15 Cool Summer Drinks
Strawberry and Mango Smoothies [1]
A little bit of honey sweetens a refreshing mixture of strawberries, mango, banana, and pineapple or orange juice in this easy blender drink.
Honeyed Lemonade Tea Punch [5]
Using Darjeeling tea imparts floral notes beyond what you find in ordinary black tea, which makes it a more interesting base for this refreshing, honey-laced drink. Keep the punch virgin, or add a tablespoon of vodka, gin or bourbon to each glass.
Honeyed Lemonade Tea Punch [6]
Watermelon Lemonade [9]
Here's a new take on a summer staple, lemonade. Combine homemade lemon syrup with watermelon juice and serve with fun Kiwi Cubes or Watermelon Cubes (or with regular ice cubes). You can also use the watermelon-lemonade mix as the base for a Watermelon Martini.
Watermelon Lemonade [10]
Green Tea Soda [13]
Brew this refreshing summer drink with green, ginkgo or ginseng tea mixed with honey. When the liquid cools, stir in your choice of fruit juices, such as orange or tangerine and lemon or lime. Add assorted fresh fruit and plain or flavored sparkling water just before serving.
Green Tea Soda [14]
Sparkling Berry Lemonade [17]
Club soda adds pizzazz to this bright, colorful berry lemonade. Based on frozen lemonade concentrate, it goes together quickly for a party.
Caribbean Milk Shake [21]
This super-easy recipe comes from Ferrin's Fruit Winery in Carmel, Indiana. Ferrin's uses its award-winning Tropical Breeze wine for the pina colada-like summer shake, but we substituted a wine cooler for those who can't stop at the winery.
Caribbean Milk Shake [22]
Spiced Coffee and Cream Sipper [25]
Blend spiced coffee with chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla or coffee ice cream for a smooth drink that's served like a milk shake. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate curls, a sprinkle of cocoa powder or a chocolate-covered espresso bean.
Mint Lemonade [29]
Mix mint syrup with fresh lemon and lime juice for this zesty lemonade alternative. Our recipe also tells you how to use the blend to make Fizzy Frisky Whiskey.
Mint Lemonade [30]
Sunrise Smoothie [33]
It's no wonder people love smoothies. Not only are they great-tasting, but they're good for you, too. Try this one with a sliced strawberry garnish.
Sunrise Smoothie [34]
Iced Cocoa [37]
You don't have to set aside hot cocoa comfort in the summer just because the temperature climbs. We mixed up a cocoa concentrate, then added ice, flavorings and whipped topping or ice cream to create a comfort cooler.
Iced Cocoa [38]
Summer Fruit Daiquiris [41]
Choose from peaches or strawberries and rum or orange juice for this chiller. Then rev up your blender. Our recipe includes variations with and without alcohol.
Mocha Floats [45]
The coffee-chocolate blend in this drink is refreshingly cool, especially when topped with scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream. The amounts we give will make about 10 individual floats.
Mocha Floats [46]
Lemon-Orange Shakeups [49]
This quick-fix summer soother is a simple but refreshing blend of lemon juice, orange juice, sugar and water. Just shake and serve!
Cherry-Berry Smoothie [53]
This quick-and-easy blender drink, from the Michigan Cherry Committee, combines cherries, milk, yogurt, blueberries or raspberries, juice concentrate, honey and vanilla.
Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade [57]
The recipe for this party-perfect homemade lemonade includes mint, raspberry and ginger variations. You can also add 2-3 tablespoons of vodka, gin, rum or tequila, if you like. A festive way to serve the lemonade is over fruit and colorful edible flowers frozen in ice cubes.
Another great recipe for a party is Homemade Ginger Ale Summer Sodas, made with a ginger syrup base.