Keep Cool This Summer with 35 Non-Alcoholic Beverage Ideas

Beat the heat with these amazing non alcoholic summer drinks!

These inventive recipes will keep you and your guests happily hydrated, whether you’re relaxing by the pool or hosting a lively backyard gathering. Each sip promises a burst of invigorating flavors, ensuring a refreshing and enjoyable summer experience.

Ultra-Flavorful Fresh Lemonade

You could make lemonade by simply mixing lemon juice, water, and sugar, but you’d be missing out. A better choice is to macerate lemon rinds in sugar to make an intensely aromatic syrup, then to mix that with the juice and water. Maceration brings the flavorful essential oils out of the rinds, making for a more complex lemonade.

Prep: 25 mins
Active: 30 mins
Macerating Time: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
Serves: 6 to 8
Makes: 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.3kg) lemons (10 to 14 medium lemons)
14 ounces sugar (2 cups; 400g)
24 ounces cold water (3 cups; 700ml)

Directions

Bring lemons to room temperature, then roll firmly against the counter to soften their rinds. Halve and juice; pour juice into a sealable container and refrigerate. Cut rinds into 1-inch chunks. Toss with sugar in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let stand at room temperature, stirring once every 45 minutes or so, until sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 hours. (You can let the mixture stand up to 12 hours, if desired.)
Add water and 8 ounces (1 cup) of reserved lemon juice (see note). Stir well, then strain through a nonreactive fine-mesh strainer or piece of cheesecloth into a glass or ceramic container. At this point, the concentrated lemonade can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
When ready to serve, pour lemonade over ice and adjust to taste with additional water or lemon juice, depending on personal preference; bear in mind, though, that the lemonade will be diluted as the ice melts. (You will likely have some fresh lemon juice left over, which can be reserved for another use, though exactly how much you have will depend on how much you added to adjust the lemonade.)

The Best Iced Tea

Chilling hot-brewed iced tea makes for a drink that’s muddy and bitter. Southern-style sun tea tastes better, but leaving the tea in the sun holds it at a temperature that bacteria love. It turns out the safest, most effective method for brewing iced tea is also the simplest—just cold-steep whatever tea you’d like in the fridge for about five hours, then strain and serve.

Prep: 5 mins
Active: 2 mins
Steeping Time: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 5 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 quart (1L) water (see notes)
4 tea bags, or 1 tablespoon (8 to 10g) loose tea

Directions

Add water and tea bags or loose tea to a resealable container. Seal and refrigerate 5 hours (see notes).
Remove tea bags (or strain with a fine-mesh strainer to remove loose tea). Serve over ice.

The Best Arnold Palmer

If you were to mix our ultra-flavorful fresh lemonade and best iced tea you’d already have a tasty Arnold Palmer, but we can do even better. The water in the lemonade just dilutes the flavors, so we skip it and just mix the lemon juice and syrup directly into the tea. It makes for a strong drink, but pour it over a glass of ice and it’ll be perfect.

Prep: 3 hrs 30 mins
Active: 35 mins
Total: 3 hrs 30 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.3kg) lemons (10 to 14 medium lemons)
14 ounces sugar (2 cups; 400g)
4 cups cold-brewed black tea

Directions

Bring lemons to room temperature, then roll firmly against the counter to soften their rinds. Halve and juice; pour juice into a sealable container and refrigerate. Cut rinds into 1-inch chunks. Toss with sugar in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let stand at room temperature, stirring once every 45 minutes or so, until sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 hours. (You can let the mixture stand up to 12 hours, if desired.)
Add 8 ounces (1 cup) of reserved lemon juice to rind mixture. Stir well, then strain through a nonreactive fine-mesh strainer or piece of cheesecloth into a glass or ceramic container; discard rinds. At this point, the concentrated lemonade can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
When ready to serve, pour concentrated lemonade and cold-brewed tea into a pitcher and stir. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Ultra-Flavorful Fresh Limeade

The exact same technique we use for our lemonade works just as well for limeade—macerate the rinds in sugar, strain, then mix the syrup with water and lime juice. You can macerate the limes in just a couple hours or let them sit as long as 12—any longer and the syrup will start to taste unpleasantly bitter.

Prep:20 mins
Active: 30 mins
Resting Time: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 20 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.3kg) limes (12 to 16 medium limes)
14 ounces sugar (2 cups; 400g)
24 ounces cold water (3 cups; 700ml)

Directions

Bring limes to room temperature, then roll firmly against the counter to soften their rinds. Halve and juice; set juice aside. Cut rinds into 1-inch chunks. Toss with sugar in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let stand at room temperature, stirring once every 45 minutes or so, until sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 hours. (You can let the mixture stand up to 12 hours, if desired.)
Add water and 6 ounces (3/4 cup; 180ml) of reserved lime juice. Stir well, then strain through a nonreactive fine-mesh strainer or piece of cheesecloth into a glass or ceramic container. At this point, the concentrated limeade can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
When ready to serve, pour limeade over ice and adjust to taste with additional water or lime juice, depending on personal preference; bear in mind, though, that the limeade will be diluted as the ice melts. (You will likely have some fresh lime juice left over, which can be reserved for another use, though exactly how much you have will depend on how much you added to adjust the limeade.)

Mango Iced Tea Recipe

Making your own flavored iced tea recipe is easy once you learn how to make a fruit flavored simple syrup. Mango Iced Tea is a great way to cool off in the summer heat.

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 large ripe mangos (peeled and diced)
10 tea bags regular black or green tea bags
6 cups water

Instructions

Make Mango Syrup

Place the mango, sugar, and water into a saucepan. Heat on low until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes occasionally mashing the mango pieces with a potato masher. and remove from the heat.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperate.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
Bottle and refrigerate for up to a week.

To make a glass of Mango Iced Tea

Fill a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Place ten regular size black or green tea bags into the boiling water. Boil 1 minute and remove the pot from the heat.
Allow to steep and cool slightly for 5 minutes.
Fill a half-gallon pitcher with ice cubes. Pour the tea over the ice.
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Pour about 4 tablespoons of mango syrup into the glass. Fill with freshly brewed tea and enjoy.
Garnish with lemon or lime slices and a sprig of mint.

Watermelon Juice

This easy watermelon juice recipe is perfect for hot summer days. Made with just 3 ingredients (and no added sugar!), it’s cool, delicious, and refreshing.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Serves 6

Ingredients

8 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ginger juice
Sparkling water, optional
Fresh mint, optional, for garnish

Instructions

Place the watermelon cubes in a blender and blend.
Place a nut milk bag or a few layers of cheesecloth over a large bowl and strain the juice.
Transfer to a pitcher and stir in the lime juice and ginger juice. Serve with sparkling water and garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

Floral Ginger Rose Fizz

Floral Ginger Rose Fizz – a gorgeous, spicy and floral mocktail made with rose syrup, lemon juice, ginger and club soda! Perfect for summer celebrations.

Total: 3 mins
1 serving

Ingredients:

2 fl oz vanilla rose syrup or rose syrup
1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice strained
1 fl oz fresh ginger juice
Club soda to top
Edible flowers and ice to serve

Instructions:

Place the ice in a serving glass.
Pour the rose syrup, lemon juice, and ginger juice over the ice.
Top up with cold club soda. Serve with edible flowers (optional).

Refreshing Mango Lassi

Tangy and sweet Mango Lassi is a delicious summer treat! So refreshing, and easy to make too. And you can use fresh, frozen, or canned mangoes to make this drink.

Ingredients:

400 g fresh mango, about 3 – 4 mangoes, depending on the size. Preferably chilled. Frozen is fine too.
200 – 250 g full fat yogurt, chilled (greek yogurt is fine too).
¼ tsp ground cardamom, adjust to your taste
¼ tsp sea salt, I use ½ tsp because I like this drink to be a touch salty
Sugar to taste
Water or milk to dilute, I prefer water

Instructions:

Peel and cut the mangoes into chunks.
Place the mango chunks and yogurt in a blender, and blend until smooth. Depending on your blender, you may need to blend the mango chunks first before adding the yogurt.
Add the cardamom and salt, and about 2 tbsp sugar, and blend again.
Taste and add more sugar to taste.
Add enough water to dilute the mixture into a pourable but thick consistency (thinner than a smoothie).
Refrigerate the mango lassi until chilled.
Serve as is, or with a sprinkle of cardamom on top.

