There is nothing better than a refreshing drink in the summer. In the following lines, we will present you some recipe ideas for smoothies and cocktails without and with alcohol that are easy to make and great to savor..
Lemonade: the staple refreshing drink for any summer
There are few things more refreshing than a glass of lemonade, especially when it’s homemade. In fact, there are only two ingredients in the classic recipe: lemon, water, and if you like – sugar or honey. Lemonade is also the basis of almost all recipes for soft drinks and cocktails. We vary the ingredients, but we always finish the same way – adding lemon and ice cubes. In short, you will see that in the cocktail recipes that we have selected here, lemons are always present. Here’s why, we decided to start by reminding you of the classic lemonade recipe.
Depending on the desired taste, you can vary the number of lemons. If you add more, you will get a more concentrated and acidic taste. At the same time, it is always possible to add more water, sugar or honey (depending on individual preferences). Several people also add mint.
Depending on your taste, you can add different ingredients to the classic lemonade recipe to obtain an original refreshing drink. Here are some suggestions:
- mint
- fresh basilic
- rosemary
- thyme
- lavender
- ginger
- frozen blueberries
- strawberries, raspberries, cherries (frozen or fresh)
- apples, pears
- syrup
- alcohol (18+)
- and many others
How to make lemon syrup at home ?
The recipe for lemonade is simple: sugar (honey), water, lemon juice. Some people say the best way to make lemonade is to make lemon syrup first. For this we must heat the water and the sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved, then mix it with the lemon juice..
The proportions will vary depending on the taste and sweetness of your lemonade, as well as the acidity of the lemons chosen. When the latter are at the end of the season, they are less sour than the lemons at the start of the season. Meyer’s lemons * are sweeter than standard lemons, for example. Start with the proportions of 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of lemon juice. and adapt the quantities thereafter according to your preferences. If you are using Meyer * lemons, you will need less sugar, for example. The advantage of lemon syrup is that it can be kept longer in the fridge.
A refreshing drink from India: lassi and its summer version with lemon
Lassi is a classic Indian drink made from yogurt. Indeed, lassi is a drink used during religious ceremonies in India. We’ve found a light version of the classic yogurt and lemon recipe. A real treat for hot summer days !
Ingredients for 4-6 people:
- a natural yogurt
- 4 lemons (Meyer *)
- the zest of the 4 lemons
- 4-6 tablespoons of honey
- ice cubes (5-6)
In a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey and ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Adjust the sweetness to your liking with honey (or sugar), if desired. Serve and enjoy immediately !
*Meyer : In the basic recipe, its creator used Meyer lemons. These are the stars of winter, but sometimes hard to find. It is also possible to make the recipe with normal lemons. Indeed, Meyer lemons come from China. It represents a fruit obtained by crossing lemon and mandarin (orange), hence its less acidic and sweeter taste.
A refreshing lemonade drink with alcohol for adults (recipe 18+)
And if you want to add that your lemonade will be slightly alcoholic, then add a little alcohol of your choice: vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, champagne, white wine, cider… Anything you want! The quantity, here too, depends on your preferences, you can add just a few snacks or a little more. If you add alcohol, it is a must to put ice cubes after.
We have chosen an example recipe with champagne or white wine for 8 people.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar (or honey)
- 3 cups of water
- 1 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 bottle of champagne or sparkling wine (or another alcohol of your choice)
- Thin slices of lemon for garnish
- Fresh mint (optional)
Preperation
Put the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and let the sugar syrup cool..
In a bowl, combine the cooled sugar syrup with the lemon juice and the remaining 2 cups of water and mix well. Fill a champagne flute halfway with lemonade and the other half with champagne or wine. Garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh mint if desired. If you decide to use hard liquor instead of champagne or wine, you should add hard liquor first and then fill with lemonade. The amount of hard alcohol depends on your preferences.
Refreshing apple-based drinks: summer punch for adults
Everyone loves punch, especially in the summer. Perfect for a picnic or a summer night out with friends, punch is one of the easiest refreshing drinks to make..
We really liked this chilled apple punch recipe. This recipe can be made without or with alcohol.
Ingredients (for 8 people)
- 4 apples (small, quartered, cored and sliced)
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 4 cups of apple juice
- 4 cup soda (ginger)
- 750 ml of sparkling wine (or champagne or white wine)
- ice cubes
- fresh mint, basil, rosemary, thyme, lavender … (optional)
Preperation
Place the apples in a large punch bowl (or salad bowl) with the lemon slices and lemon juice. Add the apple juice then put the ice cubes. Then add the soda (with ginger) and sparkling wine or alcohol of your choice. If you don’t have ginger ale or are having trouble finding it, you can add regular soda. In short, the ingredients and quantities always depend on individual taste. Serve chilled and enjoy !
