Summer calls for something cold and refreshing in hand, and having a few good drink recipes to rotate through makes the season a lot more enjoyable. Making your own drinks at home is easier than most people think, and the results are usually a lot better than anything pre-made or store-bought. Once you find a couple that you love, you will find yourself coming back to them all summer long.
This list has a good mix of recipes that are perfect for warm weather and simple enough to put together without much fuss. Some are great for making a big batch when you have people over, and others are quick enough to whip up just for yourself on a slow afternoon. Try a few and you will have a really solid lineup of cold drinks ready to get you through the rest of the summer.
Cold Brew Sorrel Drink
Cold brew sorrel is a deep, ruby-colored drink with a tart, slightly floral flavor that’s unlike most other drinks you’ve probably ever tried. The cold brewing method brings out the best qualities of the sorrel without any harshness, so the result is smooth and really enjoyable to sip through the whole glass. It looks great and tastes as interesting as it looks every single time.
People always get curious when they see it because of that deep red color, and the flavor is bold enough to be interesting but easy enough to drink a lot of. Because it’s cold brewed, the flavor is smoother and cleaner than a hot-brewed version would ever be. Once you’ve tried cold brew sorrel, it becomes a drink you want to make on a regular basis.
Get the Recipe: Cold Brew Sorrel Drink
Cranberry Juice
Homemade cranberry juice has a bright, tart flavor that tastes like the real thing because it genuinely is, and once you’ve had a glass of it fresh, you’ll notice how much better it is. It’s clean and tangy, with a natural flavor that feels honest and really satisfying to drink throughout the whole glass. Because you can adjust the sweetness to suit your own taste, it has an advantage that bottled versions just can’t offer.
What I love about making this at home is how straightforward the process is and how good the result tastes compared to anything pre-made. It works on its own over ice, mixed into other drinks, or used in recipes that call for cranberry juice. Once you’ve made your own and tasted how good it is, buying it starts to feel like settling for a lot less than you could easily have.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Juice
Strawberry Mint Smoothie
Strawberry mint smoothie is refreshing and comes together in just a few minutes without much effort at all. The strawberry brings natural sweetness, while the mint adds a cool, clean finish that makes every sip feel really good from start to finish. It’s the kind of smoothie you actually look forward to making because you know it’ll taste great every single time.
What works really well here is how the two flavors balance each other out without one ever taking over the other. Because it’s light and satisfying at the same time, it’s a great option any time of day whenever you want something that tastes genuinely good. Make it once, and it’ll quickly become one of your go-to smoothie recipes you keep coming back to.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Mint Smoothie
Fruit Flavored Water aka Fruit Infused Water Recipe
Fruit infused water is one of the simplest ways to make drinking more water feel like something you actually want to do every day. The fruit adds a light, natural flavor that makes each glass more enjoyable without being heavy or sweet like juice or other drinks tend to be. It looks great in a pitcher and tastes clean and refreshing in a way that plain water sometimes just doesn’t.
Keeping a pitcher of this in the fridge makes staying hydrated so much easier and more pleasant throughout the whole day. Because you can switch up the fruit combinations to keep things interesting, it never gets boring no matter how often you make it. Once you get into the habit of making infused water, plain water starts to feel like a missed opportunity every time.
Get the Recipe: Fruit Flavored Water aka Fruit Infused Water Recipe
Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Cold brew coffee is smoother and less bitter than regular iced coffee, and once you’ve had a good glass of it, the difference is impossible to ignore going forward. The long, slow cold steep pulls out all the rich coffee flavor without any of the harshness that comes from brewing with hot water. It takes some patience to make, but the payoff is completely worth every hour of the wait.
Keeping a big jar of this in the fridge means great coffee is ready to pour at any point during the day without any extra effort at all. Because the brewing happens overnight, there’s no real hands-on time involved once you set it up and walk away. Once cold brew becomes part of your routine, it’s very hard to go back to making coffee any other way.
Get the Recipe: Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Infused Cold Brew Tea
Infused cold brew tea is a real upgrade from regular iced tea once you’ve tried it and tasted the clear difference it makes. The slow cold brewing process pulls out a smooth, clean flavor from the tea that is less bitter and far more enjoyable than tea brewed with hot water ever is. It’s refreshing and really good, and the kind of drink you’ll want to have ready in the fridge all the time.
Once you start making cold brew tea, it’s hard to go back to the regular method because the flavor is just so much smoother and cleaner throughout. Because you can infuse it with whatever flavors you like, the combinations are really endless and always interesting. Make a big pitcher at a time, because it goes fast and you’ll be reaching for a glass more often than you expect.
Get the Recipe: Infused Cold Brew Tea
Instant Pot Mulled Wine
Instant Pot mulled wine is warm and spiced, with that cozy, rich flavor that makes it one of the best drinks to have ready when people come over on a cold evening. The Instant Pot speeds up the whole process, so the spices work into the wine quickly without losing any of the depth that makes mulled wine so good. It fills the kitchen with a really great smell while it’s cooking and tastes even better than it smells.
What I love about making this in the Instant Pot is how easy it is to pull off and how impressive the result always feels when you serve it. Because it keeps warm so easily for serving throughout the night, it’s the perfect drink for any gathering where people will be coming and going. Once you’ve made mulled wine this way, it becomes your go-to for any occasion that calls for a warm drink worth sharing.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Mulled Wine
Lavender Mocktail Recipe
Lavender mocktail is a really pretty drink that tastes just as good as it looks, with a light floral flavor that feels special without being overpowering at all. It’s refreshing and slightly sweet, so the lavender comes through gently in every single sip without overwhelming anything. The soft purple color makes it look really great in a glass, which adds to how fun it is to serve for any occasion.
People who try this one always comment on how good it looks before they even take a sip, and the flavor backs it up completely without fail. Because there’s no alcohol involved, it works for everyone at the table and suits any kind of gathering you might be hosting. Once you’ve made one and seen the reaction it gets, it becomes one of your go-to drink recipes for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Lavender Mocktail Recipe
Fresh Lavender Tea Recipe
Fresh lavender tea is light, calming, and has a flavor that feels gentle and really pleasant on any regular afternoon or evening. The lavender brings a soft floral note that isn’t too strong, so it’s easy to drink a full cup without it feeling overwhelming in any way. It’s the kind of tea that makes you slow down for a few minutes and actually enjoy the moment.
What I love about this one is how simple it is to make and how consistently good it turns out every single time without fail. Because it works just as well hot as it does cold, it’s a good option no matter how you’re in the mood to drink it throughout the day. Once you’ve made this a few times, it becomes one of those teas you reach for whenever you want something easy and really calming to sip.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Lavender Tea Recipe
