Top 10 summer cocktails to make at home
Celebrate warmer weather and long light evenings spent with friends by treating yourself to one of our carefully curated, simple and delicious summer cocktail recipes. All recipes make one drink. You’ll need a cocktail shaker and ice.
Summery tequila cocktails
1. Get a 70s vibe with a classic Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients
- 50 ml white tequila
- 100 ml orange juice - fresh is best
- 2 tablespoons Grenadine (pomegranate syrup)
- Orange slice/cherries on a cocktail stick to decorate
Instructions
- Add ice, tequila and orange juice to two tall glasses
- Pour the grenadine syrup over each glass – don’t stir - it will sink to the bottom creating the sunrise effect. Add garnishes as desired.
Make it a mocktail – swap tequila for lemonade.
2. Elderflower Margarita – a summer twist on an old favourite
Ingredients
- 60 ml tequila
- 35 ml St-Germain Elderflower Liquor
- 30 ml fresh lime juice juice, plus a slice for decorating
Instructions
- Add to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a small glass with a salted rim if desired (simply dip a moistened glass into salt) and decorate with a slice of lime
Fun summer rum cocktails
3. Strawberry daiquiri – seasonal, fruity and fresh
Ingredients
- 3 or 4 large strawberries plus more to decorate
- 2 tsp sugar
- 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp Bols strawberry liqueur
- 35ml white rum
Instructions
- Mash – or muddle- the ingredients together
- Add to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a small glass and decorate with the remaining strawberries.
Want it frozen? Watch this video on how to make strawberry daiquiri slush.
4. Dark and Stormy – despite the name this is a totally tropical punch
Ingredients
- 80g chopped pineapple
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- 50ml dark rum 100ml
- Fiery ginger beer
- Lime and pineapple slices for garnish
Instructions
- Mash – or muddle- all the ingredients except the ginger beer together
- Add to a tall glass, top up with ginger beer, stir and garnish.
Breezy easy summer champagne cocktails
5. The brilliant Bellini – so simple and so delicious
Ingredients
- 30 ml Peach juice
- 100 ml chilled champagne or prosecco
Instructions
- Add peach juice to a champagne glass
- Top with your choice of sparkling wine
6. The French 75 – so sophisticated as a sundowner!
Ingredients
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 50ml gin
- Sugar syrup to taste
- Chilled champagne or prosecco
Instructions
- Add the lemon juice, sugar syrup and gin to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a champagne glass and top with sparkling wine
Easy summer cocktails with gin
7. The Bramble – super-easy, but also sweet and pretty
Ingredients
- 25ml sugar syrup
- 25ml lemon juice
- 50ml gin
- 20 ml crème de mure - or cassis
- Fresh blackberries to garnish if you like.
Instructions
- Add the sugar syrup, lemon juice and gin to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a cocktail glass filled with more, preferably crushed, ice and top with crème de mure and blackberries.
8. The Gimlet – even easier, zesty and refreshing
Ingredients
- 75 ml gin
- 25 ml lime cordial
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a cocktail glass
Hot weather whisky cocktails
9. Think of whisky as wintery? This cool Mint Julep recipe will prove you wrong.
Ingredients
- 60ml bourbon
- About 8 mint leaves
- 5ml sugar
- Sparkling water
Instructions
- Muddle the bourbon, mint and sugar together in a glass
- Add ice and top with sparkling water to taste.
Brown Derby – another American classic for sipping at sunset
Ingredients
- 60 ml Bourbon
- 25 ml Grapefruit Juice
- 25ml runny honey
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
