Celebrate world cocktail day with our favourite recipes to enjoy in the sun
World cocktail day is this Saturday 13 May and we're going to be making a whole host of delicious drinks to celebrate with our friends and family.
We've got plenty of options for everyone, whether you're more into fruity, sweet, sour or looking for low and no alcohol cocktails - we've got you covered.
From boozy mojitos, Aperol Spritz, gin sours and non-alcoholic Pimm's, our cocktail recipes will give you plenty of inspiration to enjoy the warmer weather.
We have plenty of ideas for frozen cocktails too - including a frozen strawberry daiquiri and a a frozen Aperol cocktail.
If you're entertaining and want an easy option then you can't go wrong with a jug of Pimm's, or have a look at our tried and tested cocktails in a can for the ultimate convenience.
(Hearst Owned)
This deliciously fruity cocktail has a strawberry infused-gin base, topped up with sparkling wine for a fizzy finish.
Recipe: Strawberry Royal Cocktail
(Good Housekeeping - Hearst Owned)
This summery cocktail is made with coconut rum, coconut water and vanilla pods.
Recipe: Coconut rum punch
(Good Housekeeing UK - Hearst Owned)
The traditional mojito has a surprise up its sleeve - a sugar syrup made with ginger makes it zing on a hot summer's day.
Recipe: Ginger mojito
(Good Housekeeping - Hearst Owned)
A refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail made with elderflower cordial and soda water - then topped with mint and limes.
Recipe: Cucumber, mint and elderflower mocktail
(Gareth Morgans - Hearst Owned)
Your go-to gin sidekick just got a new best friend. Floral white port pairs perfectly with sharp fizzy tonic. Swap the rosemary for fresh mint, if you like.
Recipe: White Port and Tonic
(Hearst Owned)
We've taken a refreshing twist on the Spanish classic, with this sparkling white wine Sangria – perfect for summer parties.
Recipe: White wine sangria
(Getty Images)
A pina colada that uses fresh bananas and a banana and salted caramel-infused rum? Yes please!
Recipe: Banana colada
(Rockstar Spirits)
Make the most of rhubarb season by turning fresh rhubarb into a syrup to enjoy in this cocktail spiked with gin & lime.
Recipe: Rhubarb & Lime Rickey
(Isle of Harris)
A martini with a twist for a sunny day – just add rhubarb syrup.
Recipe: Rhubarb martini
Strawberries, rum and lime combine for the perfect chilled summer cocktail
Recipe: Frozen strawberry daiquiri
Ingredients:
- 65ml Coole Swan
- 25ml Luxardo Limoncello
- 8 drops Foodie Flavours Passionfruit Flavour Drops
- 75ml soda water
- lemon twist, to garnish
Method:
- Fill your shaker halfway with cubed ice followed by Coole Swan, Passionfruit Drops and Limoncello. Shake hard to attain the best foam.
- Fill your glass with cubed ice. Strain the mix into your glass slowly and simultaneously fill the same glass with soda using your free hand. (An old school technique to get a lovely head on the drink.) Garnish and enjoy!
NB We recommend you use Luxardo as it works perfectly with Coole Swan, other products may impact the quality of the final drink.
(Coole Swan)
Forget frosé (ok, we still love this, too) - Frozerol is about to become your new obsession. This Aperol Spritz slushie is the perfect adult summer drink.
Recipe: Frozerol
(Oscar Hather)
We love an espresso martini and this frozen version is seriously tasty - hello summer!
Recipe: Frozen Espresso Martini
(Good Housekeeping)
Lemonade, gin, caster sugar and lemon juice... that's it, and you've got this AMAZING drink!
Recipe: Frozen Gin Fizz
(Good Housekeeping)
This easy recipe has an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version
Recipe: Apple and ginger cocktail
Elderflower is a big summer favourite – add gin for a boozy boost.
Recipe: Elderflower and gin granita
Tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice make up a margarita, and this frozen version is perfect for warm summer days.
Recipe: Frozen Margarita
(Good Housekeeping)
An easy non-alcoholic cocktail – using a secret shop-bought ingredient …
Recipe: Tropical teaser
Pink gin is the DRINK of the moment, and this frozen version using pre-mixed cans is a fun summer cocktail.
