cold drink

This is such a fun recipe because it has the feel of a homemade pumpkin spice latte, which we also love, but it&#x27;s completely caffeine free so it can be enjoyed by the whole family any time of day.  See recipe notes for instructions to make a thicker smoothie version!

2-Minute Pumpkin Spice Milk (aka: No coffee Pumpkin Spice Latte)

milk ((or milk alternative))

pumpkin

tsp maple syrup

tsp pumpkin pie spice

tsp pure vanilla extract

hydrolyzed collagen

1/4-1 tsp colostrum powder

Whipped cream

pumpkin pie spice

Place all ingredients except optional garnishes into a glass, then whisk or mix with an immersion blender.

(If serving hot, gently heat all except vanilla on stove, whisking constantly. When steaming, remove from heat, add vanilla, then pour into serving glass)

Top with whipped cream and additional pumpkin pie spice for garnish if desired.

A little fine sea salt helps this Homemade Salted Caramel Iced Coffee stay smooth and taste extra sweet. Make this coffee house favorite at home for less!&nbsp;

Homemade Salted Caramel Iced Coffee

sugar

water

heavy cream

Tbsp butter*

tsp fine sea salt

tsp vanilla extract

coffee

To make the salted caramel, add the granulated sugar and water to a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and it begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the sugar to boil, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber color (about 7-10 minutes).

Once the sugar turns deep amber, remove it from the heat immediately, as it can go from caramelized to burned rather quickly. Whisk in the heavy cream until smooth (if the caramelized sugar clumps from the cold cream, simply return the pot to very low heat and whisk until it has dissolved in). Whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla extract.

Allow the caramel to cool (it will thicken considerably as it cools). This batch of caramel makes about 10 ounces and can stay refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

To make the Salted Caramel Iced coffee, place about 2 Tbsp of the salted caramel in the bottom of a mug or heat safe cup. Add 8 ounces strong coffee and stir until the caramel has dissolved.

Fill a separate serving glass with ice (if desired, drizzle more caramel inside the glass first). Pour the coffee and caramel mixture over the ice. Serve immediately, or add a splash of milk or cream, and a small pinch of sea salt.

Cava Sangria

orange, preferably blood or Cara Cara, sliced

Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

rose water

750-ml bottle chilled brut cava

Bon Appétit

Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, mash first 3 ingredients in a large pitcher. Add cava; stir gently to combine.

Fill wineglasses with ice. Divide sangria among glasses.

This cold brew concentrate recipe goes down easy, but watch out: This is high-octane stuff.

Cold-Brew Iced Coffee Concentrate

coffee beans

Milk (optional)

Cold brew goes down easy, but watch out: This is high-octane stuff. For a clear liquid, use coarsely ground coffee. (Finely ground beans make for a cloudier drink.)

Place ground coffee in a large container. Gradually add 7 cups cold water. Stir gently to be sure all grounds are moistened. Cover with a layer of cheese-cloth. Let stand at room temperature for 15 hours.

Remove cheesecloth and use it to line a fine-mesh sieve set over a large pitcher. Pour coffee through sieve into pitcher (do not stir); rinse jar and set aside. Discard cheesecloth with solids.

Line same sieve with a large coffee filter and set over reserved jar. Strain coffee through sieve into jar. (It may take up to 45 minutes for all of the coffee to drip through; do not stir or coffee may become cloudy.) Cover and chill. Coffee concentrate can be made 2 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.

Fill a glass with ice. Dilute 1 part coffee concentrate with 1 part milk, if desired, or water.

Summer’s most accessible cocktail is much like the season itself: easy, relaxing, refreshing, sunny, and filled with fruit and flavor.

Citrus Shandy

Campari

orange juice

lime juice

Aleppo-style pepper

kosher salt

4–6 12-oz. bottles chilled light beer

Easy. Relaxing. Refreshing. Sunny. Filled with fruit and flavor. Yes, that describes your ideal summer, but also the shandy, the season’s most accessible cocktail. Keep a premixed batch of fresh juice and seasoning in your fridge to pour into a glass of light beer and ice whenever the sunny vibe needs to be turned up to 11.

