It’s officially spring!

I mean, spring is definitely in the air over here.

We get one small tastes of it and I am here for all the warm weather beverages.

There is just nothing like when the weather first warms up and drags you out of the winter gloom. Since things are ever-so-slighty looking up, there is a great reason to enjoy a cocktail (or mocktail) on the patio in the lovely spring weather. The days are longer, spring is so close we can taste it and it’s the perfect reason to make a fun drink. I’m very partial to a spritz these days or even a smash with some fresh fruit. Something very light and refreshing and simple.

There are a few of my favorite mocktails sprinkled in here, along with some of the best spring cocktails I’ve made over the years. They are so delish! Which one is calling your name?

18 Spring Cocktails and Mocktails

(more…)

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Fall is officially here!

Finally. I’ve got you covered with the best of the best when it comes to fall drinks! These fall drink recipes are so good, I could never just choose one. Whether you need something cozy or icy, boozy or comforting, I’ve got it! Below you’ll find a bunch of my favorite fall drinks, like hot chocolates, teas, non-alcoholic punches, sangrias, mimosas and more!

Fall cocktail season is seriously the best. I mean, I guess I could argue that fall is the best time for ANY sort of drink. And I can’t even tell you how many delicious ones I have here on the blog. Don’t make me choose a favorite! I worship at the altar of apple cider, but there are lots of delish pomegranate, maple and pumpkin flavors here too.

35 Of The Best Fall Drink Recipes

We’re starting with warm coffees and ciders (with one icy exception!), then on to mocktails! Scroll down for all the fall cocktails you need every weekend of the season. What’s on your list for this first official weekend of fall?! (more…)

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Thirsty Thursday!!

I am in love with this cucumber tequila soda, which is the most refreshing, bubbly, cooling drink you can make this summer.

It’s light. And it’s pretty! Oh and it tastes phenomenal.

I’ve been making cucumber vodka sodas for years, but this tequila one is taking the cake. Or the cocktail. 

My cucumber vodka sodas use fresh cucumber juice and simple syrup. These tequila sodas take that idea… but I make a cucumber simple syrup. Cucumbers are the syrup!

I’m all about finding ways to use some of my favorite homemade ingredients, like syrups, dressings and more. In Everyday Dinners, I have a sauces and dressings chapter and it’s my meal lifeline.

This is sort of like that! The cucumber syrup, I mean. I first shared it a few weeks ago in this cucumber spritz. It’s definitely my official drink of summer 2024! It’s very refreshing. 

But here’s the thing – a tequila soda with lime is my go-to in general. It is so light and easy. It never makes me feel like garbage. It’s simple!

So this is my second way of showing you how to use this cucumber syrup!! Delish. 

First, I make the cucumber syrup. You can make this a few days ahead of time and store it in the fridge!

I pour some of the syrup over crushed ice and mix it with a bit of tequila. I squeeze in some fresh lime juice too!

Then, I top it off with super bubbly seltzer.  (more…)

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Okay, it’s official!!

Cue all the exclamation points. I have our 2024 summer cocktail. And it is THIS!

This cucumber prosecco spritzer is made with cucumber syrup, a splash of seltzer and a light prosecco for the ultimate refreshing warm weather drink. 

Oh my heavens. 

I.L.O.V.E.T.H.I.S. 

There are no words.

Except that this is such a fresh, light drink that just tastes like summer. It tastes like hot sunny days and pool splashing and party snacks and marshmallow clouds. 

And the color!

The freaking color is beautiful. The pictures do not do the drink justice. It’s a lovely shade of light green that again, just appears to taste refreshing. Even before you take a sip! 

To make the cucumber syrup, I blend a few mini cucumbers until pureed and then mix them with sugar and water. It’s like a traditional simple syrup, but cucumber flavored! 

Once all that sugar is dissolved, I strain the cucumber syrup a few times to remove any bits that remain. 

This stays great in the fridge for close to a week! Later this month, I’ll share one more drink you can make with this syrup so it never goes to waste!

The rest is simple. Mix the cucumber syrup with some lime juice, prosecco and club soda. 

Stir it up and boom, it’s ready. 

It’s no secret that I like to make cucumber cocktails.

I like to garnish this drink with a cucumber spear or wedges. You can also use limes.

Grab one of these and sit out in the sun this weekend! (more…)

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How pretty is this drink?! 

An aperol spritz with a splash of fresh blood orange juice, bubbly prosecco and a big blood orange wedge dropped in the glass.

DELISH. 

I love an aperol spritz any time of year. It’s so refreshing and light – and I enjoy the touch of bitterness from the aperol. Come winter, I will use almost any excuse to put my blood oranges to work. Not only are they gorgeous, but the flavor is so perfect. Citrusy, sweet with almost a berry-ish flavor and even a little bit of grapefruit and cara cara orange. 

They are such a fabulous fruit! 

And could they be any cuter for Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day celebrations? Give me a hot pink drink any day of the week! 

So. This is quite possibly my favorite version of any aperol spritz, aside from the true classic. And you can also take these up a notch by using my favorite hack of adding frozen fruit for ice cubes! Like frozen peaches or strawberries! 

