There’s nothing like sipping a cold drink on a hot summer day. The best summer cocktails often feature fresh fruit, tropical flavors, and, of course, an umbrella to top it all off.
If you’re looking for a delicious cocktail to enjoy this summer, we’ve found seven delicious tropical cocktails that are perfect for warm days. Try out these fruity and delicious mixed drink ideas this summer!
Tropical Summer Drink Ideas
Our favorite tropical mixed drinks for summer are sure to cool you off. Check out the cocktail recipes below!
Painkiller
For a fruity summer cocktail, consider the Painkiller! This classically tropical drink is made with pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut, and rum. The standard recipe calls for Pusser’s rum, a dark spiced rum with flavor notes of molasses, toffee, and cinnamon.
The Painkiller is a twist on the pina colada, so if you’re looking for a more creative summer cocktail, this is a great choice! This drink is typically garnished with a slice of pineapple and some nutmeg to enhance the flavor.
Mai Tai
For a classic tiki drink, you need to try a Mai Tai! This light and refreshing drink is perfect for sipping at the beach or at your favorite tiki bar. The name Mai Tai comes from the Tahitian word maita’i, which means “good” or “excellent” – which shows how much people love this drink!
Mai Tai’s are made with white rum and dark rum, as well as orange curacao, lime juice, and orgeat, which is an almond syrup. Serve it in your favorite tropical glass and garnish with lime and a sprig of mint!
Malibu Sunset
Another light and tasty cocktail to try this summer is the Malibu Sunset! Anyone can make this mixed drink with a few bar staples, and if you’re looking for something fruity and cooling on a hot day, the Malibu Sunset is a great choice.
This summery drink is made with Malibu coconut rum, although you can use any brand of coconut rum if you prefer. Mix it up with pineapple juice, orange juice, grenadine, and maraschino cherries and you’re all set! To set the tone for a tropical evening, garnish with pineapple or orange slices. The Malibu Sunset is very similar to a Bahama Mama – the only difference is the addition of dark rum!
Jalapeno Margarita
Switch it up this summer by choosing spicy instead of sweet! While many tropical cocktails are fruit-focused, you can flip the classic margarita on its head by infusing it with jalapeno instead. You can make this spicy margarita with jalapeno juice, jalapeno infused tequila, or by shaking your cocktail with some fresh jalapeno slices!
The jalapeno margarita contains all the standard margarita ingredients: tequila, lime, agave, and triple sec. Add in jalapeno and strain it out after a good shake, pour over ice, and you’re ready to sip! For some extra spice, consider using a spiced salt rim instead of standard salt.
Caipirinha
The Caipirinha is Brazil’s national drink, so it’s a great cocktail for warm days or a tropical setting! This is a simple and delicious summertime recipe, but you aren’t likely to have all of the ingredients at home. The spirit used in Caipirinha is cachaca, often mistaken for Brazilian rum. Cachaca is actually distilled from fresh sugarcane juice, but it’s less sweet than rum and has an earthy flavor.
Once you’ve found some cachaca, simply muddle fresh limes and superfine sugar in a glass and top it off with your spirit. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy this light drink on a warm summer day!
Sex on the Beach
Nothing says “summer cocktail” like a Sex on the Beach. This drink draws a lot of attention for its name, but it’s actually a delicious mixed drink to add to your repertoire! While many tropical cocktails are made with rum, the Sex on the Beach is made with vodka.
To make this classic summer drink, mix vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Garnish with an orange wedge and perhaps a cocktail umbrella!
Blue Hawaii
If you want a brightly colored tropical cocktail, the Blue Hawaii is the drink for you. This drink is bright blue due to the addition of blue curacao. To make it, mix up rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and sweet and sour mix. You can also make it frozen by blending it with ice!
The Blue Hawaii is often confused with the Blue Hawaiian (understandably so!) If you prefer your drink a bit less sour, omit the sweet and sour mix for coconut cream, or even sprite for something less creamy to make it a Blue Hawaiian.
Final Thoughts
Soak up the sunshine and enjoy these tropical cocktail ideas this summer!
