Passion Fruit Martini (photo by iStock)
Food + Drink

7 Cocktail Recipes that are Perfect for Summer

Celebrate by shaking up these festive cocktails that pair well with parties and picnics all season long. 

Passion Fruit Martini

1 oz. Absolut Vodka
½ oz. Passion Fruit Liqueur
¾ oz. Passion Fruit Purée
⅔ oz. Lemon Juice
⅔ oz. Simple Syrup
1 Passion Fruit, sliced

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all liquid ingredients. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with passion fruit. From Absolut

Smirnoff Berry Firecracker (photo by iStock)

Smirnoff Berry Firecracker

1 oz. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
5 oz. Smirnoff Seltzer
Red, White & Berry
½ oz. Lemon Juice
½ oz. Honey syrup
4 Raspberries or Blueberries

Muddle raspberries and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, lemon juice and vodka. Shake well and pour mix into a glass filled with ice. Top off with Smirnoff Seltzer Red, White & Berry. From Smirnoff

Mint Pineapple Fresca (photo by iStock)

Mint Pineapple Fresca

2 oz. Jose Cuervo
Tradicional Tequila Reposado
1 oz. Lime Juice
¾ oz. Agave Nectar
1 Pineapple
1 Mint sprig

Muddle pineapple chunks and mint leaves. Add tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar. Stir until well mixed. Strain mixture into glass over ice. Garnish with mint sprig, pineapple slice and frond. From Jose Cuervo

Blue Crush Cocktail (photo by iStock)

Blue Crush

2 oz. Patrón Silver
½ oz. Blue Citrónge*
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
¾ oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Demerara Syrup
1 Pineapple ring for garnish
1 Orange peel for garnish
1 Pineapple leaf for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with crushed ice and shake vigorously. Pour unstrained into glass. Garnish with a pineapple ring, orange peel and leaf. From Patrón *Blue Citrónge: add 3 drops of blue food coloring to Citrónge Orange Liqueur

Basil Watermelon Cooler (photo by iStock)

Basil Watermelon Cooler

1 ½ oz. Grey Goose Vodka
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup
Ginger Ale
4 Basil Leaves
1 Peeled Ginger Slice
2 Large Chunks of Watermelon

In a cocktail shaker, muddle three basil leaves with a ginger slice, one watermelon chunk and simple syrup.

Add ice, vodka and lime juice. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with ginger ale to taste. Garnish with remaining watermelon chunk and basil leaves. From Grey Goose

Raspberry Lynchburg (photo by iStock)

Raspberry Lynchburg

2 oz. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7
½ oz. Chambord
¾ oz. Lime Juice
¼ oz. Sugar Syrup
Lemonade/lemon-lime soda
3 Raspberries to garnish

Fill the shaker halfway with cubed ice. Add all ingredients except the lemonade/lemon-lime soda and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill a highball glass 3/4 full with cubed ice. Strain the liquid into the glass. Top with lemonade/lemon-lime soda to taste. Drizzle the Chambord around the surface of the drink. Float three raspberries on the drink to garnish. From Jack Daniel’s

Frozen Captain Jungle Bird (photo by iStock)

Frozen Captain Jungle Bird

1 ½ oz. Captain Morgan
Original Spiced Rum
¾ oz. Bitter Aperitivo
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Demerara Syrup
1 Pineapple wedge to garnish

Add a couple of cubes of ice to a short glass. Combine the rum, Bitter Aperitivo, sugar syrup, pineapple juice and lime juice to the glass and stir. Finish off with a wedge of pineapple to garnish. From Captain Morgan

Proof Magazine is for Ohio spirit lovers. It is produced by Great Lakes Publishing three times a year. Dont miss an issue by subscribing to Ohio MagazineView a digital version of the Proof Magazine Summer 2023 edition here