The spritz is so easy: 

Crushed ice – this is key for me

Freshly squeezed blood orange juice

Prosecco

A splash of club soda

Also, I’ve talked about this smeg juicer before, but it is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets ever. It juices citrus beautifully, it’s so easy and really enjoyable and fun for the kids to use. If you like fresh citrus juice during the winter, or even for holidays, and if you bake desserts with citrus juice, you need this juicer. It’s the best. 

I also love to make a mix of citrus juice: navel oranges and blood oranges, cara cara, even doing a mix of pink and ruby red grapefruit! 

Another trick you can do to elevate this drink, especially if you love a little blood orange sweetness, is to finish this off with some blood orange Italian soda instead of the classic club soda. So fun!  (more…)

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Hiiii. This is my current favorite cocktail!

It’s so refreshing, so light, so citrusy. Perfect for this winter season when grapefruit is juicy and delicious and at its peak. I love a paloma, always enjoy a grapefruit vodka soda, and this is with a hint of spice that hits just right.

This is almost just like a paloma, but I kept the lime juice out. So I couldn’t call it a paloma! We’re doing alllll fresh grapefruit here with some jalapeno peppers. Spicy cocktails are so good. I don’t care for much spice in my food, but in my drinks? Heck yes. 

Also! I love ranch water and I love vodka soda. Tequila is my first choice if I have to choose though, and it pairs so perfectly with grapefruit. So here we are! 

Now as I mentioned, I love to use fresh grapefruit juice here, especially in the winter. You know how much I adore my smeg juicer. If you can’t find grapefruit or would rather have a soda version – Fresca is the way to go. It is SO, so good. It will make the drink sweeter, but it’s fabulous. 

This is embarrassingly easy. It includes:

Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Jalapeno pepper slices 

Tequila! 

Super fizzy soda water, like Topo Chico

THAT’S IT. (more…)

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Hello I am here with your weekend treat!

Which is the easiest most delicious frosty treat you can make right now. Seriously, when you see how simple this is you won’t believe it. 

Guys, this could not be easier. I mean, it’s very embarrassing just HOW easy this is.

All you need is:

A bottle of rosé, right out of the fridge.

Frozen mango.

YEP.

Yes. That is it. Much like my lemonade frosé or frozen strawberry lemonade, that is all you need to make this come together fast. These are SO incredibly simple but really delicious at the same time. Especially if you’re a mango freak like we are over here.

My watermelon frosé from a few years ago is one of my favorite summer drinks EVER. If you can even call it a drink. It’s a grown up slushy/dessert and so lovely for summer. Especially the dog days of August when it’s so super hot. I’m always looking for new twists on, well, everything.

So of course mango had to come into play.

We use frozen mango a lot – mostly in smoothies, occasionally in a frozen mango margarita. Regardless, I always have it in the freezer and since it’s so accessible, this recipe can be made in a pinch. Plus, it’s much easier for me to have good frozen mango as opposed to fresh mango – I can rarely find good ones that are ripe in time for me to use them. 

Also! It’s possible that I love rosé even more when it’s frozen, so this really hits the spot. It’s refreshing, icy, cooling and perfect right now. Pop in a sprig of mint and let’s go!  (more…)

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New summery drink alert!

This blueberry lavender vodka soda is refreshing, fruity and fragrant with a slight hint of dessert-like floral flavor. Save this recipe below so you can make it this weekend!

Every time I make a fun new drink for summer I call THEEEE drink for summer. Like I declare it’s the best drink you can make this summer. And it’s not that I’m wrong, I very much feel that in the moment. 

Which means that again, I’m telling you that this is the drink of the summer. THEEE drink of the summer.

It’s so cooling and icy with classic summer flavors that just work in the heat. I find a vodka soda with lots of lime to be refreshing and this is an elevated version of that. 

Flavored vodka sodas are my thing. I’ve done a cucumber vodka soda, a cherry lime vodka soda and a clementine vodka soda! So good.

I have loved the blueberry lavender combo forever. I’ve made blueberry lavender scones, blueberry lavender chia jam, blueberry ricotta cake with lavender glaze and even blueberry mojitos with lavender syrup! Lavender complements blueberry and together you get this lovely combination that screams summer.

This blueberry lavender syrup is delightful. I make my lavender vanilla syrup all summer long for iced coffee, and dare I say that you can probably take this and put it in your coffee too. I know some people go for more fruity flavors with coffee so it definitely works. 

The syrup is super easy and you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. I do equal parts water + sugar then a big handful of blueberries and a pinch of culinary lavender.

Oh and I find my culinary lavender on amazon – it’s the easiest place to get it. I have some at all times because I use it frequently and it lasts a very long time. 

Once I make the syrup and it cools, I do strain it to remove the lavender and blueberry bits. I don’t want chunks of anything coming up my straw so this is the best way, plus the syrup lasts longer in the fridge this way. 

The other ingredients?

Just your classic vodka and soda. I use Tito’s and whatever club soda I have on hand. You could use a flavored seltzer water if you have one, but I let the blueberry lavender syrup shine.

