Home » Beverages » Fun & Refreshing Cocktail Recipes
A collection of simple but elevated cocktail recipes perfect for summer or
entertaining. From sparkling wine to whiskey and everything in between, this
adult beverage menu has something for everyone.
I call this my "grown-up" cocktail menu because it's a few clicks up from the
typical, overdone mixed drinks I once enjoyed in my twenties.
Each recipe differs, with the alcohol ranging from rum to wine, from whisky to
champagne, with unexpected liqueurs and flavored vodka and each has fruit
(some with a little, some with a lot) without tasting like something you'd
have on Spring Break or a cheap cruise.
Choose one or two of these to serve with your own favorites the next time
you're entertaining and see how much fun your guests have with them!
THE HUGO SPRITZ
- A refreshing sparkling wine cocktail with prosecco, elderflower liqueur and sparking water garnished with fresh mint and lime.
TENNESSEE HONEY HOLE
- A sassy Southern cocktail recipe made with Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, fresh peaches and ginger ale.
CREAMSICLE CRUSH
- A cool and creamy cocktail with whipped cream vodka, orange juice and a splash of cream served in a powdered sugar-rimmed glass.
SUMMER CITRUS SANGRIA
- A sparkling white wine sangria with oranges, lemons, grapefruit and limes perfect for cooling off by the pool, at the lake or on the beach!
AUTUMN APPLE SANGRIA
- A white wine sangria perfect for Fall made with apples, pears, oranges and a pinch of something special that will have guests begging for the recipe!
THE BEST MOJITOS EVER- With fresh mint and limes, rum and a little something to make it
sparkle, this pitcher recipe will be your summer go-to!
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!
A refreshing sparkling wine cocktail with prosecco, elderflower
liqueur and sparking water garnished with fresh mint and lime.
A Hugo Spritz is a super refreshing, bubbly cocktail with a completely unique
flavor thanks to elderflower liqueur (which, by the way, tasted nothing like I
was expecting it to)!
It's not too sweet (but not bitter like an aperol spritz either). It has the
perfect amount of sweetness (just a kiss)... that "just right" amount that
feels like summer but nowhere near the cloying syrupiness of other summer
cocktails.
It is bright and fresh and has become my go-to drink since I first tasted one!
I had never heard of a Hugo Spritz until we were in Scotland dropping Baby
Girl off at the University of Edinburgh. And if ever a mama needed a drink, it
was then!
Hugo Spritz was featured in almost every bar and restaurant we went into. So
much so, that I thought (even in spite of the French St-Germain elderflower
liqueur) it was a Scottish thing.
Not only is it not Scottish, the Hugo Spritz isn't French either. It's
Italian! And since it originated in northern Italy, near the Austrian border,
it first became popular in German-speaking countries. How's all that for a
European origin story?! And now this Southern American is knocking them back
too!
HOW TO MAKE A HUGO SPRITZ
Recipes vary on ratios and measurements. The recipe I have below in the recipe
card is how I enjoy them best but you can definitely change up
the measurements as you like. So long as you have the ingredients right, you
can't go wrong. A traditional Hugo Spritz is made from the following
ingredients:
Elderflower liqueur
Prosecco (or any sparkling wine)
Sparkling water (or club soda)
Lime slices
Mint leaves
WHAT IS ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR?
Elderflower liqueur is fruity, floral and sweet and has none of the earthy,
herbal notes its name may conjure in your mind. It has been described as
tasting slightly of pears and peaches (I agree!).
It is made from the tiny blossoms that bloom in Spring. The blossoms are
harvested then steeped in spirits to extract the flavor. The elixir is then
sweetened with sugar or honey.
There are several brands of elderflower liqueur but the most popular is
St-Germain. It is
readily available in most liquor stores. This surprised me since I'd never heard of it. I waltzed into my local liquor store thinking I was about to ask for something special and built up my inquiry with waaaay too much backstory and the clerk was like, Yeah, it's right there. [not stating the obvious thought in her mind, Heifer you ain't special since you went across the pond]
WANT TO WET YOUR WHISTLE SOME MORE?
If this recipe woke up your inner barmaid, pop over to my Fun & Refreshing Cocktail Recipes collection and see what else you might like to try. Maybe try them all! Invite friends over and have everyone bring the ingredients to make a few more libations too!
Recipe for Hugo Spritz Cocktail
The Hugo Spritz
Yield: 1 Cocktail
Author: Mandy Rivers
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
A refreshing sparkling wine cocktail with prosecco, elderflower liqueur and sparking water garnished with fresh mint and lime.
Ingredients
2 oz elderflower liqueur
2 oz sparkling water (or club soda)
4 oz prosecco
1 slice of lime
1 large sprig of mint
Instructions
Add elderflower liqueur and slice of lime to a red wine glass (or other goblet-style glass).
