Summer is breathing down our necks and we aren’t mad about it. Longer days, weekend BBQ’s, and sunscreen-scented clothes are intoxicating (😉) and make us want to celebrate the warm sun with friends and family. And, we’re not gonna lie, nothing beats a cold, refreshing cocktail on a hot summer day. Alcohol or no alcohol, we’re loving these semi-healthy summer cocktails. And we’re gettin’ a little fancy. Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary? Check out our summer faves below!


Our first favorite summer mocktail is our own creation and a spin off a summer classic – lemonade! We jazzed it up with LaCroix (because we’re basic like that) and lavender (because we’re also kinda fancy) . You can also enjoy spiked with your favorite alcohol. Enjoy!

Sparkling Lavender Lemonade

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tbsp raw honey
  • 3 tbsp dried lavender
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
  • 1 can LaCroix LimonCello
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

  1. Bring water and honey to a boil in a pot over medium-high heat. Gently crush the lavender in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a knife. Add the crushed lavender to the pot, give it a good stir and then remove the pot from the heat.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Strain the liquid out through a sieve into a large bowl or pitcher. Add the lemon juice and LaCroix and stir. Serve over ice with a sprig of rosemary!

All credit goes to Bon Appetit for inspiring this next summer cocktail. Their Rosy Gin Kombucha cocktail is absolutely in-cred-ib-le. It’s like a riff off a negroni but lighter and it’s made with kombucha so you can feel great about it.

Rosy Gin Kombucha Cocktail

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces gin (we like Beefeater or a London dry gin here)
  • 2 ounces Campari
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 12 ounces original Health-Aide or GT’s kombucha, chilled
  • 2 orange twists

Directions

  1. Stir gin, Campari, lemon juice, and ginger in a cocktail mixing glass or large glass.
  2. Stir in kombucha.
  3. Pour over a fine mesh sieve (to pull out ginger bits) into glasses filled with ice. Stir well for 30 seconds.
  4. Garnish with orange twist.

They’re not everyone’s favorite but we’d be remiss not to include a Bloody Mary in our list of healthy summer cocktails. After all, Bloody Mary’s are basically a salad in a glass. OK, fine, we’re pushing it on that one but did you know they make for an amazing hangover cure with or WITHOUT the alcohol? In this recipe we say ditch the mix so you can control exactly what’s going in your concoction. We also love a Bloody Mary sans alcohol but make it your own!

Bloody Mary Detox Cocktail or Mocktail

Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Dash of celery seed
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • Garnish suggestions: celery, carrot sticks, green olives, Bubbies pickles, lemon wedge, pepperoncini, cherry peppers, shrimp cocktail, pickled green beans, and wooden spear
  • Optional: vodka

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients (except for garnish) in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. If using vodka, do 3 parts bloody mary mix to one part vodka.
  3. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Stir well for 30 seconds to chill.
  4. Garnish and enjoy!

Having a garden party? A baby shower? In-laws in town and need to impress them? Or just bored of iced tea? This beautiful concoction from The Kitchn is impressive with or without alcohol.

Blackberry & Sage Spritzer Mocktail or Cocktail

Makes: 10 Servings

  • ½ cup of honey
  • ½ cup of water
  • 3 to 4 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 pound fresh blackberries
  • Ice
  • Sparkling water
  • Extra blackberries and sage leaves for garnish (optional)
  • Optional: gin or vodka
  1. See directions on The Kitchn’s site. 

Seaside Sprig Cocktail or Mocktail

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 cucumber slices
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 oz fresh lime juice
  • Optional: 4 ounces gin (we like Beefeater or a London dry gin here)
  • Soda water

Directions

  1. Muddle 2 sprigs rosemary and 4 cucumber slices in a glass or shaker.
  2. Add lime juice and gin (if you so choose) and shake.
  3. Strain and pour over ice.
  4. Top with soda water and garnish with remaining cucumber slices and rosemary sprigs.

Ladies and gentlemen, there you have it! Our favorite sorta healthy summer cocktails revealed. Cheers!

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