Summer weather requires summer cocktails

The Strawberry Cucumber Vodka Gimlet is *chef’s kiss* a near-perfect Summer cocktail, if I do say so myself. The cucumber vodka is crisp and cool while the strawberry simple syrup lends sweetness and beautiful color.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared any recipes

And for good reason! I talked about it on Instagram recently but… I had a baby! We welcomed a little boy into our family last month.

Between getting hit pretty hard with morning sickness last fall/winter, being just wiped out due to general pregnancy-related things, and then actually having the baby, it’s been difficult to find the time and energy to blog. Now that I’m home on maternity leave, it’s strangely a little easier to think about cooking and blogging. Not needing to focus on work at all probably helps.

Between COVID and the general state of the world, I found myself really missing being able to consume alcohol, particularly toward the end of my pregnancy. So it should come as no surprise that the first recipe I’m sharing with you post-pregnancy is for a cocktail.

This cocktail is full of summery flavors

I have a bottle of this Cucumber Vodka from Durham Distillery (buy it online here!) in my pantry (though you can feel free to use whatever brand of cucumber vodka you prefer) and have been looking forward to using it in a really delicious cocktail this summer. I ended up pairing it with a sweet strawberry simple syrup, lime juice, and club soda.

Not only do the cucumber and strawberry flavors play very well together, but the strawberry simple syrup makes the cocktail a very pretty pink color. I’ve made this drink a couple of times this week and can tell you that it’s very refreshing and perfect for warm evenings. Or days. Or whenever. Just enjoy.

Looking for other Summery cocktails?

First, I’d recommend checking out my Basil Vodka Gimlet. It’s a great Summertime cocktail, too. If you’re looking for more strawberry flavor, try a Strawberry Basil Vodka Collins.

If you want something citrusy, try a Limoncello Gin Collins. I also have a Lemongrass and Thai Basil Mojito that’s pretty dang good, too.

Want to get your booze, but don’t want to have to leave the house??

Story of my life. If you feel this way, too, you can get alcohol sent straight to your door via the company Drizly.

Strawberry Cucumber Vodka Gimlet

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

The Strawberry Cucumber Vodka Gimlet is *chef's kiss* a near-perfect Summer cocktail. The cucumber vodka is crisp and cool while the strawberry simple syrup lends sweetness and beautiful color.

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Ingredients

For the Strawberry Simple Syrup

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 8 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

For the cocktail

• 2 oz. cucumber vodka
• 3/4 oz Strawberry Simple Syrup
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• club soda
• fresh mint, for garnish

Instructions

To make the Strawberry Simple Syrup

1. Add the sugar, water, and strawberries to a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Strain out the strawberries without pressing down on the berries (it will make the simple syrup cloudy) and allow it to cool.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

To make the cocktail

1. Add the vodka, simple syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake until very cold and strain into a rocks glass with ice (or into a cocktail coupe).
3. Top with club soda and garnish with fresh mint.
   

What should I have on hand in order to make this cocktail?

• A cocktail shaker
• A cocktail jigger, for measuring your ingredients
• Rocks glasses or cocktail coupes

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These Mules are *just* what you want to help you celebrate the holiday season

These Candy Cane Moscow Mules are sweet, spicy, and pleasantly minty! They’re the perfect cocktail pairing for any of your winter holidays.

Also! The copper mugs you see in the photos were provided to me, free of charge, by Advanced Mixology. As always, all opinions are my own.

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

Though the flavors in this drink may seem like a strange combination, they’re great together!

I wanted to squeeze in one more quick, festive recipe post before Christmas arrived. And what better way to celebrate the season than with a delicious cocktail?

Admittedly, I was a little skeptical that peppermint vodka and ginger beer would play well together. I’m glad that I decided to try it out anyway, because they’re great together!

How do these cocktails come together?

Couldn’t be easier.

Start by filling a copper mug with crushed ice. Add the peppermint vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Stir everything together gently with a bar spoon.

Top the mug off with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge and a mini candy cane!

Looking for other festive Moscow Mule recipes?

You know I have your back.

Try one of these Holiday Gin Moscow Mules! Or maybe you’re more in the mood for a Cranberry Vanilla Mule? 

TBH, you can’t go wrong. They’re all so good.

Candy Cane Moscow Mules

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

These Candy Cane Moscow Mules are sweet, spicy, and pleasantly minty! They're the perfect cocktail pairing for any of your winter holidays.

