen Cherry Limeade How can you possibly make whipped frozen limeade even more refreshing? Add tart cherry juice to the mix! This homemade slushie tastes like summer in a glass. Add a splash of half-and-half or your favorite nondairy creamer to give it a soft serve-style spin, or leave it plain to evoke an old-time cherry-lime rickey. And while bottled tart cherry juice is perfect for this drink, if you have fresh cherry juice from picking your own fruit, feel free to use it here! Either way, this homemade refresher will make your summer even sunnier. View Recipe 12 of 42 Beet Margaritas Drink your vegetables at happy hour with these beet margaritas, also known as "margabeetas." These cocktails get their gorgeous pink hue naturally from inherently sweet beet juice. You can buy the juice in the produce section of most grocery stores, or juice your own at home. View Recipe 13 of 42 Whipped Frozen Pink Lemonade Feeling in the pink? It's berry easy to bring a blush to your cheeks when you whip up this creamy frozen pink lemonade made with frozen strawberries. It's the perfect balance of tangy and sweet--a better-for-you indulgence that you can whip up quickly with homemade lemon simple syrup. Use your favorite neutral-flavored nondairy milk in this vegan treat, though almond milk and other nut milks will add a stronger nutty flavor than coconut milk or oat milk. View Recipe 14 of 42 Layered Strawberry-Mango Margaritas Swirl layers of red strawberry margarita with yellow mango margarita in this skinny frozen cocktail for a festive party drink that will wow your guests. It tastes just as good as a restaurant frozen margarita, without all the sugar! View Recipe 15 of 42 Tarragon Raspberry Shrub Spritzer Here, tangy raspberries and tarragon transform into a shrub--a sweet vinegar-based syrup that's been around since Colonial times. Mix into sparkling water for a refreshing sip. You'll make enough shrub to mix up 20 drinks. View Recipe 16 of 42 Watermelon Juice Clean and simple, it just takes a blender to whip up this DIY watermelon juice. You can enjoy this refreshing drink with no added sugar on its own, or jazz it up with one of our variations (see below). View Recipe 17 of 42 Sour Cherry Gin Fizz We've added a little red, white and blue to the classic gin fizz to create a summer cocktail that's perfect for Fourth of July celebrations or any other summer party. Sour cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants shown to reduce muscle soreness after workouts, and melatonin, which can help you sleep better. If you can't find them fresh, use frozen. Skip jarred or canned cherries to avoid added sugar. View Recipe 18 of 42 No-Sugar-Added Frozen Strawberry Piña Coladas Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Anna Kelly, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman This frozen strawberry piña colada is super fresh and fruity with just the right amount of sweetness for a cocktail. Use a pineapple-flavored rum that uses 100% juice to avoid excess added sugars like we do here. You can use store-bought frozen pineapple, or if you have a perfectly ripe fresh pineapple on your hands, you can cut and freeze it instead (reserve a few fresh spears for garnish). To freeze pineapple, peel off the skin with a sharp knife and slice the fruit into 1-inch chunks. Freeze in a single layer on a small baking sheet or large plate to prevent the pieces from sticking together. View Recipe 19 of 42 Smoky Tajín Margarita This easy margarita recipe is like vacation in a glass. A bit of the chile-lime seasoning Tajín on the rim of your glass contrasts with the sweet orange and agave. View Recipe 20 of 42 Peach Sangria You'll want to bring a pitcher of this white sangria to parties and potlucks all summer long. Fresh peaches look gorgeous in these delicious sparkling peach cocktails, but frozen peaches work too (and help keep your drink cool). View Recipe 21 of 42 Elderberry Sunset Cocktail This refreshing cocktail calls for elderberry syrup--if you've tried trendy St-Germain elderflower liqueur, which is made from the same plant, the flavor of elderberry syrup is somewhat similar but not as floral. Stock up on the syrup for this cocktail and for your health--research shows that it can help you recover from a cold faster. (One brand, Sambucol, is widely available in supermarket supplement sections.) View Recipe 22 of 42 Moscow Mule Mocktail Antonis Achilleos In this Moscow Mule mocktail, the slightly spicy flavor of ginger is balanced with fresh lime juice for a tart and refreshing drink. If you can't find ginger syrup in stores, you can easily make your own. View Recipe 23 of 42 Spicy Mango Margaritas Jacob Fox These margaritas get sweetness from mango nectar instead of simple syrup. The nectar adds a refreshingly tropical flavor that pairs nicely with muddled jalapeño and the spicy seasoning along the rim of each glass. View Recipe 24 of 42 Whipped Frozen Limeade This whipped frozen limeade is a blast from the past--but much better for you! It's got the nostalgic taste of a lemon-lime slushie, and this time it's made with real lime juice and fresh, homemade syrup. Just a splash of dairy is enough to evoke the creaminess of vanilla soft serve mixed with the cool and tangy iced slush. Or use coconut milk creamer for a tropical twist. View Recipe 25 of 42 Watermelon-Basil Agua Fresca Carson Downing Sweetened fruit-infused water popular throughout Mexico and South America, this refreshing drink blends watermelon and water with lime juice and basil for even more flavor. The fruit for agua fresca is pureed and can be strained, but we skip the latter step for a thicker drink. Try it spiked by stirring 1 1/2 ounces gin or vodka into each serving. View Recipe 26 of 42 Gin & Blackberry Spritz Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D. This "berry" fresh spritzer is light and satisfying and really can be enjoyed year-round. It gets its beautiful color from muddled blackberries and its kick from gin (or vodka). Top it off with a little soda water and there you have it! We intentionally kept the added