Watermelon-based refreshing drink ideas
Ah watermelon! This summer fruit is so juicy and delicious, it’s impossible not to love it. Watermelon is also perfect for making a wide variety of refreshing drinks and cocktails..
We have chosen a recipe that is easy to make, without or with alcohol.
Ingredients
- 1 watermelon
- 2-3 glasses of lemonade
- 1-2 glasses of water
- 1-2 glasses of vodka
- ice cubes
- lemon for garnish
Preperation
The first step is to remove the seeds from the watermelon and then cut it into cubes. Then, we put everything in a large bowl and mix! Here too, you choose the quantities of lemonade, water and vodka according to your tastes. It is also possible to make this recipe for refreshing non-alcoholic drinks. Serve chilled, share with friends and enjoy !
Sangria-inspired refreshing drink recipe
Is there anyone who does not know the famous Spanish refreshing cocktail – sangria? The latter is a real treat in summer. It is usually made from red wine. We offer you a sangria recipe with watermelon and white wine.
Ingredients for 6-8 people
- 4 cups of watermelon, cubed
- a bottle of white wine
- 50 ml of rum
- the juice of 4 lemons (green if desired)
- zest of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey
- lime slices and fresh mint for garnish
Preperation
In a blender, combine the watermelon, white wine, rum, lime juice and zest, and sugar until smooth. Garnish the glasses with lime slices. Serve chilled, share with friends and enjoy !
Refreshing drink ideas with cucumber
It’s impossible not to mention cucumber on our list of refreshing drinks and summer cocktails. This fruit is very juicy and allows the realization of many interesting recipes..
Ingredients
- medium-sized cucumber sliced
- a lemon or a lime
- 1 liter of sparkling water
- fresh mint
- sugar or honey
- 3 tablespoons of gin
Preperation
Put the mint, lime (or lemon), gin and sugar (or honey) in a shaker and mix. Add the cucumber slices to the shaker and shake vigorously. Pour the resulting mixture into a glass filled with ice and garnish with sparkling water. Stir, let stand for a few minutes for the flavors to improve. Serve chilled and enjoy !
Refreshing drink with cucumber, watermelon and dates
What if we combine cucumber and watermelon? The result is a delicious refreshing drink with vitamins. We offer you a cocktail recipe of cucumber, watermelon and dates representing a real vitamin bomb. It also has two versions: without or with alcohol.
Ingredients for 2 people
- 2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
- ½ medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
- 10-12 fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons of date syrup
- 2½ tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup of vodka or other alcohol of your choice
- sugar or honey (optional)
Preperation
Place the pitted dates in a large bowl. Cover them with very hot water and set aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the watermelon and cucumber. To make date syrup, start by pitting the dates. Then place the dates and 1½ cups of clean water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass jar and set aside. Put all the ingredients in the blender and mix. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the pulp. This step is a matter of choice. Some people like drinks with pulp. To finish, add the lime juice and vodka to the filtered juice mixture, stirring to combine. Fill the glasses with ice cubes and garnish with fresh mint.
Refreshing drink with cucumber and melon
It is said that fruit flavors generally blend well if they belong to the same botanical family. We then offer you a fresh and light summer cocktail recipe that works really well because it combines cucumber and melon, both belonging to the cucurbitaceae family..
Ingredients for 6 cocktails
- 2 cups peeled and chopped cucumber
- + 2 cups of melon
- lemon + lime
- 1 cup of honey (or sugar)
- ice cubes
- 100 ml of the gin or vodka (optional)
- fresh mint for garnish
Preperation
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients without the fresh mint and blend until smooth. Pour the drink into chilled glasses. Put on ice cubes and garnish with fresh mint.
Refreshing drink idea with strawberries
As we have already mentioned before, the basis of almost all cocktails is lemonade. This is also the case for the following refreshing drink recipe.
Ingredients for 8 people
- 2 limes (for a cup of juice)
- 15 medium-sized strawberries
- 3 glasses of sparkling water or soda
- a glass of gin
- 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar or honey
- fresh mint leaves for garnish
Preperation
In a large bowl, combine the sugar (or honey) and lime juice. Stir until the sugar (or honey) is dissolved. Add the sliced strawberries and mix gently. Fill the glasses with ice cubes, add the gin and sparkling water or soda. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve fresh, share and enjoy !
All the refreshing drink, smoothie and cocktail recipes presented here are indeed very easy to make. It’s also the best way to treat your guests with something new! So you have already chosen your favorite recipe ?