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Ingredients

• 1.5 oz peppermint vodka
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 3 oz ginger beer
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• mini candy canes, lime wedge, and fresh cranberries, for garnish

Instructions

1. Pour the peppermint vodka, cranberry juice, and ginger beer over crushed ice.
2. Add the lime juice and stir gently.
3. Garnish with mini candy canes, a lime wedge, and fresh cranberries.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 343Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 35mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 9gSugar: 36gProtein: 3g

What kind of gear will I need to make these cocktails?

• These purty copper Moscow Mule mugs
• A cocktail jigger, for measuring out your booze and whatnot
• A bar spoon, for gently stirring
• A citrus squeezer, for juicing your limes
• Mini candy canes!

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This drink is exactly what you want on a hot day

This Limoncello Gin Collins is fizzy and refreshing, with a prominent lemon flavor. Minty simple syrup helps to balance out the tartness of the lemon juice and limoncello.

This cocktail is a delicious twist on a Tom Collins

A Tom Collins is a cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. This Limoncello Gin Collins adds … you guessed it … limoncello to the mix.

You can use store bought limoncello in this recipe, but I’m a big fan of using homemade. I shared a recipe for Sous Vide Limoncello with you all not that long ago. Super easy, super delicious. And if you’re in the market for a sous vide/immersion circulator, let me recommend this one.

Of course, if you don’t have a sous vide (get one, you won’t regret it), you can make limoncello the old fashioned way. Or buy it. Whatever.

How does this drink come together?

Start out by filling a Collins glass with ice. Yes, I know that the glasses in the pictures are stemless wine glasses. Our tall cocktail glasses recently broke in the dishwasher.

So I’m working with what I’ve got.

Add the limoncello, gin, lemon juice, and mint simple syrup to the glass. Top all of this with a bit of club soda. 

Next, stir gently with a bar spoon. Garnishes are optional, but I think that this drink looks awfully pretty with a bit of fresh mint and a lemon wheel or two. Feel free to tuck those lemon wheels right down into the drink.

I haven’t tried it just yet, but I do believe that this drink could be made in a large batch. Very convenient for parties and whatnot.

Looking for other tasty cocktails?

In keeping with a gin theme, how about a Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic? I’ve also got a Holiday Gin Moscow Mule.

I also shared a Strawberry Basil Vodka Collins not long ago!

This cocktail makes good use of a couple of other recipes I’ve shared with you before

First, you’re gonna want to make some mint simple syrup. I showed you a plain simple syrup before. It’s endlessly versatile. I’ve also talked about how to make a mint simple syrup here in this Derby Cup Cocktail.

And, of course, limoncello is the star of the show here. Check out my Sous Vide Limoncello recipe. It’s so delicious and easy to make that you’d be a fool to use store bought.

Looking to get your hands on some booze but don’t want to have to put on pants or leave your house?

Me too. A million times this.

Fortunately, you can order alcohol (and mixers and whatnot) through Drizly and have it delivered right to your house. Or a friends’ house. Or wherever.

Limoncello Gin Collins

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This Limoncello Gin Collins is fizzy and refreshing, with a prominent lemon flavor. Minty simple syrup helps to balance out the tartness of the lemon juice and limoncello.

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Ingredients

• 2 oz limoncello
• 1.5 oz gin
• 1.5 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 oz mint simple syrup (see notes)
• 2 oz club soda
• sprig of fresh mint and lemon wheels, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the limoncello, gin, lemon juice, and mint simple syrup to a tall glass with ice.
2. Top with club soda. Stir gently with a bar spoon.
3. Garnish with lemon wheels and fresh mint.

Notes

• To make the mint simple syrup, follow the instructions for making plain Simple Syrup. The only change you'll make is to add a big bunch of mint leaves once you remove the simple syrup from the heat. Allow it to cool and strain the mint leaves out.

What equipment should you have on hand to make this drink?

• Collins Glasses
• Bar spoons for gently mixing
• Jigger for measuring booze
• Paper straws (not mandatory, but super cute)
• A citrus juicer (I seriously get so much use out of this thing)

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Cheerwine Sangria is everything you never knew you wanted in a sangria!

This Cheerwine Sangria is just what you want on a hot Summer day. Sweet, cherry-flavored Cheerwine is the perfect addition to a pitcher of fruity sangria.

Best yet? This recipe makes a big batch of the good stuff!

What inspired this sangria?

I first had Cheerwine Sangria while eating dinner at Mateo, a tapas restaurant in Durham, NC. It’s one of my and Sean’s favorite restaurants. If you’re ever in the area, please do yourself a favor and grab dinner there. Make a reservation.

Alton Brown took a crack at recreating Mateo’s sangria after his tour passed through the area in 2016. While his rendition is certainly delicious, I wanted to put my own spin on it. I think that this recipe comes pretty dang close to what’s served in the restaurant.

What is Cheerwine, anyway?

Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink made in North Carolina. It’s available throughout the Southeast United States, but is best known in the Carolinas and Virginia. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, please consider ordering some online.

In short: it’s delicious and is just begging to be used in sangria.

What ingredients does this sangria require?

You’ll want to start with a bottle of red wine. For this recipe, I recommend a Spanish wine, like Rioja. It doesn’t have to be super fancy or expensive. Just make sure that it’s something that you would enjoy drinking on its own.

If you’re like me and love wine and don’t want to leave the house to get it, look into Firstleaf. Basically, you take a short quiz to identify your wine preferences. Then Firstleaf puts together a custom order for you and ships it to your house (or wherever you’d like). 

You’ll want to add some triple sec and dark rum, too. Pretty standard stuff. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur really amps up the cherry flavor and aroma of this sangria. If you’ve seen my Homemade Luxardo Cherries, you’re familiar with this liqueur.

You’ll also use some fresh fruit, like cherries, orange slices, and chopped Granny Smith apples, along with several large sprigs of fresh basil.

And then there’s the Cheerwine (duh).

How do you make this sangria?

It’s very easy!

Put the fresh fruit and basil in the bottom of a pitcher. Top them with the wine, liquor, and liqueurs. Allow it to chill in the fridge overnight. This will allow the flavors to really meld together.

When you’re ready to drink, remove the old basil, and top everything with Cheerwine (duh)! Garnish your glass with some more fresh basil (the aroma when you go to take a sip is really great) and go to town!

Cheerwine Sangria

Yield: 8 drinks

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes

This Cheerwine Sangria is just what you want on a hot Summer day. Sweet, cherry-flavored Cheerwine  is the perfect addition to a pitcher of fruity sangria.

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Ingredients

• 750 mL bottle Rioja wine
• 4 oz triple sec
• 3 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 3 oz dark rum
• 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1 navel orange, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 3 large sprigs of basil, plus more for garnish
• 2 - 12 oz cans Cheerwine

Instructions

1. Combine the wine, triple sec, Maraschino liqueur, dark rum, fresh fruit, and sprigs of basil in a pitcher. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove the basil and discard.
3. Add the Cheerwine and stir gently.
4. Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with more fresh basil.

Notes

You can order your alcohol online via Drizly and have it delivered to your door!

Need any special equipment?

• A drink pitcher
• Cherry pitter
• Cutting board
• Cheerwine!

Looking for other recipes?

Cheerwine Ice Cream Floats are sweet and delicious, too! The Spiced Cherry Spritz uses Cheerwine, too. 

These Kalimotxo Cocktails also use Rioja wine.

If you want more cherry-forward recipes, give these a try:

• Cherry Crisp
• Homemade Luxardo Cherries

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This boozy lemonade is the perfect way to stay cool (and tipsy) on a hot Summer day

Kentucky Bourbon Lemonade takes old fashioned homemade lemonade and adds sweet boozy bourbon and fizzy ginger ale to make one refreshing warm weather drink.

It’s Friday again, and that means it’s time for a cocktail.

And considering just how dang hot it is outside (seriously, it’s gross), we need a refreshing cocktail.

This drink is sweet, tart, and a little fizzy. A sprig of fresh gives a sweet fresh aroma when you take a sip, too. Plus it looks pretty.

It’s very safe to say that I’ll be drinking these allll Summer long.

Looking for other bourbon-based recipes? Of course you are.

And you know I’ve got you here. Check these other bourbon-y recipes out. You won’t be disappointed.

• Old Kentucky Mule
• Bourbon Moscow Mules
• Maple Bourbon Moscow Mules
• Bourbon Pumpkin Shrub Cocktail
• Blood Orange Bourbon Sours
• The Belmont Jewel
• Derby Cup Cocktail
• Classic Old Fashioned
• Mint Juleps

Need any special equipment to make this cocktail?

• A jigger to measure the bourbon
• Collins glasses

Kentucky Bourbon Lemonade

Yield: 1 drink

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1.5 oz bourbon
• 3 oz lemonade
• ginger ale
• lemon wheel and fresh mint, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the bourbon and lemonade to a tall glass with ice.
2. Top with ginger ale.
3. Garnish with a lemon wheel and fresh mint.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 35mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 3gSugar: 44gProtein: 1g

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Celebrate the Belmont Stakes in a delicious way!

