Super Easy Summer Cocktail Recipes to Try at Home

With the lockdown in effect, weekends don’t feel the same. The sultry summers are finally here, and all of us are stuck inside, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. So, in that spirit (pun intended), we have consolidated a list of six easy to make summer cocktails that you can whip up in no time using pantry staples that most of us would find at home.

1. Classic Mojito

Ingredients

• 50 ml White Rum
• 1 good splash of Soda
• 2 tsp Caster Sugar
• A few Mint Leaves 
  
• 2 wedges of Lime
• Crushed Ice
• 1 tall Glass
• 1 Knife
• 1 large Spoon
• Shaker, if possible

Method

1. Crush two wedges of lime along with 2 teaspoons of sugar in a large bowl or mortar until well mixed and set aside.  

2. Pick 10-12 leaves (depending on glass size) from a mint sprig and place in the bottom of a glass. Add the lime and sugar on top and press down with your spoon.

3. Add a handful of crushed ice to the glass until 3/4 full.

4. Pour the white rum and soda into a shaker and shake well. If you don’t have a shaker then pour both directly into the glass and mix well with a spoon.

5. Top up with ice and garnish with mint before enjoying.

2. Heady Cosmopolitan 

Ingredients

• 45 ml Vodka
  
• 45 ml Cranberry Juice
• 2 wedges Lime
• Half a slice Orange/Orange Peel (for garnishing)

Method

1. Fill a shaker 3/4 with ice.

2. Add all the ingredients, squeeze both wedges of lime and drop in.

3. Shake it and strain into a martini glass.

4. Take a small peel of an orange, flame it to extract the oil essence, drop it in the drink.

5. Top up with ice and garnish with mint before enjoying.

3. Tropical Pina Colada

Ingredients

• 45 ml White Rum
• 10 ml Coconut Syrup
• 100 ml Pineapple Juice
• 30 ml Cream/Coconut Cream
• A scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
• Half a slice of Pineapple for garnishing

Method

1. Rim a glass with desiccated coconut.

2. Blend all the ingredients with a scoop of crushed ice using a jug and hand blender.

3. Pour into the rimmed glass.

4. Garnish with fresh mint

*Pro-tip: Use mango juice instead of pineapple to make a Mango Colada.

4. Fruity Daiquiri

Ingredients

• 45 ml White Rum
  
• 15 ml Lime Juice
• 45 ml Sugar Syrup/Fruit Crushes - Strawberry, Peach, Apricot, Litchi
• Sweet Lime Slice/Mint Sprig (for garnishing)

Method

1. Rim the glass you are going to use with sugar.

2. Take a mixing tin filled half with crushed ice.

3. Add white rum, lime juice, sugar syrup or flavoured crushes and blend until it becomes slushy.

4. Garnish with a sprig of mint or any fruit and serve.

5. Classic Margarita

Ingredients

• 45 ml Tequila
  
• 15 ml Cointreau
• 15 ml Lime Juice
• 1 wedge Lime
• 15 ml Sugar Syrup
• Slice of lemon for garnishing

Method

1. Rim the glass with salt.

2. Fill the mixing tin 3/4 with ice cubes.

3. Pour Tequila, Cointreau, lime wedge and lime juice, shake.

4. Strain it in the rimmed glass and Garnish.

5. Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy.

6. Fancy Sangria

Ingredients

• Cut fruits - Apples, Orange, Mint and any seasonal fruit of choice
  
• 75 ml Red Wine
• 5 ml Orange Wine (to soak fruits)
• 7 Up
• Mint sprigs (for garnishing)

Method

1. Add the cut fruits in a glass. 

2. Pour in the red wine, orange wine, ice and top with 7Up or Sprite.

3. Garnish with fresh mint.

Cool off with these refreshing homemade drinks this Summer!