Recipe: Frozen pink gin
(Good Housekeeping)
A dessert, a slushy, a cooling drink – it’s all of these and we like it!
Recipe: Sophisticated slushy
Inspired by the classic Mint Julep, a great option for a garden party
Recipe: Whiskey refresher
Hello Prosecco! Add frozen raspberries to make this gorgeous berry slushie.
Recipe: Prosecco slushies
(Good Housekeeping)
Refreshing chilled tea and zesty lemonade – what’s not to like?
Recipe: Lemon iced tea
A quick and easy outdoor drink from your store cupboard
Recipe: Dried fruit cocktail
What you need:
50ml Ramsbury Gin
15ml Dry Vermouth
Green apple
Method:
Pour Ramsbury single estate gin and dry vermouth into a cocktail shaker with ice. Stir well, then straining into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a thin slice of fresh green apple.
(Good Housekeeping)
What you need:
15ml rhubarb and gigner liqueur
15ml green apple liqueur
15ml rhubarb gin
15ml fresh lemon juice
15ml William Fox raspberry sugar syrup
Method:
Pour over Cubed ice and topp with 145ml of ginger ale.
Serve with a strip of rhubarb, Mint sprig and a Viola Flower.
Created by The Florist
(Good Housekeeping)
This refreshing cocktail makes a great start to an extra-special evening.
Recipe: Orange and basil sparkler cocktail
(Good Housekeeping)
A bold and fragrant cocktail with Cointreau and soda water.
Recipe: The Earl's Tipple
(Good Housekeeping)
Try our Mojito recipe - the classic Cuban cocktail.
Recipe: The perfect mojito
Brazil’s national cocktail is made with cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugar cane.
Recipe: Classic caipirinha
Passion fruit and pomegranate combine to make this delicious cocktail recipe.
Recipe: Passiontini
(Hearst Owned)
What you need:
- 50ml rhubarb gin
- 50ml pink grapefruit
- 25ml elderflower
- Grapefruit lemonade
Method:
- Add all ingredients to a tall glass over ice, stir. Garnish with a wedge of pink grapefruit.
What you need:
- Slingsby rhubarb gin
- 25ml Pimms
- 50ml lemonade
- Fresh strawberries and fruit
Method:
- Build the gin and Pimms over fruit and ice and top with lemonade, garnish with mint.
What you need:
- 25ml Slingsby London Dry Gin
- 50ml Cloudy Apple Juice
- 25ml Lemon Juice
- 12.5ml Rosemary Syrup
Method:
- Shake and strain into a rocks glass with an ice ball. Garnish with spiralized apple and rosemary.
What you need:
- 40 ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 10ml Sugar Syrup
- 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 20ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin
- Crème de mûre to float
Method:
- Build in a Rocks glass with cube ice and stir
- Top with crushed ice
- Drizzle over Sloe gin or Crème de mûre for the float
- Garnish with a blackberry.
What you need:
- 50ml London Dry Gin
- 10ml Sugar Syrup
- 20ml Lemon Juice
- Good quality lager or pale ale
Method:
- Combine all ingredients, except the beer, in an ice filled shaker.
- Shake well.
- Double strain into a chilled glass and top with chilled beer.
- Garnish with a lemon twist or hop.
What you need:
- 1 bottle of Monte Rosso
- Ice
- 1 orange
- Handful of strawberries
Method:
- Lightly blend or crush ice, and fill a balloon glass 2/3s full.
- Rough chop a handful of strawberries in half and add to the glass.
- Pour over a bottle of Monte Rosso.
- Peel an orange into a long thin strip. Twist into a corkscrew shape and garnish.
What you need:
- 1 bottle of The London Essence Company’s Grapefruit and Lemon Verbena soda.
- 1 cucumber
- 1 apple
- 1 orange
- Handful of strawberries
- Ice
Method:
- Thinly slice the cucumber until you have a long thin strip the length of the glass. Wrap this around the inner of the glass, creating a spiral from bottom to rim.
- Cut the strawberries into thin slices and place around the inner of the glass.