The Belmont Jewel Cocktail is the official drink of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the famous Triple Crown. 

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

What is a Belmont Jewel like?

This drink only requires 3 ingredients: bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice. Make it 4 ingredients if you want to count the lemon wedge garnish. Couldn’t be easier!

This drink is both sweet and a bit tart. You can thank lemonade and pomegranate juice for that flavor combination. The bourbon is sweet, too, and the whole thing is very refreshing.

Though it’s very easy to shake up a few individual drinks, you could also easily scale the recipe up to make a batch cocktail. This would be perfect for entertaining.

Oh, and did I mention that it gets its name from its beautiful jewel-like appearance? I mean, take a look at the photo below and how the the light shines through this cocktail.

So, if the Belmont Stakes has the Belmont Jewel… what drinks do the other races have?

Glad you asked. You’re probably familiar with the Mint Julep: It’s the bourbon-forward cocktail associated with the Kentucky Derby. You can switch things up a bit and have a Derby Cup (bourbon + Pimm’s), too!

And then, of course, there’s the Preakness Stakes, which has the Black Eyed Susan. It’s sweet, fruity, and deceptively boozy.

Is this drink *just* for the Belmont Stakes?

In short: heck no! This would be great for sipping all year ’round. But I think that the ingredients (oh hay, lemonade) make this drink feel particularly summery.

Interested in other pomegranate juice-based cocktails?

• Try my Pomegranate Margaritas!
• How about these Pomegranate Champagne Moscow Mules?

The Belmont Jewel

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1.5 oz bourbon
• 2 oz lemonade
• 1 oz pomegranate juice
• lemon wedge, for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake until very cold and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 162Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g

Will I need any special gear to make this cocktail?

• A well-made cocktail shaker
• Rocks glasses

It doesn’t get much more summery than this cocktail!

This Strawberry Basil Vodka Collins is equal parts easy to make, delicious, and incredibly refreshing. Basically, it’s everything that you could want in a summery cocktail.

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

Strawberry and basil are two warm weather flavors that really belong together.

When both ingredients are in season, I really love to pair them together. This Strawberry Balsamic Salad (with lots of fresh basil mixed in with the greens) is a great example. I’ve also been known to throw some sliced strawberries into a traditional Caprese salad. It’s basically perfect.

This flavor combo is great in sweet dishes, too. Check out this Strawberry Basil Lemonade and Strawberry Basil Ice Cream, just as a couple of examples. 

This drink is basically Summer in a glass.

And that brings us to this cocktail. Sweet, juicy, muddled strawberries lend both flavor and beautiful color. The sweetness of the berries is complemented by the fragrant and herbaceous basil vodka and fresh garnish. 

Simple syrup (homemade, please!) adds a bit more sweetness, while bubbly club soda keeps things fizzy and refreshing. I highly recommend sipping one (or more) of these cocktails on a hot summer day.

Looking for more strawberry-based recipes?

To be honest, I didn’t quite realize how many strawberry-heavy recipes I had on this blog! Let’s start with dessert (because why not?): 

• These Strawberry Crumb Bars are great for sharing
• Strawberry Margarita Pie is cold and sweet
• Strawberry Crisp is apple crisp’s underrated cousin. Seriously. Try it!

Want something a little healthier? I can do that, too.

• Strawberry Pecan Salad with Beets and Poppyseed Dressing
• Strawberry Balsamic Salad (probably my favorite salad ever!)

This cocktail uses two simple, yet delicious recipes from this blog.

First, we’re using simple syrup. Incredibly easy to make. Incredibly useful and versatile.

And don’t forget about the Basil Infused Vodka! Again, so easy to make. But it’s so, so delicious. And summery AF. It’s great in this Basil Vodka Gimlet, too.

Strawberry Basil Vodka Collins

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 ripe strawberries, quartered
• 0.5 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz basil infused vodka
• club soda
• strawberry and fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the strawberries and simple syrup to the bottom of a cocktail shaker and muddle well.
2. Add some ice to the cocktail shaker, along with the basil infused vodka. Shake until very cold.
3. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
4. Top with club soda.
5. Garnish with a ripe strawberry and sprig of fresh basil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 15gProtein: 3g

What supplies will you need in order to make this cocktail?

• A no-frills, but good quality cocktail shaker
• A cocktail muddler
• Collins glasses