sugar out of this cocktail, but if you want a little sweetness, stir in some honey. View Recipe 27 of 42 Whipped Blueberry Lemonade Rachel Marek This whipped blueberry lemonade whirls coconut milk, lemon-infused simple syrup and fresh blueberries together into one thirst-quenching beverage perfect for a hot summer day. Keep the extra simple syrup on hand to whip up another batch of lemonade, or combine it with lemon-flavored seltzer and a splash of vodka for a light cocktail. To keep this drink extra cool, serve it over ice cubes. View Recipe 28 of 42 Grape-Pineapple Mint Fizz The sweet flavors of grape and pineapple fuse with fresh mint in this quick and tasty summer drink. View Recipe 29 of 42 Fresh Mint Mojito Cocktail Fresh mint and zesty lime combine to create a flavor base for this classic rum cocktail. We use superfine sugar to ensure it all dissolves for the smoothest refreshing mojito. View Recipe 30 of 42 Color-Changing Lemonade Slushies Kids and adults alike will be wowed watching this delicious slush turn from blue to pink and purple in an instant. The magical concoction is made with natural blue tea and refreshing lemonade for a fun science experiment that's tasty too. Perfect for your child's birthday party! (Adults may enjoy spiking their drink with a little vodka or gin.) View Recipe 31 of 42 Whipped Frozen Creamsicle For those of you who always loved to run to the curb to buy a little bit of summer on a stick, this drink is right up your alley. The secret to the straight-from-the-ice-cream truck taste of this creamy frozen treat? Double the fruit! A little bit of frozen mango helps thicken the drink naturally in the blender while boosting the juicy flavor of fresh orange juice. Unsweetened vanilla coconut milk brings just a hint of sweetness while keeping this added-sugar-free and vegan. You could also use a sweetened coconut milk if you prefer a little more sweetness. Enjoy this refreshing and nostalgic drink on its own, or add a splash of your favorite vodka or rum for a summer happy hour indulgence. P.S.: Unlike the ice cream version, this one travels well in an insulated cup if you want to take it poolside! View Recipe 32 of 42 Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri You'll feel like you're on a tropical getaway with this refreshing strawberry-coconut cocktail. To keep it cool in warmer weather, freeze fresh berries for 30 minutes before blending. Variation: For a nonalcoholic version, omit the rum and add 1/2 cup additional strawberries. View Recipe 33 of 42 Frozen Peach Margaritas Enjoy sweet peach flavor anytime of year with this skinny frozen margarita. It tastes just like a restaurant version, but with less sugar, for an easy cocktail you will actually want to make at home. View Recipe 34 of 42 Blackberry Margarita Fred Hardy This vibrant blackberry margarita is filled with fresh berry flavor. Pureeing the fresh blackberries with a little jam gives the drink additional sweetness without having to make a simple syrup. Diluting with the lime-flavored sparkling water adds a nice effervescence. View Recipe 35 of 42 Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca (Agua de Melon Verde) We've knocked back the sugar quite a bit in this healthier Mexican agua fresca recipe. This refreshing drink is often a way that Mexicans use up their leftover fruit, so feel free to use this technique with whatever fruit you have, especially other melons and tropical fruits like pineapple and mango. View Recipe 36 of 42 Red Sangria This fruity red sangria is just like what you would get in a restaurant. It's easy to make with just five ingredients. A big batch is perfect for parties--or any night on the patio. View Recipe 37 of 42 Frozen Tiramisu Espresso Martini Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith , Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle These frozen espresso martinis draw inspiration from tiramisu, a popular Italian dessert. Here, coffee and espresso are used to create the frozen drink while mascarpone combines with cream to create a light, fluffy topping. Whip the cream until it’s just thickened, but doesn’t form soft peaks, or the mixture will be too firm to drink. Finish the drinks with a dusting of cocoa powder to mimic the iconic look of the dessert. View Recipe 38 of 42 Cucumber Juice Victor Protasio This beautiful bright green cucumber juice is packed with fresh cucumber flavor. Coconut water and apple add natural sweetness to this refreshing drink. View Recipe 39 of 42 Frozen Watermelon Margarita Jen Causey This frozen watermelon margarita is refreshingly balanced with sweet watermelon and tart lime juice. Seasoning around the rim offers a little heat. Feel free to swap out the watermelon for cantaloupe or honeydew for a different take. View Recipe 40 of 42 The Best Pomegranate Martini You’ll Ever Have Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This fruity, tart pomegranate martini is light and bright with a subtle hint of citrus from orange blossom water—an ingredient with Middle Eastern roots that gets its floral, citrus scent from the essence of bitter orange petals. You can substitute the orange blossom water with 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest if you prefer. View Recipe 41 of 42 Hurricane Cocktail Jennifer Causey This hurricane cocktail is refreshing with less sugar and calories than the original. The fruit-forward flavor is amplified by passion fruit-flavored sparkling water, which adds effervescence and a sweet floral finish. Serve this drink for Mardi Gras or anytime you want a fruity cocktail. View Recipe 42 of 42 Piña Colada in a Pineapple This classic piña colada is served in a fun and festive pineapple bowl! For the pineapple juice called for in this recipe, you can use store-bought unsweetened pineapple juice or, better yet, extract juice by mashing the pineapple flesh that you remove from the inside of the pineapple. For a thicker drink, you can also add some of the pineapple flesh to the blender when you're mixing up the drink. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit