Refreshing, cold and boozy cocktails sound like something we could use to beat the summer heat. Throw a pool party, whip up some kick*ss cocktails and impress your girlfriends like the sophisticated girl you are. There’s nothing like sippin’ on fruity cocktails by the pool on a lazy afternoon while getting a sun-kissed tan.

You may alter the recipe (more alcohol if you like getting drunk) to your liking, of course!

1) Strawberry Basil Lemonade Cocktail from A Beautiful Mess.

Yield: 1 Cup

Ingredients

• 1.5 Ounces of Vodka (Alternatively, gin – your choice!)
• 1 sprig of basil
• 1 Bowl of chopped fresh strawberries
• 1 Cup of lemonade
• Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse and chop the basil leaves and fresh strawberries.  Set aside.
2. Place the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, pour in the vodka, lemonade and add a scoop of ice. Shake well.
3. Pour the concoction into a tall glass.
4. Garnish by placing a slice of lemon and a strawberry at the side of the glass. Enjoy!

2) Coconut Gin and Tonic from The Minimalist Baker.

Yield : 1 Cup

Ingredients

• 2 ounces gin
• 2 ounces coconut water
• 2 ounces tonic water
• 1/2 lime juice (1-2 Tbsp)

Instructions

1. Combine lime juice, gin, tonic water and coconut water in a serving glass. Add ice.
2. Stir and garnish with fresh min or basil (optional).

3) Colorado Cooler from Food & Wine.

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 ounce chilled club soda
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces malt whiskey
• 2 dashes of celery bitters (optional)
• 4 cherries, pitted, plus 1 cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, place the 4 pitted cherries and muddle. Add ice and all the ingredients except club soda. Shake well.
2. Strain the contents of the strainer into your ice-filled serving glass.
3. Top up with the club soda for some kickin’ fizz and garnish with a cherry.

4) Orange Crush Cocktail from Kitchen Konfidence.

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 ounce tequila
• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 1/2 ounce fresh orange juice
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes orange bitters

Instructions

1. Add ice and all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well until chilled.
2. Strain the ingredients into a short tumbler filled with ice.
3. This step is optional. Garnish by adding an orange wedge or a twisted strip of orange zest.

5) Fresh Watermelon Mint Juleps from How Sweet It Is. 

Yield: 1 Cup, easily multiplied

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces of bourbon
• 2 ounces of fresh watermelon juice
• 1 ounce mint simple syrup
• 1 ounce club soda
• crushed ice
• fresh mint leaves
• watermelon wedges

Fresh watermelon juice

• 2 cups fresh watermelon chunks

Mint simple syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 bunch of mint leaves

Instructions

1.Mix bourbon, watermelon juice and mint simple syrup. Shake or stir well.
2.Pour crushed ice into a serving glass, top with club soda and mint leaves.
3.Garnish with watermelon triangles and mint leaves.

6) Pineapple Rum Daiquiri from Tasting Table.

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients

• Ice, crushed and cubes
• 1 1/2 ounces pineapple rum
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup

Garnish

• Pineapple leaf-wrapped cherry
• Lime wheel
• Orange twist

Instructions

1. Fill the cocktail shaker with cubed ice and add all the ingredients. Shake well until chilled.
2. Strain contents into a coupe glass filled with ice.
3. Garnish with pineapple leaf-wrapped cherry, lime wheel and orange twist. Enjoy!

7) Frozen Irish Banana Cocktail from HGTV.

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Baileys Irish Cream
• 1-1/2 ounces Bacardi light rum
• 2 ounces Coco Lopez
• 1 banana (diced and frozen)
• 1/2 cup of ice

Garnish

• Nutmeg
• Halved strawberry
• Shaved coconut

Instructions

1. Rim the end of a goblet with shaved coconut and place in the fridge to chill.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
3. Take the chilled goblet from the fridge and pour mixture into the goblet.
4. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg and garnish with halved strawberry.

8) Strawberry Frosé from Delish.

Yield : 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 750ml bottle of rosé
• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• ice

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine half the bottle of rosé, 1 cup of strawberries, half the vodka and half the lemon juice. Add ice and blend until mixture is slushy.
2. Repeat step no.1 with the remaining ingredients.
3. Serve chill and top with fresh strawberries to garnish.

9) Steak Island Beer Cocktail from Serious Eats.

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces red and yellow bell pepper slices
• 14 ounces of fresh lime juice
• 4 ounces steak sauce
• 1/4 ounce freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 48 ounces karger
• Lime wheels and bell pepper slices to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1.Muddle the bell peppers and lime juice in the bottom of a pitcher. Add the steak sauce and pepper. Add salt to your liking.Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours and up to overnight.
2. To serve, add beer straight to the pitcher and stir gently to combine. Serve in ice-filled glasses.
3. Garnish glasses with lime wheels and bell pepper slices.

10) Cucumber Gin Fizz from Olive Magazine.

Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, chopped
• Ice cubes
• 50ml Gin (per glass)
• Lime, to serve
• Tonic, to serve

Instructions

1.Blend the chopped cucumber until it forms a purée texture. Pass through a sieve into a jug.
2.Add ice cubes in each serving glass and pour 50ml of gin, followed with lime juice and a few slices of lime.
3. Mix in the cucumber juice and top up with tonic.