- Loosely stack ice the length of a tumbler glass.
- Pour in the soda, and cut a small fan shaped slice of orange to garnish.
What you need:
- 1 bottle of The London Essence Company’s Rhubarb and Cardamom soda
- 1 stick of rhubarb
- Ice
Method:
- Thinly slice your rhubarb until you have a long, thin strip the length of your glass.
- Loosely stack ice cubes to just below the rim of a tall glass.
- Pour over the soda and enjoy.
What you need:
- 50ml Sipsmith London Dry
- Juice of half a lemon
- 15ml Simple Syrup
- Soda Water
- Strawberries
Method:
- Combine 50ml of Sipsmith Gin with the juice of half a lemon and 15ml simple syrup in a highball
- Stir, layer with ice and fresh strawberry slices then top with soda water.
- Add straw and garnish with lemon
What you need:
- 50ml Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin
- 15ml Lemon Juice
- 15ml Lime juice
- 20ml Sugar Syrup
- 8-10 mint leaves (plus more to garnish)
- Raspberry (to garnish)
- Lemon peel (to garnish)
Method:
- Put Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin, Lemon Juice, Lime juice, Sugar Syrup and 8-10 mint leaves in glass.
- Churn with crushed ice.
- Top with more crushed ice and soda.
- Garnish with mint, raspberry and lemon peel.
What you need:
- 50ml Caorunn gin
- 150ml Herbal apple soda
- 1 part lemon juice
- 7 parts apple juice
- 7 parts green tea
Method:
- Hot brew the green tea to extract the flavour and tannins, and allow to cool.
- Mix ingredients well and chill in a fridge.
- Carbonate using a sodastream.
Combining an espresso martini with a margarita, this cocktail is refreshing and indulgent at the same time.
Recipe: Espresso margarita
(Cointreau)
Try something with a little je ne sais quoi to set the mood. Use a good quality vodka, like Russian Standard (widely available, RRP £15-£19), as it will show to superior effect in this rosy tipple.
Recipe: French martini
(Good Housekeeping)
This simple, floral cocktail is made with hibiscus flowers in syrup. Perfect for a Summer garden party.
Recipe: Puck's mischief
(Good Housekeeping)
Something a little special to set the mood (or raise a toast)
Recipe: Rosy Glow Cocktails
(Good Housekeeping)
This summer cocktail recipe is a refreshing and sophisticated tipple made with apple juice and elderflower liqueur.
Recipe: Apple and Elderflower Fizz
(Good Housekeeping)
Use any berry liqueur you like, such as crème de framboise, Chambord or cassis, to make these elegant and easy cocktails.
Recipe: Berry Blush Cocktails
(Good Housekeeping)
These fresh and fruity cocktails are sure to get the party going
Recipe: Fruity Fizz
(Good Housekeeping)
Featuring apricot jam, honey, lemon, cognac & white rum to transport you to the south of France.
Recipe: French Riviera
(TT Liquor)
A sweet and sour concoction of fresh raspberries, zingy lemon juice, vodka, raspberry liqueur and refreshing mint.
Recipe: Raspberry sour
(Dima's)
The Campari spritz is a wonderful alternative to an Aperol spritz. Made with the famous Italian liqueur, Prosecco and soda water, it's intense and bittersweet.
Recipe: Campari spritz
(Getty)
If you're after a refreshing cocktail, an Aperol Spritz is probably the perfect tipple. Bright orange in colour and with a combination of sweet liqueur and white wine or fizzy Prosecco, it's refreshing with a bitter-sweet after taste.
Recipe: Aperol spritz
(Getty Images)
Tangy and oh so refreshing. The salt rim on a Margarita cocktail isn’t just for appearances, it helps balance the flavours too.
Recipe: Classic Margarita
(Getty Images)
Do you know how to make Pimm's properly? We explain how to make the perfect jug of Pimm's, whether you prefer the classic recipe or want to try something new.
Recipe: How to make a jug of Pimm's
(Getty - Getty Images)Here are our favourite summer cocktails from boozy mojitos to non-alcoholic Pimm's. enjoy these summer cocktail recipes in the sunshine.