6 Sizzling Summer Cocktail Recipes

Are you, like us, dreaming of sitting in a sun-drenched square in Italy, or on a white sand beach in Greece, sipping a delicious cocktail and watching the world go by?

Unfortunately, we will all have to keep dreaming a little while longer, but to make things easier we thought we’d bring you some delicious summer cocktail recipes that you can make yourself so that you can soak up the summer feels from your own home or garden instead (just pretend you’re somewhere fabulous).

Some of these are really quick to make (maximising sunshine relaxation time) and yet really visually impressive, making them great welcome drinks for weddings and celebrations. An Aperol Spritz on the lawn in front of your venue, on a hot summer’s day, is a great welcome drink set up, or perhaps a Honey and Thyme Tonic in the orangery? Whatever your summer event vibe, there is a cocktail here to refresh and impress your guests.

Our 6 sizzling summer cocktails:

1. Midsummer Runner

2. Aperol Spritz

3. Honey and Thyme Tonic

4. Old Cuban

5. Rhubarb Gin Fizz

6. Rhubarb Mojito

Midsummer Runner

This delicious cocktail contains Cocchi Rosa, which was actually new to us. Made in Italy, Cocchi Rosa is produced with a base of red wines, to which herbs and spices extracts are added. Yet another winning Aperitif from Italy.

MIDSUMMER RUNNER COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

25ml white rum

25ml Cocchi Rosa

25ml Rhubarb cordial

Prosecco (to top up)

Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

In a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, add the rum, Cocchi Rosa and rhubarb cordial

1. Stir for around 20 seconds.

2. Strain into a coupe glass and top up with prosecco.

3. Serve - simple and elegant.

2. Aperol Spritz

Is it even summer if you haven’t sat in the sun, sipping an Aperol spritz? We love serving this one up with some big slices of orange and a sprig of thyme, but if you don’t have those, don’t fret, this recipe is a simply 3 ingredient quickie!

APEROL SPRITZ COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

50ml Aperol

Prosecco

Soda (or lemonade – slightly rogue)

Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a gin or wine glass, add your orange slices, a few ice cubes and your Aperol.

2. Top up nearly all the way with prosecco, then add a dash of soda. If you want to sweeten things up a bit, you might prefer lemonade (I do), but this is an extremely rogue move that the Italians wouldn’t condone!

3. Serve.

3. Honey & Thyme Vodka Tonic

Wowee. I knew I wanted to make a honey and thyme syrup base for a cocktail but I couldn’t quite find a cocktail recipe that was hitting the mark for me, so I decide to make up my own and oh my, I actually surpassed my own expectations with this one. A unique and super refreshing summer flavour, if you like a herby cocktail then this one is definitely for you.

HONEY THYME VODKA TONIC COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

50ml Vanilla Vodka

25ml lemon juice

25ml honey thyme syrup

Tonic water (to top up)

Ice

Honey Sugar Syrup

5 springs of fresh thyme

4tbs water

4tbs honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the syrup: add all of the syrup ingredients to a pan, let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Leave to cool completely and then strain into a jar/jug or straight into your cocktail shaker.

2. Coat the rim of a tumbler with honey and then dip in sugar.

3. Add a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker along with the Vodka, lemon juice and honey thyme syrup.

4. Shake well for 10-15 seconds, until the shaker is icy cold.

5. Half fill the sugar-rimmed glass with ice and then strain in the mix from the shaker.

6. Top up with tonic water and garnish with a spring of thyme and slice of lemon.

7. Serve.

4. Old Cuban

This one packs a serious rum punch that’s for sure! A perfect whip up super-fast and then sip slowllly in the sunshine kind of cocktail.

OLD CUBAN COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

6 mint leaves (+1 extra to serve)

50ml Golden rum

25ml Lime juice

10ml Sugar syrup

Champagne or Prosecco (to top up)

Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add 6 mint leaves to a cocktail shaker and lightly muddle

2. Add the rum, lime juice, sugar syrup and a big handful of ice

3. Shake for around 15 seconds, until the shaker feels icy cold.

4. Strain into a coupe glass

5. Top up with your fizz of choice and garnish with a mint leaf. Serve.

5. Rhubarb Gin Fizz

I’m not sure this one really needs any introduction, the name says it all. Delicious sweet and fizzy, this cocktail is truly scrumptious.

RHUBARB GIN FIZZ COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

25ml Rhubarb Gin

15ml Lime Juice

15ml Rhubarb Cordial

Prosecco (to top up)

Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the rhubarb gin, lime juice, rhubarb cordial, and a large handful of ice in a cocktail shaker.

2. Shake for 10 seconds, until the shaker feels really cold.

3. Strain into a coupe glass and top with prosecco.

4. Garnish with a slice of lime. Serve.

6. Rhubarb Mojito

I know, another Rhubarb recipe, but honestly, this twist on a mojito is so worth adding one more rhubarb recipe to this set. This cocktail is seriously delicious, although it does go down dangerously easily!

RHUBARB MOJITO COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

25ml White Rum

20ml Lime Juice

20ml Rhubarb Cordial

6-8 Mint leaves, plus a sprig to decorate

Soda water (to top up)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Muddle the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker with ice.

2. Add all other ingredients, except the soda, and shake well for 10-15 seconds.

3. Strain into a highball glass 3/4 filled with ice.

4. Fill to top with soda, garnish with mint, and serve.

Well, there you have our selection of cocktail recipes to inspire you this summer, refreshing and full of flavour, there’s bound to be one in there that takes your fancy (especially if you’re a rhubarb fan)!

If you make any of the recipes above we would LOVE to see your cocktails, please do tag us on social @thefizzypheasant. If you have another summer favourite cocktail, tell us in the comments below so that we can make those too!