29 Refreshing Drinks That Make The Most Of Summer Fruit

Summer has some of the juiciest fruits. From berries to stone fruits to melons in a rainbow of colors, summer's bounty is undeniably delicious. Because these fruits tend to be so juicy, it only makes sense to incorporate them into your favorite summer drinks. We have such a wide variety of drink recipes, like smoothies, cocktails, punches, and beyond, for you to try this season. And don't worry — there's something for everyone, whether you drink alcohol or not.

This collection of recipes represents some of the best and most delicious flavors you'll encounter during the summer months. Plus, the drinks will cool you down in the process, which is exactly what you need when the temps start to climb. So, make sure you have some ice in the freezer, chill your favorite glass, and decide which of these summer drink recipes you're going to make next. Summertime sips have never been so refreshing.

Throwing a fancy summer party? Then you have to make this Champagne punch. Yes, Champagne may be the base of the drink, but it's not the only ingredient in this refreshing beverage. Sparkling lemonade, Cointreau, and strawberry syrup are important to building that fruit-forward flavor. But you can't forget about the actual fresh fruit, either — blueberries and strawberries make it more colorful and immediately appealing to anyone who walks into your party. Add sliced lemon to brighten things up, and sprigs of mint for an herbal freshness.

Recipe: Summer Berry Champagne Punch Drink

When a lot of people think of sangria, they immediately think of red wine. But if you're not much of a red wine person, no worries — white works just as well, particularly during the summer months when you're looking for a lighter drink. You can start with a sweet wine if you want a sweeter drink, but since you're adding honey and fruit, you don't have to select a wine that has a lot of sugar to begin with. Peaches and blueberries add a subtle fruity flavor to the batch and make the beverage boldly colored.

Recipe: Sweet White Sangria

An old fashioned is a strong, intense drink, so it may not be the first cocktail that you'd think to pair with fruit. But believe us when we say that peach tastes excellent with the classic flavors of an old fashioned. To capture the depth of flavor this cocktail is known for, we suggest grilling the peach before adding it to the mix. This offers a hint of smokiness while still providing the refreshing fruity flavors you crave in the hotter months of the year.

Recipe: Grilled Peach Old Fashioned

Want to start off your day with a summer fruit-forward beverage that will have you feeling your best? This strawberry smoothie was made for you. We love this drink because it's anything but an average strawberry smoothie — it also boasts the warm, toasty flavor of cinnamon, which adds an unexpected depth of flavor you don't often experience in a summery drink. Dates give the drink its complex sweetness.

Recipe: Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie

If you can get your hands on some gooseberries, you absolutely have to make this fizzy cocktail. This fruit is known for its bright, tart flavor, which makes it supremely refreshing and perfect for the summer months. And since this is a bubbly cocktail, thanks to the inclusion of Prosecco, it's even more thirst-quenching than it would be flat. Plus, once you make this gooseberry syrup, you'll want to include it in all of your summer drinks, alcoholic or not.

Recipe: Gooseberry Fizz Cocktail

There are few cocktails more summery than honey deuce punch, but this specific recipe makes a significant upgrade from the original version: It uses fresh honeydew puree for a fruity flavor profile with no hint of artificiality. That's not the only place that the honeydew appears, though. You'll also include little melon balls as a garnish on the drink. They create a beautiful color contrast and give you a fruity snack alongside your drink. It's a must-try cocktail for melon lovers everywhere.

Recipe: Upgraded Honey Deuce Punch

Strawberries, peaches, and watermelon get all the love when it comes to summer fruits, but blackberries might just be the starring fruit of the season if you love slightly tart berries. Smashing those berries means you get a chunkier cocktail with fruit pieces. What could be more refreshing than that? Serving the drink with a big sprig of sage adds a beautiful herbal touch that elevates the drink from simply fruity to inarguably complex without losing its refreshing qualities.

Recipe: Blackberry Sage Vodka Smash

Peaches and whiskey go together like sunshine and beachy days, which is why this smash cocktail is perfect for the hottest days of the year. Whiskey can sometimes taste heavy and intense, but adding the refreshing flavor of peaches really gives this drink the boost it needs. Lemon provides the right touch of acidity, and finishing it off with a few sprigs of thyme makes it feel like a drink you'd find at a high-end cocktail bar.

Recipe: Summertime Peach Whiskey Smash

Just because you don't want to drink alcohol doesn't mean you don't want a summertime drink that offers as much complexity as a good cocktail. Enter this margarita mocktail, which makes for a supremely refreshing summertime sip. It's a simple combo of ingredients, with watermelon and mint taking center stage, of course, and lime playing an important background role as well. And by using a non-alcoholic tequila alternative, you can achieve that same bite that you'd normally get from a cocktail.