Fill glass halfway with ice.
Add sparking water and prosecco then stir with mint sprig.
Notes
Use any dry or semi-dry sparkling wine such as prosecco or champagne.
I typically use Pellegrino because I have it on-hand but any sparkling water or club soda can be used (just don't use tonic water as it is flavored).
If you prefer sweeter cocktails, use lemon-lime soda instead of sparkling water.
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cocktail
Italian
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One simple step makes this recipe for mojito cocktails better than the others
- with fresh mint and limes, rum and a little something to make it sparkle,
this pitcher recipe will be your summer go-to!
Updated 5/25/26
Instead of just mixing (and mixing and mixing) grainy sugar into mojitos like
traditional recipes call for, this recipe makes a quick and easy mint-infused
simple syrup that is a total game-changer.
Not only do you eliminate the grainy sugar, you get so much more mint flavor
than you get from just muddling the mint.
So seriously much more.
WHAT IS A MOJITO COCKTAIL?
Mojitos are a Cuban cocktail (sometimes referred to a punch) made from
ingredients that are plentiful in Cuba: rum (usually white rum, never
spiced rum), mint, lime juice, sugar and soda water.
The verdant, herbaceous mint works beautifully with the fresh, bright citrus
and the sparkling sweetness ties it all together into an instantly cooling and
refreshing libation.
Mojitos are served over ice; typically in a tall, slender glass (a
Collins glass).
Anytime I've ordered mojitos in restaurants or bars (not that I could tell you
the last time I was in a bar) I don't really love them.
No matter how many mint leaves they add to the glass or how much they muddle
them, I never really get the mint flavor.
And no matter how much they stir the cocktail, I the sugar never fully
dissolves. By the end of the glass, everything has dissolved OK, but the first
few sips are disappointing.
Sometimes I make the syrup in big batches then freeze it in pint-sized jars to
use whenever I want. Not that it's hard to make or even that it takes long,
it's just one of those why not? things.
Also? It is AH-MAZE-ING in iced tea!
I thought Southerners adding mint to tea was just something from the movies
because I have literally never seen anyone do that but I tried some of this
Mint Simple Syrup in my iced tea and fell in love. It makes you feel so cool in the
summer heat!
Here's how to make traditional brewed Southern Brewed Sweet Iced Tea if you'd like to try it (and aren't from the South because you won't need a recipe for that!)
A FEW RECIPE NOTES
This recipe is a bit sweeter than most mojitos you’ll find in bars. If you
prefer less sweetness, use club soda or lime LaCroix instead of lemon-lime
soda.
Traditional mojitos are made with white rum but vodka or tequila can be used
as well.
Definitely use fresh squeezed lime juice. I cheated once and bought bottled
lime juice and the flavor was nowhere near as good. Just trust me on this
one.
You’ll need about 6-8 limes to make a cup of juice. Mexican grocery markets
have limes at a fraction of the cost of other supermarkets.
Recipe for The BEST Mojitos EVER
THIRSTY FOR MORE NEW COCKTAILS?
If this recipe woke up your inner barmaid, pop over to my Fun & Refreshing Cocktail Recipes collection and see what else you might like to try. Maybe try them all! Invite friends over and have everyone bring the ingredients to make a few more libations too!
Photos updated May 2025. Formerly named "Mandy's Mojitos", the recipe is exactly the same and we're still enjoying it almost 10 years later!
The BEST Mojitos EVER
Yield: 8 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 10 M
One simple step makes this recipe for mojito cocktails better than the others - with fresh mint and limes, rum and a little something to make it sparkle, this pitcher recipe will be your summer go-to!
Ingredients
Mojitos
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup rum
2 cups lemon-lime soda
1 cup Mint Simple Syrup (recipe below)
Mint Simple Syrup
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh mint leaves (packed)
Instructions
Mojitos:
Combine lime juice, rum, soda and mint simple syrup in a small pitcher. Stir well then serve over ice.
Garnish with mint sprigs and lime slices if desired.
Mint Simple Syrup:
Bring water to boil (stove-top or microwave is fine) then stir in sugar until dissolved.
Stir in mint leaves then let rest until mixture cools to room temperature (or at least two hours).
Strain syrup to remove mint leaves; discard leaves.
Notes
This recipe is a bit sweeter than most mojitos you’ll find in bars. If you prefer less sweetness, use club soda or lime LaCroix instead of lemon-lime soda.
Traditional mojitos are made with rum but vodka or tequila can be used as well.
Definitely use fresh squeezed lime juice. I cheated once and bought bottled lime juice and the flavor was nowhere near as good. Just trust me on this one.