If you want to make these for a party, I suggest making a jar of the “mixer.” So combine the syrup and vodka in a jar and shake or stir, then store it in the fridge. When it comes time to make a new drink, pour over ice and top it off with the soda.

You don’t want to make a big pitcher with the soda because you’ll lose all that effervescence for the drinks.

These are super fun, pretty, absolutely delicious and perfect for this weekend! (more…)

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Grown up fruit punch is exactly what this holiday weekend needs. 

This spiked fruit punch is a fun party drink that is packed with pineapple and cherry and bubbly and more. It’s perfect over ice on a hot summer day and a little goes a long way! Trust me.

Now to be honest, if someone handed me a glass of something like Hawaiian Punch or Minute Maid Fruit Punch, something that was around when I was a kid, I’d gladly pass. Any kind of juice that is sweet enough to hurt my teeth? No thank you, I would rather have a glass of practically anything else.

BUT.

And that’s a big but. When there is a boozy punch on the menu or at the party? I can be swayed. Easily. 

A few weeks ago we took a little staycation to a local resort and they had quite the cocktail menu. I couldn’t try everything because, hello, family time! But they had fruit punch on the menu and I couldn’t pass it up. It sounded super good and refreshing. I had to try it, if only a few sips for research!

Research for us to be able to make it at home this summer and enjoy it by the pool. Or on the beach. Or the patio! 

I have to say that I got the recipe to match almost exactly. It tastes almost identical. While the one I had contained a few delicious fruit purees (like peach and passionfruit), I knew that wouldn’t work here. I don’t have time to puree different fruits before throwing everything in a pitcher to drink – and I don’t think you do either.

So I kept the pineapple and cherry flavors, went with some orange liqueur, some other bubbles… and this fruit punch was born.

And, um, my favorite part? The frozen peaches used as ice cubes, of course! This is my favorite summer hack. Get a bag of frozen peaches and use them as ice in your drinks. In this case, we’re using an entire bag. The peach slices not only chill the drink, but also infuse a good amount of peach flavor into the pitcher. 

They also taste amazing once you finish your glass.

Here’s what goes into our tequila fruit punch!

• Tequila, obviously. I love to use Casa Amigos blanco
• And entire little jar of maraschino cherries. Yes the cherries and the juice.
• Pineapple juice!
• Grand Marnier or Triple Sec or another orange-ish liqueur.
• Club soda for some bubbles.
• Dry sparkling rosé (like this one) or even Prosecco for MORE bubbles. 
• And frozen peaches, to chill the whole pitcher!

Let’s just say that this fruit punch… packs a punch. Oh yes. It’s definitely sweet and tastes like the fruit punch of my youth, but in a good way. Aside from the booze, of course. If you are not into sweet drinks, this is not for you.

But if you like to make a summer punch and tequila is your mixer of choice? We’re good!  (more…)

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Here’s how to become the most popular this summer!

Make a frosty, refreshing drink that everyone adores.

Frozen gin and tonics! Gin and tonic slushies. Cooling, refreshing, limey, and the best thing to drink on a super hot summer day. 

I can’t get enough of these! 

My drinks of choice are usually on the rocks – rarely ever frozen. But the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed making some frozen drinks at home. Like frozen watermelon mojitos (omg they are SO good), lemonade frosé and more. I used to share cocktails every Thursday, so there’s a plethora of them right here for you! I’ll do a summer cocktail round up on my faves soon too – as well as mocktails. I’ve got lots of them since I was pregnant for lots of warm weather seasons. 

Anyway! Frozen gin and tonics. They are deeeelish. Not too sweet and an ideal way to cool down when these temps go insane. One caveat: you must enjoy gin and tonics to enjoy these. If they are too potent for you, this may not be your drink. This truly tastes like a legit gin and tonic… just frozen.

And this could not be easier. 

The only thing you have to do is freeze your ice cubes ahead of time. Personally, I would just go and freeze some rightthisminute so you have them at all times and can make this drink! Problem solved. 

This is what you need to make the frozen gin and tonic:

• 1 liter of tonic water. This may not be popular, but I don’t use fancy tonic for this. I love a good Fever Tree tonic but I hate to use it to freeze and blend. I prefer to drink it as is for the most delicious effect. So when I make the ice cubes, I just get a very basil liter of tonic! I like to freeze them overnight. They have to be totally frozen because this is what makes the drink frosty. We’re not adding any other ice.
• Your favorite gin. I have some notes in the recipe down below about varieties I’ve made with this recipe. Depending on the kind of gin you use, the recipe may take a little tweaking. It all depends on the botanicals in the gin and which way the flavor leans. I prefer a gin that goes best with lime or cucumber. 
• Fresh lime zest! I don’t add the juice – just the zest. This gives the most wonderful lime punch to the drink. You can always squeeze in a bit of juice if you wish, but I love it without. It tastes very authentic, cooling and refreshing. It’s super good. Use the lime for garnish!

That is it – see? So darn simple, as long as you remember to freeze that tonic. Oh and here’s a little trick: freeze the tonic cubes, then pop them out and stick in a ziplock bag in the freezer. You can have them on hand at all times.  (more…)

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