Ginger Limeade

Refreshing ginger limeade syrup that is sweet and spicy, and perfect for summer weather!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 15

Ingredients:

1.5 cups fresh lime juice, I use about 10 -12 limes, but this may vary
3 oz fresh ginger, roughly chopped
3 tbsp water (for the ginger)
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
Pinch of salt
3 cups of ice cold soda water or water to dilute

Instructions:

Place the 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer. Once all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup starts to boil, set it aside to cool.
Place the 3 oz fresh ginger and 1 tbsp water (upto 3 tbsp) in a mini processor, and pulse until well blended and pureed. Strain the ginger juice through a sieve, pressing down on the pulp to get the most out of the ginger. Set aside ¼ cup of this ginger juice.
Alternatively, if you have a juicer, juice enough ginger to get 3 tbsp of pure ginger juice.
Mix the ginger and salt with the 1.5 cups of lime juice. Add up to 1 – 1.5 cups of sugar syrup to sweeten the ginger lime juice (change the amount of sugar you add according to your tastes).
Pour into a clean bottle/jar with a closeable cap and leave in the fridge to chill until needed.

Blood Orange Float

This Blood Orange Float is creamy, citrusy, sweet and refreshing! A delicious dessert drink that’ll be a favorite for both kids and adults alike.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Cooling: 1 hour
Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Blood Orange Syrup

1 ½ cups freshly squeezed blood orange juice
100 g sugar, ½ cup
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out, plus the empty pod OR 2 tsp good vanilla extract

Blood Orange Float

4 scoops vanilla ice cream, about 2 cups
1 recipe blood orange syrup, recipe above
Soda water to top

Instructions:

Blood Orange Syrup

Place all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan (if you’re using vanilla extract, do not add this at the beginning. This will be added at the end).
Heat over medium heat while whisking frequently to completely dissolve the sugar.
Simmer the syrup for a few minutes in order to reduce it to yield 1 cup of blood orange syrup.
If you’re using vanilla extract, add the extract after the syrup has been reduced. Mix to combine and let the syrup cool down to room temperature. Remove the vanilla bean pod and store in the fridge until needed.

Blood Orange Float

In 4 large mugs or glasses (1.5 – 2 cup capacity), add ¼ cup of blood orange syrup to each glass, followed by a generous scoop of ice cream.
Top with soda water and serve with a spoon and straw. Enjoy!

Healthy Cold-brewed Green Iced Tea

This healthy iced green tea contains no added sugar and counts as one portion of fruit and vegetables. Delicious and refreshing.

Prep: 5 minutes
Servings: 2 glasses

Ingredients

Japanese green tea – 1/2 or one tea bag
2 carrots
2 apples
2 oranges – peeled

Instructions

Fill a large glass with water, add the tea and leave to cold brew in the fridge overnight. In the morning strain, or remove the tea bag. Put the carrots, apples and oranges in the fridge overnight to chill
Pass the carrots, apples and oranges through a slow, or masticating juicer.
Mix the juice with the cold brew tea – you want about a 50:50 ratio and enjoy immediately

Blood Orange and Thyme Spa Water

I love blood oranges, with the red blush on the skin of the orange hinting at the sweetness inside. I far prefer them to regular oranges; it’s such a shame the season is so short. Catch the end of it with this recipe blending sweet slices with an extra herbal flavour from thyme.

Prep: 4 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 ½ quarts filtered water
2 fresh blood oranges
6-7 small sprigs of thyme I prefer lemon thyme
ice

Instructions

Fill a 2 qt pitcher with 1 ½ quarts of water.
Wash the blood oranges, and slice. Drop into the water (squeeze a couple of slices to ensure you get a nice flavor).
Bruise the thyme and add to water.
Top off with ice and stir. Serve.

Non Alcoholic Mojito

Non Alcoholic Mojito – a refreshing blend of mint leaves, apple juice, lime juice, elderflower cordial and soda water.

Prep: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients

40 ml Schweppes Soda Water
6 Mint leaves
2 Lime wedges
30 ml Apple juice
20 ml Lime juice
15 ml Elderflower cordial
Crushed ice
1 Sprig of mint

Instructions

Place 6 mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass and press down with a muddler to extract the juices and flavour.
Add apple juice, lime juice and elderflower cordial to the glass.
Using a jigger, measure 30ml of apple juice, 20ml lime juice and 15ml elderflower cordial into the glass.
Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir the drink with a bar spoon.
Top up the drink with 40ml Schweppes Soda Water.
Place a sprig of mint at an angle against the rim of the glass to garnish.
If you have a heart shaped ice cube tray add heart shaped ice cube for that extra romantic touch!

Orange Juice Mocktail

This Orange Juice Mocktail recipe is an easy way to transform a simple brunch into a fun and spectacular meal. Serve this stunning and simple non-alcoholic brunch drink to kids and adults alike.

Prep: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS

½ cup orange juice (approx) (120 milliliters) – frozen into ice cube spheres
8 ounces sparking water (240 milliliters)
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup (use more or less depending on your preference)
2 teaspoons vanilla syrup (optional) (use more or less depending on your preference)
1 sprig rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Place two orange juice ice cube spheres into a 12 ounce glass.
Add in sparking water. Slowly pour in the grenadine syrup. If you would like, slowly pour in the vanilla syrup.
Serve with a sprig of rosemary and a straw.

Four-Ingredient Ice Strawberry Slush

4 ingredients, 5 min prep. time, 100 calories, non-alcoholic and naturally sweetened strawberry slush —a perfect drink to enjoy the warm weather.

Prep: 5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb fresh strawberries
3 cup ice
1 lemon squeezed
¼ cup agave (or according to taste)
slices few lemon (optional for garnish)
leaves few fresh mint (optional for garnish)

Instructions

In a blender add strawberries, lemon juice and agave. Pulse until it forms a puree.
Add ice and again pulse to break the ice into smaller pieces. Adjust sweetener according to your taste.

Blackberry-Lime Porch Punch

Sweet tea, fresh blackberry juice, ginger beer, and lime juice come together to create this vibrant drink. If serving for a party, save time the day of hosting by making the fruit juice a day ahead of time. Just keep it refrigerated until ready to mix with the remaining ingredients.

Active Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 12

Ingredients

3 cups fresh blackberries
4 cups chilled sweet tea
2 cups cold water
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 5 limes)
4 (12-oz.) cans chilled nonalcoholic ginger beer
1 (16-oz.) bag frozen blackberries
Ice
Lime slices
Mint sprigs

Directions

Place fresh blackberries in a large bowl; mash with a potato masher until fully broken. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup or bowl, pressing pulp to release juice. Discard solids.
Pour blackberry juice into a large (4- to 6-qt.) punch bowl. Stir in sweet tea, water, and lime juice until well combined. Gently stir in ginger beer and frozen blackberries until just combined. Serve over ice. Garnish with lime slices and mint sprigs.

Make Ahead

Blackberry juice can be made one day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you’d like to make your punch ahead, the morning of your party, mix together punch through steps of adding sweet tea, water, and lime juice. Add ginger beer and frozen blackberries just before everyone arrives.

Peach Lemonade

Beat the summer heat by taking a pitcher of classic lemonade to the next level with fresh peaches.

Active Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups (12 oz.) fresh unpeeled ripe peach slices (from 2 peaches), plus more for garnish
4 1/2 cups water, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)

Directions

Bring peaches, 2 cups of the water, and sugar to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Continue to gently boil over medium, stirring occasionally, until peaches are very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Pour peach syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a small pitcher, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
Stir in lemon juice and remaining 2 1/2 cups water. Serve Peach Lemonade over ice and garnish with peach slices.

Strawberry Spritzers

Once you make the five-ingredient strawberry shrub this spritz calls for, it will last for up to three months in the refrigerator.

Active Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Servings: 1

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. Strawberry Shrub (recipe below)
1/2-3/4 cup chilled sparkling mineral water (such as Topo Chico)
1 strawberry half, for garnish

Directions

Pour 3 tablespoons Strawberry Shrub into an ice-filled glass; top with 1/2 to 3/4 cup seltzer water, or desired amount. Garnish with a strawberry half.

Strawberry Shrub

Place 1 qt. fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced), 2 cups unfiltered apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. sliced fresh ginger, and 2 tsp. grated lemon zest in a large bowl or resealable container.
Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate until flavors have infused, about 2 days.
Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a 1-qt. glass jar with a lid, discarding solids. Secure lid, and refrigerate shrub for up to 3 months.

Shirley Temple Drink

We’ll never tire of this nostalgic classic that transports us straight back to our childhood days. Lemon-lime soda, grenadine, fresh lime juice, and cherries to garnish strike the prefect balance of fizzy and sweet.

Active Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Servings: 1

Ingredients

3 to 5 large square ice cubes
1 Tbsp. grenadine (such as Rose’s)
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 (8-oz.) can lemon-lime soda (such as 7UP)
3 whole maraschino cherries

Directions

Prepare glass: Place ice cubes in a 16-oz. highball glass.
Combine ingredients: Add grenadine, lime juice, and soda.
Garnish with maraschino cherries and serve immediately.

Dirty Shirley

To make the boozy variation of a Shirley Temple, add 1/4 cup (2 oz.) chilled vodka with the grenadine, lime juice, and soda in Step 2.

Ginger-Orange Mocktails

This citrus flavored mocktail is a go-to with or without alcohol. Perfect for backyard parties and porch sitting alike, you’re sure to be refreshed after just a few sips.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 16

Ingredients

5 cups freshly-squeezed orange or satsuma juice (from 7 oranges), plus orange slices for serving
3 cups pineapple juice, chilled
1/2 tsp. orange bitters, such as Angostura
3 (12-oz.) bottles ginger beer, chilled

Directions

Combine orange juice, pineapple juice and bitters in a pitcher or punch bowl. Top with ginger beer. Serve over ice. Garnish with orange slices.

Berry Juniper Fizz

Jazz up your holiday party with this sparkling sipper. Orange, pomegranate, and cranberry flavors pack a fruity punch while juniper syrup (store-bought or homemade) lends a herbaceous, slightly bitter note.

Active Time: 5 mins
Cool Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 1 ½ cups

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons crushed dried juniper berries

Directions

Bring granulated sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in crushed dried juniper berries. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a glass or jar, discarding berries. Store syrup in an airtight glass jar in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Lemonade Iced Tea

Why pick one refreshing summertime sipper when you can combine two? You’ll want to serve this crowd-favorite for all your backyard barbecues from now on.

Active Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 4

Ingredients

7 cups cold water, divided
2 family-size (10 oz. each) black tea bags (such as Luzianne)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)

Directions

Bring 5 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high.
Remove pan from heat, and stir in tea bags and baking soda. Let steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
Pour steeped tea into a small heatproof pitcher, and stir in sugar, lemon juice, and remaining 2 cups water until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Serve over ice.

Watermelon-Basil Sweet Tea

Summer is synonymous with watermelon. Refreshing and thirst quenching, it’s the perfect sweet addition to any summer drink.

Active Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
Yield: 4

Ingredients

2 family-size tea bags
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (from 1 [0.5 oz.] pkg.)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
5 1/2 cups water, divided
3/4 cup Watermelon Simple Syrup, plus more if needed
Basil sprigs
Watermelon slices

Directions

Place tea bags, basil leaves, and baking soda in a large glass jar or pitcher.
Bring 4 cups of the water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan over high; immediately pour over tea bags and basil, making sure bags and leaves are submerged. Steep for 15 minutes. Remove basil and bags, gently squeezing them using kitchen tongs; discard bags and basil.
Stir in Watermelon Simple Syrup and remaining 1 1/2 cups water; add more simple syrup to taste, if desired.
Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 to 2 hours. Serve over ice; garnish each serving with basil sprigs and watermelon slices. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Black-Eyed Susan Slushies

As the official cocktail of Maryland’s Preakness Stakes, a Black-Eyed Susan cocktail is delicious with or without bourbon. Our slushie version calls for pineapple and citrus juices, ginger ale, and plenty of fun garnishes.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Yield: 6

Ingredients

⅓ cup fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
⅓ cup simple syrup
¾ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (from 1 [12-oz.] container)
¾ cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed (from 1 [12 -oz.] container)
4 cups ice cubes
1 ½ cups ginger ale
Orange slices, lime slices, pineapple slices, leaves from pineapple crown, maraschino cherries, for garnish

Directions

Process lime juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, orange concentrate, pineapple concentrate, and ice in a blender on high until mixture is smooth and slushy, 30 to 45 seconds.
Divide slush evenly among 6 glasses. Top each glass with 1 to 2 ounces of ginger ale. Garnish as desired.

Tips

If desired, add 1 ½ ounces bourbon to each glass along with the ginger ale.

Strawberry Lemonade

Give the traditionally yellow refreshment a pink hue with homemade syrup made from fresh strawberries. Don’t worry, the syrup comes together in just 10 minutes.

Active Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 10

Ingredients

12 oz. fresh strawberries (about 3 cups), hulled and quartered, plus sliced strawberries for garnish
4 1/2 cups water, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)

Directions

Boil strawberries: Bring strawberries, 2 cups of the water, and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Continue to gently boil over medium, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
Make strawberry syrup: Pour strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a small heatproof pitcher, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
Finish lemonade: Stir in lemon juice and remaining 2 1/2 cups water. Serve Strawberry Lemonade over ice and garnish with sliced strawberries.

Frozen Raspberry Lemonade

Great for kids and adults alike, this non-alcoholic drink is especially delicious in summer when raspberries are at their sweetest and most juicy.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Yield: 2

Ingredients

1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup ice cubes
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Directions

Combine frozen raspberries, ice, lemon juice, sugar, and mint in a blender.
Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Garnish with mint leaves and fresh raspberries, and serve immediately.

Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch

Infuse chilled black tea with a homemade pineapple simple syrup and lime juice for a burst of tropical flavor. Serve batch-style with fruit and citrus wedges to garnish.

Servings: 16

Ingredients

1 (64 oz.) bottle sweet tea (such as Milo’s or Turkey Hill)
1 (59 oz.) carton pineapple-orange juice

Directions

Pour half of the sweet tea (4 cups) and half of the pineapple-orange juice (about 3 2/3 cups) into a pitcher. Stir to combine.
Pour the remaining pineapple-orange juice into the bottle of sweet tea, and shake to combine.
The mixture in the pitcher can either be served immediately or decanted back into the juice carton to store.

Minty Lemonade Iced Tea

Lemonade and fresh mint leaves provide a flavorful fruit twist to this classic summer drink.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Steep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

3 cups water
2 family-size tea bags
1 (1-oz.) package fresh mint leaves (about 1 cup loosely packed)
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups cold water
1 (6-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Garnish: fresh citrus slices

Directions

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan. Remove from heat, add tea bags, and stir in fresh mint. Cover and steep 10 minutes.
Remove and discard tea bags and mint. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
Pour tea into a 3-qt. container, and stir in 4 cups cold water and lemonade concentrate. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Bourbon-Lemonade Iced Tea: Prepare recipe as directed, and stir in 1 cup bourbon. Makes 9 cups.

Spiced Dark Rum-Lemonade Iced Tea: Prepare recipe as directed, and stir in 1 cup spiced dark rum. Makes 9 cups.

Strawberry Brunch Punch

Give store-bought strawberry lemonade a little extra love with a three-ingredient house-made rhubarb syrup.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 to 15

Ingredients

1 (52-oz.) bottle refrigerated strawberry lemonade, such as Simply Lemonade brand
1 lb. fresh or frozen rhubarb, trimmed and cut into large chunks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled
Garnishes: strawberries, mint sprigs, and lemon slices

Directions

Prepare ice ring (optional): The night before you plan to serve the punch, freeze roughly a 1/3 to 1/2 of the strawberry lemonade in one standard or a few mini Bundt pans. (This step makes an extra pretty presentation, and prevents the punch from getting watered down. But if you’d rather skip it, just save all of the strawberry lemonade for step 3, and serve the punch with a bucket of regular ice).
Make rhubarb syrup: Stir together the rhubarb, sugar, and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Simmer until rhubarb is completely broken down, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool, strain, and chill until ready to use. (You can make and chill the simple syrup overnight if desired).
Make punch: Just before serving, combine the remaining strawberry lemonade, club soda, and about half of the rhubarb simple syrup in a punch bowl. Taste it for sweetness and add more syrup if desired.
Add garnishes: Add the strawberry lemonade ice rings to the punch bowl, if using. Garnish with strawberries, mint sprigs, and lemon slices.

Frozen Blueberry Lemonade

This icy sipper is a delicious way to combine the sweet-tart flavors of lemonade and blueberry. We call for frozen blueberries, but you can use fresh, too.

Active Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 pt. lemon sorbet
4 cups refrigerated lemonade
2 cups frozen blueberries (such as Wyman’s)
Fresh basil leaves
Lemon wheels

Directions

Soften sorbet: Remove sorbet from freezer, and let soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
Combine ingredients: Working in 2 batches, if necessary, add sorbet, lemonade, and blueberries to a blender.

4th of July Firecracker Punch

While this family-friendly recipe feels extra festive for the Fourth of July, you can make it for picnics and potlucks all summer long. Freeze-dried strawberries and raspberries are blended to create a berry powder which gives the drink its vibrant hue.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 ½ cups freeze-dried raspberries (1 [1.3-oz.] pkg.)
1 ½ cups freeze-dried strawberries (from 2 [0.8-oz.] pkg.)
1 (52-oz.) bottle refrigerated lemonade (6 ¾ cups, such as Simply Lemonade)
2 cups chilled nonalcoholic ginger beer
Frozen fresh blueberries
Lemon slices
Ice

Directions

Process raspberries and strawberries with a food processor until very finely ground and powdery, about 30 seconds. Sift berry powder through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, and discard any large clumps.
Measure ¼ cup berry powder into a ½-gallon (8-cup) pitcher, and reserve remaining berry powder for another use. Add lemonade and ginger beer to pitcher; whisk until powder is dissolved. Garnish punch with frozen blueberries and lemon slices. Serve immediately over ice. If mixture separates after sitting for a bit, stir punch before serving.

Sparkling Punch

The perfect shade of pink for showers and ladies lunches, this sweet-tart punch features pink lemonade for a festive perk-me-up.

Yield: 9 cups

Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
4 cups white cranberry juice
1 qt. club soda, chilled
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Directions

Stir together lemonade concentrate and cranberry juice in a large pitcher. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Stir in club soda just before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Champagne Punch: Substitute 1 (750-milliliter) bottle extra-dry Champagne or sparkling wine and 1/4 cup orange liqueur for club soda; proceed with recipe as directed.

Vanilla-Rosemary Lemonade

This is exceptional when made with freshly squeezed lemon juice. It might take you a while to squeeze all those lemons but, trust us, it’s worth it. The vanilla bean and rosemary sprigs add a fancy touch for every occasion.

Hands On Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins
Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
3 small fresh rosemary sprigs
3 cups water
3 cups fresh lemon juice (about 26 to 30 lemons)*
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs, lemon slices (optional)

Directions

Make vanilla-rosemary syrup:Combine sugar, vanilla bean, 3 small fresh rosemary sprigs, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool 30 minutes. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids.
Add lemon juice:Stir in fresh lemon juice. Cover and chill 3 to 48 hours. Stir just before serving over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Ingredient Note

* 3 (5-oz.) containers frozen lemon juice, thawed, may be substituted.

Sparkling Cherry Limeade

Garnished with a festive Maraschino cherry, these cool drinks are a childhood favorite adults don’t have to be ashamed to say they adore.

Hands On Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Margarita salt (optional)
1 (12-oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
3 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 cup liquid from jarred red maraschino cherries
2 cups sparkling water
Garnishes: lime slices, maraschino cherries

Directions

Rub rims of 8 chilled glasses with lime wedges, and dip rims in salt to coat, if desired.
Stir together limeade concentrate and 3 1/2 cups cold water; add liquid from maraschino cherries.
Fill prepared glasses with ice. Pour limeade mixture into glasses, filling each two-thirds full; add sparkling water to fill.
Note: We tested with San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

Make this frozen treat feel extra special by keeping your glasses chilled until you’re ready to pour.

Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.) container frozen lemonade
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup ice
1 1/4 cups club soda, divided
Fresh strawberries, for topping
Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions

Prepare strawberries: In a small bowl, combine frozen strawberries with sugar; let sit for at least 10 minutes.
Make lemon mixture: In a blender, combine frozen lemonade, ice, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup club soda; blend until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher; set aside.
Make strawberry mixture: In the clean blender, combine strawberries and 3/4 cup club soda; blend until smooth.
Prepare drinks: Layer strawberries and lemon slush in cups. Stir to gently combine. Garnish cups with a lemon slice.