Recipe: Watermelon Mint Margarita Mocktail

You've heard of a Moscow mule, but what about a Kentucky mule? This beverage was created to celebrate the Kentucky Derby, but it's also an excellent choice all summer long. Blackberries are front and center here, and they're helped out by the inclusion of lime juice and plenty of mint. The bourbon helps balance these bold, tart flavors, making them a little richer and more complex. Blackberries really are at their best in this relatively simple recipe.

Recipe: Blackberry Kentucky Mule

You can always use a drink mix to make lemonade when it's hot out, but it'll taste better if you make it from scratch. Not only does this drink call for lemon juice, but it also calls for lemon zest, which gives the drink more depth of flavor than it would have otherwise. It's the fresh strawberries, though, that really take this non-alc beverage to the next level. The sweetness from the berries adds a lovely summery touch that powdered pink lemonade just can't compete with.

Recipe: Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

You'll have to get your hands on some fresh lychee to make this beautiful martini, but it's worth the time and effort to seek out the fruit. Lychee, with its tropical and clean flavor profile, adds a subtle note to this cocktail that makes it one of the more interesting martinis we've ever had. Skip the fresh strawberries for this recipe — instead, you'll use a raspberry liqueur, like Chambord, to give the drink that extra boost of fruity flavor.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Raspberry Lychee Martini

Not every beverage has to be strong, especially during the summer. Even when you feel like drinking, the hotter weather might make you want to choose lighter, fresher options, like this spritzer. Rosé wine is at the heart of the recipe, and it joins forces with Campari for a boozy base. But by including sparkling water, it becomes perfect for sipping on a hot day. Add some lemon for a beautiful, citrus-forward brightness. Muddled strawberries provide that summer berry note that makes this drink stand out.

Recipe: Strawberry Rose Spritzer

Who said that water couldn't taste like something special? When you want to hydrate in the most delicious way possible, turn to this festive red, white, and blue water. Those colors come from strawberries, blueberries, and apples, all of which can be cut into cute shapes to make the drink as pretty as can be. You can also swap out the still water for sparkling if you want to make things even more refreshing. Once you start drinking your water this way, you may never want to go back to the plain stuff again.

Recipe: Festive Red, White, and Blue Infused Water

We love a mocktail that packs a real flavor punch, which is exactly what you'll get with this drink that calls for rhubarb, blueberry, and basil. You'll be amazed at how much color the rhubarb adds to the equation, while that blueberry offers the fruity, berry-forward twist any good summertime mocktail needs. And by using ginger beer as the base of the drink, you still get some of that spice and bite that you'd normally find in an alcoholic drink.

Recipe: Rhubarb Blueberry Basil Mocktail

You can find bottled versions of Bellinis, but let's be honest: This drink tastes way, way better when it's fresh. Luckily, that's not difficult to pull off with this undeniably summer recipe. Using fresh, in-season peaches makes for the tastiest and most concentrated puree base. Once it's topped off with a generous amount of Prosecco, you have a beverage that's perfect for summertime brunch ... or even for sipping by the pool.

Recipe: Fresh Peach Bellini Cocktail

There's nothing like opening up a nice bottle of white wine on a hot summer day ... unless you count this white wine spritzer made with strawberry and basil. This is an easy way to make an average bottle of wine taste more refreshing and just a bit sweeter, thanks to the inclusion of fruit and strawberry syrup. The end result is a spritzer that's so light and easy to drink you'll be inclined to whip up a second batch as soon as you finish the first.

Recipe: Strawberry and Basil White Wine Spritzer

Watermelon might just be the most iconic fruit of the summer, so it only makes sense that it would play such a prominent role in this ultra-summery cocktail. To make things even more refreshing, though, this drink calls for frozen watermelon, which blends into an irresistible slushy-like texture. You get some sugar from the fruit itself, along with a splash of grenadine, but the drink isn't too sweet — it makes it a lot easier to drink on a hot day. After trying the frozen cocktail, you may never look at watermelon in the same way again.

Recipe: Creamy Frozen Watermelon Cocktail

For those who like a hint of savory flavor in their drinks, this peach-tomatillo Michelada might just be one of the best cocktails in this lineup. Peach puree and tomatillo juice make up the base of the drink, while mezcal gives it the signature smokiness it needs to taste its best. Topping it off with a beer makes it a Michelada, though. In this case, skip the light lager and instead opt for an IPA, which adds an incredible depth of flavor to the light and refreshing beverage.

Recipe: Peach-Tomatillo Michelada

The only fruity touch a normal paloma gets is from grapefruit juice. But if you already have some summer strawberries on hand, why not add them to the mix? We love this combo because it results in a cocktail that's slightly sweeter, helping to counteract the bitterness that grapefruit is known for. Because you're using fresh strawberries, you can just use grapefruit soda instead of processing a fresh grapefruit for juice. You may never want to drink a paloma without added strawberries again once you taste this drink.

Recipe: Summer Strawberry Paloma Cocktail

It doesn't need to be brunch to make this incredible cocktail. In fact, it's even better for lunch or dinner when you have the grill going, since this recipe calls for grilled peaches instead of the standard orange juice the cocktail usually includes. Charring the peaches ahead of time adds a smokiness you might not expect from a mimosa (or a Bellini, which is also part of the inspiration for the drink). While a standard mimosa can be overly sweet, the drink's smoky flavor gives it a sophistication that's a step up from an average brunch cocktail.

Recipe: Grilled Peach Mimosa

An old fashioned with watermelon? Hear us out. You might think the flavors of an old fashioned and the juicy, sweet notes of watermelon wouldn't meld well, but that's just because you've never made this recipe before. The brightness and sweetness of the fruit create a lovely balance with the bold, intense flavors in an old fashioned. And by making your own watermelon ice cubes, you'll ensure the drink doesn't get watered down on a hot summer day as you take your time sipping.

Recipe: Watermelon Old Fashioned Drink

Who says that you can't pair Scotch with fruity flavors? Certainly not us! Your standard Scotch sour gets a fruity upgrade with this beverage, which adds a raspberry-forward spin on an otherwise pretty heavy cocktail. But it's not just the raspberry notes that provide the flavor. Lemons are also an essential addition, since they offer the acidity that gives this drink its sour twist. And if you really want to make the drink shine (literally), be sure to include some edible red glitter — the visual effect is stunning.

Recipe: Raspberry Scotch Sour

A lemon drop is the perfect cocktail for people who love a drink that has a good balance between sweetness and acidity. But that doesn't mean you can't add some more interesting flavors into the mix. You get all the sweet lemony flavor you'd normally find in a lemon drop when you make this, but adding strawberries enhances those sweet and tart flavors. Not only will you get an ultra-refreshing drink on a hot day, but it's also as pretty as can be, making it perfect for a party.

Recipe: Strawberry Lemon Drop Cocktail

Watermelon absolutely belongs in a mojito, and this drink is proof. Rum is still at the base of this iconic drink, and as always, mint plays a starring role. But the fresh watermelon lends the beverage a lovely, subtle sweetness that tastes particularly wonderful during the summer months. Worried about this cocktail being too sweet? Don't — with just enough lime, you get a nicely balanced flavor profile that has more than enough acidity to counteract all that sugar.

Recipe: Watermelon Mojito Cocktail

Looking for a lighter, more refreshing version of sangria you can sip on all summer long? We love this take on the classic drink that calls for strawberries in place of other fruits. Instead of using red wine, you can start with a somewhat neutral-tasting white wine, like pinot grigio. This recipe gives you a double dose of strawberry flavor: first in the strawberry puree (that you can make with defrosted frozen strawberries) and then in the fresh strawberries you add to the drink for garnish and a touch of sweetness.

Recipe: Summer Strawberry Sangria

Is there a drink that feels more indulgent than a daiquiri? We don't think so! And that's why this recipe is so perfect for those sunny summer days, especially if you're on vacation. Because you'll be making this version frozen, you get a nice slushy texture that feels especially refreshing when the temps are high. Don't drink alcohol? No worries, because you can also omit the alcohol completely and still get a delicious drink that will keep you feeling hydrated all summer long.

Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail

If you're looking for the perfect sangria for summer, you've absolutely come to the right place. Not only is this sangria refreshing, largely thanks to the use of white wine instead of red, but it's also stunningly beautiful once you add in all of those different colors from the fruit. Raspberries, peaches, oranges, and limes together create a sweet, tart flavor profile that tastes amazing all year long (but especially during the summer). Elderflower cordial gives the cocktail its signature floral touch.

Recipe: Floral White Wine Sangria

We love a simple drink that doesn't take much effort. After all, on a hot day, you probably don't want to go above and beyond to make a refreshing drink to sip on the porch. Because this recipe only calls for four ingredients — strawberries, club soda, mint, and riesling wine — you can make it at any time, not save it for parties or get-togethers when you want to go all out. Look for a semi-sweet version of riesling to give your drink that touch of sweetness it needs without overwhelming your taste buds with sugar.

Recipe: Strawberry Summer White Wine Spritzer

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