Summer is drawing closer, and with it, the warm weather.

It’s a time of sunny days, cicadas buzzing and the lawnmower humming. If you want to enjoy the heat from the comfort of your porch, you’ll need some drink recipes for hot summer days.

Here are some cool drinks to make at home — no bartending experience required.

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1. Mint Julep

Mint is a favorite summer flavor, both in food and in drinks. The julep brings this flavor into focus with its refreshing combination of bourbon, simple syrup, fresh mint, and bitters.

The recipe:

• Add 8 fresh mint leaves and a quarter-ounce of simple syrup to a rocks glass. Make sure to muddle the mint leaves in the bottom of the glass.

• Add 2 ounces of bourbon.

• Pack the rest of the glass with crushed ice. Stir together.

• Top with more crushed ice. Garnish with another fresh mint sprig and a dash of bitters.

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2. Cold Brew & Bourbon

Sometimes, easy mixed drinks need to help you cool off and wake you up. Fortunately, the cold brew and bourbon easily rises to this challenge, with its creamy texture, its chilled caffeine kick, and the sweet hint of vanilla. The supplies you’ll need: whiskey, homemade cold brew, heavy cream, triple sec, and maple syrup.

The recipe:

• Grab a cocktail shaker and a rocks glass.

• Fill your rocks glass with ice.

• Combine 2 ½ ounces of cold brew coffee, 1 ¼ ounces of bourbon, one-half ounce of triple sec and one-half ounce of maple syrup into the shaker. Mix well. 

• Strain the mix onto the ice. 

• Top your glass off 1 ounce of heavy cream.

• Garnish with an orange peel and serve.

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3. Classic Margarita 

These refreshing drinks are smooth and slightly tart. You’ll need are tequila, ice cubes, limes, coarse kosher salt, and margarita mix to enhance the flavor.

The recipe:

• Rim your cocktail glass with salt.

• Stir your margarita mix and 3 ounces of tequila in a shaker.

• Strain the drink over the cocktail glass.

• Garnish with a lime wedge or several.

• Serve chilled.

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4. Piña Coladas

Piña coladas are known for their association with tropical paradises. In this drink, you’ll find a mix of pineapple juice, frozen diced pineapple, Coco Lopez coconut cream, white rum, dark rum, and pineapple slices for garnish. It’s the perfect, refreshing summer drink. If you’d prefer a mocktail, making a piña colada without rum is easy and delicious.

The recipe:

• Crush 1 ½ cup of ice in the blender.

• Add one-half cup of frozen pineapple, 2 ounces of pineapple juice, 2 ounces of Coco Lopez coconut cream, 1 ½ ounce of white rum, and 1 ounce of dark rum. 

• Blend.

• Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

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5. Classic Mimosa 

Mimosas are a fizzy go-to brunch drink. They’re an excellent choice for summer get-togethers, too. Made with just two ingredients — champagne and orange juice — these bubbly drinks are easy to serve.

The recipe:

• Fill a flute halfway with champagne, pouring slowly.

• Top off the drink with orange juice.

• Garnish with orange wheels or slices.

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6. Moscow Mule

The Moscow mule is a mixed drink and a cocktail. In both scenarios, it’s straightforward to make.

The recipe:

• Grab a glass.

• Add some ice cubes.

• Add 2 ounces of vodka.

• Top the drink off with ginger ale or ginger beer. Stir gently and garnish.

Because of this drink’s simplicity, the liquor can be swapped out for an alternative, such as rum, gin, tequila, or whiskey. If you’re interested in trying different drinks entirely, look at this cherry mule recipe. 

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7. Mai Tai 

What about some options for summer fruit drinks? Enter the mai tai, a subtle blend of ice cubes, white rum, curacao, freshly squeezed lime juice, and orgeat.

The recipe:

• Grab a cocktail shaker.

• Grab a glass, and add ice cubes. Set it aside.

• In the cocktail shaker, add 1 ½ ounce of white rum, three-quarter ounces of curacao, one-half ounce of orgeat, along with three-quarter ounces of freshly squeezed lime juice.

• Mix well, then pour the ingredients into the glass.

• Add a layer of dark rum on top, then serve with a cherry garnish.

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8. Tequila Sunrise

Few items scream “summed-themed drinks” like the tequila sunrise. As the name suggests, these fruity cocktail recipes look like the skyline they’re named after. They don’t take too long to make, so grab a highball glass, ice, tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. 

The recipe:

• Add ice cubes to the glass.

• Pour 4 ounces of orange juice and 2 ounces of tequila on top. Stir.

• Add one-half ounce of grenadine and let it sin. Don’t stir.

• Garnish your drink with orange slices.

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9. Bahama Mama

Another option that brings summertime slushies to mind is the Bahama Mama. It’s a cocktail known for its beautiful pink color and is one of the best mixed drinks to make at home.

The recipe:

• Add lots of ice to your glass.

• Pour 1 ounce of light rum, 1 ounce of coconut rum, one-half ounce of dark rum, 2 ounces of orange juice, and 2 ounces of pineapple juice into the glass.

• Stir gently.

• Add a splash of grenadine on top to taste.

• Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

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10. Aviation Cocktail

Do you want a summertime drink that’s a little classier? Then you should try the aviation cocktail, a beautiful botanical mix with a floral flavor. The ingredients you’ll need: crème de violette, gin, maraschino liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and brandied cherries to garnish. 

The recipe:

• Combine 2 ounces of gin, one-half ounce of maraschino, one-quarter ounce of crème de violette, and three-quarter ounces of lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.

• Shake well. Strain into a glass.

• Garnish with a cherry and serve.

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11. French 75

The French 75 is a mixed drink with roots in World War I that combines gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne. The chilled kick can provide some much-needed relief during the summer.

The recipe:

• Grab a cocktail shaker and a champagne flute.

• Add 1 ounce of gin, one-half ounce of fresh lemon juice, a few dashes of simple syrup, and ice to your shaker. Mix well until chilled.

• Pour the mix into your flute glass.

• Top off with 2 ounces of champagne.

• Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

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12. Spiked Lemonade

Last on the list? A spiked lemonade. Although this beverage has a citrus element, just like the French 75, both drinks have different flavor profiles. This lemonade is one of those sinfully easy drinks that you can find pre-made in the store, too — but if you want to make your own alcoholic lemonade, that’s fine.

The recipe:

• Put your ice cubes in a glass.

• Combine 2 ounces of light rum per every six ounces of store-bought lemonade. Stir well.

• Garnish with lemon wheels, cherries, or mint sprigs.

• Serve chilled.

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Need to buy supplies for some summer cocktails but running out of time? Browse through the virtual aisles of Gopuff, where you can order mixers and top-rated alcohols online.