Summer Drink Recipes (2024)

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Beat the summer heat with any of these delicious summer drink recipes! Serve these flavored drinks at BBQ’s and parties, or cool off with a refreshing fruit smoothie.

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Beat the Heat

I’ve never been the kind of person to make a trip to a soda shop every day to pick up a drink, but as soon as the weather starts warming up here in Arizona, I immediately start craving refreshing drinks.

Sometimes I just want something cold and fruity to cool me off in the summer heat, and other times I get a hankering for a smoothie in place of a meal.

Today, I have a collection of all of the best summer drink recipes, which include both flavored drinks—great for serving at parties and backyard barbecues—as well as some smoothies that are light and refreshing.

Serving Summer Drinks

Before I get into the summer drink info, I wanted to share this link to a Lemonade Stand Lo made for me years ago. Not only can your kids have fun serving lemonade, but any cold drink will be sold out on a hot summer day.

Another post I wanted to share is for a Beverage Station that Lo made for me. It’s an easy fun place to put bottled water, juice boxes and soda cans when hosting a BBQ, picnic or party.

You’ll notice that the top buckets are holding napkins and other paper goods, but you could easily put paper umbrellas in one, lemon wedges in another and cups in the third. Place a small table with a beverage dispenser filled with a refreshing homemade drink next to the “beverage station”.

Additional Serving Ideas

There are so many ways you can serve your drinks. Here are few fun ways you can spruce up the juice:

• Decoration: Create alcohol-free summer co*cktail recipes, and have fun straws and paper umbrellas.
• Cups: Use cool drink cups like mason jars, or garnish the glasses with a rim of sugar. You’ll need a bowl of lemon or lime juice and a bowl of sugar. Dip the rim of the glass in the juice, then into the sugar. Let dry.
• Carbonation: though it can take several hours for carbonation to completely fizzle out, it’s best not to mix up carbonated drinks too soon.
• Cream: Add a scoop of ice cream.
• Citrus: Add a spritz of lemon juice or fresh lime juice with the wedge on the rim of the cup.
• Herbs: Garnish with some herbs like fresh basil or mint.
• Fruit: Use fresh cut fruit, berries, or even sliced cucumber in the beverage dispenser.

Fruits perfect to add to summertime drinks

Like we mentioned above, fruit can be added to the beverage dispenser for looks and a bit of added flavor, or you can use it to garnish the individual cups. Here are some ideas:

• Wedge of coconut or pineapple
• Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
• Maraschino cherries
• Sliced oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit
• Melon wedges or balls

Make your own homemade popsicles

Freeze leftover juice into popsicles or make slushies. To make a slushie you’ll need the leftover drink, 2 large plastic ziploc bags, ice and rock salt.

1. Pour the drink into one bag and add the ice and salt into the second bag.
2. Insert the drink bag into the ice bag.
3. Shake the bags for several minutes until the drink become slush
4. You may need to wear oven mitts or gloves as the ice bag gets pretty cold.

How to transport drinks and keep them cool

When transporting, avoid filling punch bowls and pitchers with the beverage. Many of them don’t have secure lids and you don’t want it spilling out in your car or cooler.

Save empty water jugs to fill with punch or fill large insulated beverage coolers with the punch. Once you’re ready to serve the punch, pour it into serving pitchers and bowls.

To keep them cool outside, here are some suggestions:

• Make extra juice and freeze it into ice cubes or ice blocks. That way you can have a cold drink without worrying that the melting ice will dilute the punch.
• Chill extra punch in the fridge or in a cooler. Fill the beverage dispenser as needed.
• Instead of adding ice cubes, use frozen fruit.

our go-to Summer Drink recipes

These summer drinks are all favorites! Fortunately, they’re all simple too. We hope you love them!

Ocean Water

Copycat Sonic Ocean Water – so easy to make and so refreshing! It’s perfect for parties or a hot summer day and is made with water, sugar, coconut extract, Sprite and food coloring.

Orange Julius

Refreshing & simple Orange Julius takes a minute to make and tastes just like the real thing. It is a favorite family treat!

Pineapple Pink Lemonade Soda

All-time favorite party drink – this pink drink recipe (Aka Baby Shower Punch) takes a minute to make and is made with 3 ingredients including – pink lemonade dry mix, Sprite, & pineapple juice!