You’ll need about 6-8 limes to make a cup of juice. Mexican grocery markets have limes at a fraction of the cost of other supermarkets.
You can make the Mint Simple Syrup ahead of time and refrigerate up to one week if desired.
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cocktail
Cuban
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!
A recipe for electrolyte-packed homemade Gatorade sports drink including
variations for orange, cranberry, lemon-line and ruby red grapefruit with only
4 ingredients!
Our kids are all athletes. God bless them. And God bless Husband because they
didn’t get a lick of that athleticism from me. I took the same step aerobics
class for two years and still screwed up the steps and tripped over my own
feet.
And they all think they’re Michael Jordan and need Gatorade at every single
practice. Since at least one someone in my house is practicing every night,
that much sports drink adds up. Plus it’s got all sorts of stuff in it that I
can’t even pronounce. And it’s loaded with dyes, preservatives, unnecessary
calories and high fructose corn syrup.
So I was just sending them to practice with water. Boom. Problem
solved.
Until I noticed they weren't actually drinking much of the water.
Not the way they suck gown the sports drinks anyway.
When I picked AB up from a four-hour practice the other day I noticed she
wasn't sweating. She was beet-red in the face but dry as a bone. I asked her
how much water she’d had and she told me none. NONE. And trust me, it’s not
because her coaches don’t give her ample opportunities to get water. She’s 10.
She doesn't care about hydration.
Hmmmm. So I turned where every mother turns for parenting and health advice:
the internet.
I tried a bunch of recipes and read a lot of information and finally landed on
my own SUPER SIMPLE recipe. The kids love it. It's crazy cheap to make. I know
exactly what’s in it (and what’s not) AND a whole quart only has one
tablespoon of sugar in it.
BENEFITS OF HOMEMADE SPORTS DRINKS
What they’re getting is mostly water that’s flavored with a little natural
fruit juice and raw sugar that’s topped off with a pinch of salt. And that
breaks down to this:
Citrus Juice – provides antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, potassium,
folate and vitamin A
Sugar – helps the body regulate cortisol which spikes during aerobic
activity
Salt – provides electrolytes and minerals and is a natural
antihistamine
Recipe for Homemade Sports Drink
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beverage
american
Yield: 1 Quart
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Homemade Sports Drink
A recipe for electrolyte-packed homemade Gatorade sports drink including variations for orange, cranberry, lemon-line and ruby red grapefruit with only 4 ingredients!
Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min
Ingredients
Orange Sports Drink
1 cup fresh orange juice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cranberry Sports Drink
1 cup cranberry juice
3 cups water
1-2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Lemon-Lime Sports Drink
3/4 cup fresh lemon and/or lime juice
3 cups water
1-2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ruby Red Sports Drink
1 cup fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
3 cups water
1-2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and stir well. Cover and refrigerate up to one week.
Make hot chocolate for a crowd with this simple homemade recipe for Hot Cocoa that heats and keeps warm in a crock pot or slow cooker.
One year I decided to make homemade hot cocoa mix to give to all the neighbors for Christmas. I had used it many times to make individual cups and absolutely loved it. It was made with various ingredients which included powdered sugar.
A few days after Christmas I found myself in the company of a half a dozen frozen neighborhood kids and thought I’d whip them up some hot cocoa with all the mix I still had on-hand. Not wanting to fool with microwaving six individual cups, I decided to throw it all in a saucepan and heat up a big batch on the stove.
This turned out to be a mistake. I forgot the mix had powdered sugar in it. Powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. When you boil liquid with cornstarch it thickens. I ended up with a big pot of loose pudding and a bunch of disappointed little people.
This year I decided to come up with a big batch recipe for hot cocoa. I think this would be absolutely precious to serve with a “hot cocoa bar” with all the possible trimmings:
HOT CHOCOLATE BAR TOPPINGS:
peppermint sticks
marshmallows
crushed butterscotch candies
whipped cream
white chocolate chips
sprinkles
Snowcaps or nonpareils
crushed peppermint candies
toffee bits
mini chocolate chips
peppermint schnapps
Irish cream liquor
Irish whisky
coffee liquor
Making this in a slow cooker allows you a way to keep it warm without worrying about it scorching or burning but you can absolutely make this on the stove if you prefer.
I've made this with dark chocolate cocoa powder too and it's absolutely divine! I find that the little people like the traditional better but the adults definitely like the dark chocolate cocoa.
Enjoy!!
Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
prep time: 5 Mcook time: 2 hourtotal time: 2 H & 5 M
Make hot chocolate for a crowd with this simple homemade recipe for Hot Cocoa that heats and keeps warm in a crock pot or slow cooker.
ingredients:
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3-4 cups whole milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
instructions:
How to cook Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
Add cocoa powder to a cold crock pot. Whisk in 3 cups of milk until well combined. You always want to add wet to dry (instead of dry to wet) to prevent clumping.
Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt and mix well.
Heat on high until simmering then add milk to taste. Return to a simmer then reduce to “keep warm” or low for serving.
NOTES:
I make this with only 3 cups of milk because I love a super-rich, luxurious hot cocoa but Husband likes it better made with more milk. Start with 3 cups then add milk to taste.
Double or triple the recipe if you’re making this for a party or bigger crowd. Store leftovers in the fridge up to one week then reheat in the microwave.
A light and refreshing Southern cocktail recipe made with Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey,
fresh peaches and ginger ale.
Updated 5/25/26
This cocktail is a favorite of mine for a few reasons... it's Southern, it's
sassy and it's a little bit bad-assy!
Between the fresh peaches and the Jack Daniels, this has "Deep South" written
all over it but the honey and ginger ale give it an elevated twist that's a
little unexpected.
It's sweet without being syrupy and kicks just the right punch. I love it and
I LOVE to serve it to guests who are visiting the South from other places.
I’m a beer drinker so I don’t usually like sweet drinks. When a big group of
us went out for dinner on a weekend beach trip, I did what I always do and
ordered a beer. While the waiter was getting everyone else’s drink orders, I
picked up the seasonal menu and spotted a cocktail that caught my eye.
Theirs was Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, muddled peaches and mint, and
lemon-lime soda. Since I was on a getaway weekend – at the beach no less – I
changed up my order and decided to get the JD cocktail.
What the heck, right?
The waiter brought my drink, I took one glorious sip of it, grabbed his arm
and said, “Whatever I tell you, do not let me have another one of these.”
Great day in the morning, that thing was good! I could tell I’d knock
the bottom out of it in no time but I had Baby Girl with me and didn't want to
tie one on.
As soon as I got home I set out to recreate it! I decided to omit the muddled
mint because I really couldn't pick it up in the drink anyway (though I do
like to garnish it with mint if I have some) and I thought ginger ale would be
better with the honey so that’s how I made mine!
You can buy peach syrup at most liquor stores but I’ll post a recipe below to
make your own if you can’t find it. Consider making a batch. It’s super easy
and it’s ta die for in iced tea!
I couldn't figure out what to call this. I decided to call it a
Tennessee Honey Hole because Jack Daniels is a Tennessee whiskey and a
“honey hole” is what my daddy always called an especially good fishing hole.
It means something good and special and that’s what this is!
FAQ ABOUT TENNESSEE HONEY HOLE COCKTAILS
Can I use lemon-lime soda? Sure! The original cocktail I based this recipe on was made with it.
Will this be too sweet for me? If you're concerned that it might be (I hear ya, I don't usually like
sweet drinks either), use club soda or peach La Croix instead of ginger ale.
Can this be made with regular Jack Daniels? I'm sure it
can though I would consider adding a nip of honey.
What about using ginger beer? I think that would be divine though I haven't tried it myself.
Can I use diet ginger ale or lemon-lime soda? I don't see
why not! I don't love diet sodas in cocktails but if you don't mind, go for
it!
WANT TO WET YOUR WHISTLE SOME MORE?
If this recipe woke up your inner barmaid, pop over to my Fun & Refreshing Cocktail Recipes collection and see what else you might like to try. Maybe try them all! Invite friends over and have everyone bring the ingredients to make a few more libations too!
Recipe for Tennessee Honey Hole
Tennessee Honey Hole
Yield: 1 cocktail
Author: Mandy Rivers
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
A refreshing Southern cocktail recipe made with Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, fresh peaches and ginger ale.
Ingredients
Tennessee Honey Hole
3-4 fresh peach slices, unpeeled
1 oz peach syrup (store-bought or below recipe)
2 oz Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey
2 oz ginger ale
Mint for garnish (optional)
Peach Syrup
3 fresh peaches
1.5 cups of water
1 cup sugar
Instructions
Tennessee Honey Hole
Place peach slices and peach syrup in the bottom of a highball glass (double quantities if using a 12-oz. mason jar).
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle peaches in syrup (smash them up a bit).
Fill glass with ice, add Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey and ginger ale, then stir.
Garnish with a fresh slice of peach and mint if desired.
Peach Syrup
Dice peaches, discarding the pit.
Add diced peaches, sugar and water to a saucepan then bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Turn off heat then cool to room temperature.
Strain syrup then refrigerate to store up to 3 months.
Notes
You can buy a peach flavored syrup (such as Monin’s) at most liquor stores if you don't want to make it homemade.
To make a pitcher, use 2 peaches, 3/4 cup peach syrup, 1.5 cups Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey and 1 12-oz can ginger ale (or 1.5 cups).
