Simple Summer Cocktail Recipes

Summer is the perfect time to get creative with your cocktail recipes. People love a fun, Instagram-able drink and these ideas are sure to be a hit at your next party, cookout, or girl’s night. There’s nothing like an ice water or a cold lemonade on a hot summer day, but sometimes you just need to sit back and enjoy the warm weather with a delicious, boozy drink. These cocktails will both refresh and impress!

Thai-Basil Sangria

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
8 Thai basil sprigs
Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in 3-inch strips
Zest of 1 orange, peeled in 3-inch strips
2 bottles Pinot Grigio, chilled
3/4 cup Brandy
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, strained
Ice
Chilled club soda
12 thin orange slices, for garnish

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the basil sprigs and lemon and orange zests. Let the syrup stand, stirring often, until cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs and zest strips.
In a large pitcher, combine the basil syrup with the wine, brandy and orange juice. Pour the sangria into ice-filled glasses, top with club soda and garnish each drink with an orange slice.

Spicy Jalapeño Margarita

Ingredients

Kosher salt and a lime wedge to rim the glass
Ice
2 ounces silver tequila
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons light agave nectar
1/4 to 1/2 jalapeno pepper — cut into thin, round slices (use more for more spice)
Lime wedges and additional jalapeno slices for serving

Instructions

Rim the glass: Pour a thin layer of salt onto a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the top edge of your glass to moisten it, then dip the glass into the salt so that it sticks, tapping all the way around. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
Fill a small cocktail shaker with additional ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, agave, and jalapeno slices. Tightly close and shake vigorously for 30 seconds (it's longer than you think). Strain into the rimmed glass. Enjoy immediately, garnished with lime wedges and additional jalapeno slices.

Watermelon Fizz

Ingredients

4 cups watermelon, diced
2 limes
1 1/3 cup Ginger Ale
A few chunks of watermelon frozen, for garnish
lime wedges, for garnish
3 oz Gin

Instructions

Puree the 4 cups of watermelon in a food processor or blender. Pour through a strainer. You should have about 1 cup of watermelon juice. Fill each cup with ice. Pour about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of watermelon juice over the ice. Into each glass squeeze the juice of one lime. If using Gin, add 1 1/2 oz to each glass. Pour in 2/3 cup of Ginger Ale, and stir. Garnish with frozen watermelon, and a lime wedge.