Watermelon Juice

Delicious and refreshing watermelon juice is a favorite drink in the summertime! It takes minutes to make and is perfect for fruit lovers.

Homemade Lemonade

Refreshing homemade lemonade is made with a simple syrup for the perfect sweet-to-tart ratio. It is perfect for warm summer days, or any day!

Mint Julep

Disneyland’s Copycat Mint Julep Recipe – A non-alcoholic drink that is refreshing and DELICIOUS!! Made with lemonade concentrate, Creme De Menthe Syrup, lime juice, sugar, and club soda – topped with mint leaves and cherries!

Copycat Sonic Cherry Limeade

Delicious copycat recipe for Sonic’s Cherry Limeade! Ingredients include 7-Up, cherries, a lime, and maraschino syrup. This simple recipe tastes just like the real thing.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

Frozen strawberry lemonade takes minutes to make. With a pop of pineapple, it’s a refreshingly tasty summertime drink!

Best Strawberry Lemonade

The BEST strawberry lemonade filled with chunks of your favorite fruit including strawberries, pineapple, mangos, cantaloupe and watermelon!

The Best Homemade Lemonade Recipe

The best homemade lemonade recipe includes sprite, or ginger ale, and pineapple juice for an extra flavorful twist. It is deliciously refreshing!!

Patriotic Drink

This layered patriotic drink is pure magic! It’s not difficult to make, all it takes is Hawaiian Punch, blue Gatorade, and Sprite Zero.

Horchata

A creamy, refreshing, cinnamon flavored drink that will knock your socks off with flavor! It’s festive and perfect for any occasion.

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple drink is one of the classics, and perfect for year round enjoyment! Its sweetness and pretty red color make it a great party drink.

refreshing summer smoothies

Smoothies are more than just delicious, they’re an easy way to sneak in more fruits into your diet and who doesn’t need that during swimsuit season?! These fruit smoothies are sure to please even the pickiest members of your family!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This strawberry banana smoothie is delicious and made quickly in the blender with ingredients you probably have on hand – bananas, strawberries, yogurt and milk!

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Simple & quick banana smoothie with a splash of pineapple is a family favorite!! It’s a perfect meal or a refreshing snack.

Aloha Tropical Smoothie

This easy one minute aloha tropical smoothie has just 6 simple ingredients with tropical goodness in every sip! Just blend and enjoy!

Peach Smoothie

A peach smoothie has the most deliciously bright flavor. With a pop of orange, you’ve got the perfect breakfast or lunch!

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

5 minute strawberry cheesecake smoothie is a thick and delicious drink filled with all the flavors of a strawberry cheesecake!

Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie

Strawberry blueberry smoothie is quick, delicious and so refreshing. With only 4 ingredients, it makes for a healthy meal or snack!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Salty & sweet peanut butter banana smoothie makes a satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack. It’s a perfect combination of flavors!

Peach Mango Smoothie

A tasty 5-ingredient smoothie, perfect for breakfast or a cool refreshing drink on a hot summer day. With peaches, mangos, peach yogurt, and orange peach mango juice, the flavor is undeniably delicious!

Fruit Smoothie

A fresh and tasty easy fruit smoothie that takes minutes to make. It is filled with kiwi, banana, blueberries, strawberries and more!!

Watermelon Smoothie

Naturally sweetened watermelon smoothie is refreshing and under 100 calories! It’s the perfect healthy treat to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Kale Smoothie

Let’s lighten things up this month with this fresh kale smoothie! It’s packed with delicious healthy ingredients that will make you feel energized all day long.

Orange Juice Smoothie

Best-loved orange juice smoothie using Florida Orange Juice is super tasty. The kids LOVE the taste of oranges & strawberries!

Best Green Smoothie

This quick and easy 5 minute best green smoothie recipe is fresh and YUMMY! It is filled with fruit goodness & vitamin-rich spinach.

Enjoy these Refreshing Summer Drinks!

Whether you’re looking for the perfect drink to serve at a summer BBQ, pool party or just to enjoy as a special treat – you’re sure to find several drink recipes you’ll want to try!

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