Vigorously stir Campari, orange juice, lime juice, Aleppo-style pepper, and salt in a large pitcher. Chill until ready to serve.

To make 1 drink, pour about 8 oz. beer into an ice-filled glasses and add Campari mixture to your liking.

Do ahead: Campari mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Simple syrup is good. Super Summer Fruit Syrup is better and able to transform any drink into its best post-vacation summery self.

Super Summer Fruit Syrup

lemon, zest removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, lemon halved

(400 g) granulated sugar

Tbsp. dried chamomile flowers

turmeric

small ripe mangoes, peeled, chopped

small ripe peaches, peeled, chopped

4" piece ginger, peeled, chopped

Champagne vinegar vinegar

vanilla extract

As someone who spent over 10 years working in some of the world’s best bars and restaurants, I don’t flinch at the thought of an elaborate multistep recipe that yields a very specific single cocktail. But for home bartenders who don’t have the same luxury of time and effort, a single high-value element like this fruity syrup can create a transformative mixer with many uses.
It starts with an infusion of chamomile tea, lemon zest, and turmeric that combines with simple syrup to gently poach mangoes, peaches, and ginger. Once puréed, the syrup gets a finishing dose of vinegar and fresh lemon juice to keep things bright and help preserve the peak-season fruit. For the smoothest drinks, strain syrup through the finest mesh sieve you have to eliminate any pulp. It’s thick so you’ll need a rubber spatula to push it through.
Keep it for up to three weeks, chilled, or two months, frozen, and use in this Summery Sour. You can also use it with any spirit from gin to whiskey, or even just with seltzer. However you use it, it is guaranteed to keep you refreshed through Labor Day. —John deBary

Bring lemon zest, sugar, chamomile, turmeric, salt, and 2 cups water, preferably filtered, to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 30 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan; discard solids.

Add mangoes, peaches, and ginger to syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until fruit is nearly soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until fruit is very soft, about 30 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender; purée until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh sieve back into pan and stir in vinegar and vanilla. Squeeze in juice from lemon halves and stir again to combine.
Do ahead: Fruit syrup can be made 3 weeks ahead. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and chill, or freeze up to 2 months.

 If you are looking for the most summery of punches, yet doesn’t overdo it on the booze, have your people call our people. 

Garden Party Super Punch

chilled sparkling wine (such as Crémant d’Alsace)

reposado tequila

green tea

sparkling water

lime

Mango, peach, lime, and/or lemon slices (for serving)

Making cocktails one at a time for guests isn’t our idea of a party, but luckily, this batched drink excels at serving a crowd. It features John deBary’s Super Summer Fruit Syrup, a bright and glorious combination of peak summer peaches and mangoes infused with chamomile, ginger, and turmeric. Added to tequila, chilled green tea, and sparkling wine, it becomes the distilled essence of summer. Make the fruit syrup the day before you plan to serve it and keep the remaining mixers cold until ready to serve. We like a punch that doesn’t overdo it on the booze, but you can certainly increase the tequila to 2 cups if you like.
For more ways to use deBary’s fruit syrup, try this Summery Sour or Peach and Mango Spritzer.

Stir sparkling wine, tequila, green tea, sparkling water, syrup, lime juice, and 4 cups ice (preferably large cubes) in a large punch bowl to combine. Add fruit slices as desired.

Ladle into old-fashioned glasses to serve.

Mugicha or Japanese Barley Tea is a caffeine-free beverage made from roasted barley grains. It has a coffee-like toasty flavor with a hint of bitterness and a dry finish. Served chilled, it&#039;s a refreshing summer drink for all ages!

Cold Brew Mugicha (Japanese Barley Tea)

tea bag Japanese barley tea (mugicha)

QT room temperature or cold filtered water

Get a package of mugicha tea bags.

In a measuring cup, place one tea bag and add the boiling water. Let it steep for 2 minutes. Quickly hydrating and steaming the dry tea with boiling water helps　release the flavor of the barley.

Pour the concentrated tea and the tea bag into a large pitcher.

Add 1 QT (1 L) of water per tea bag and let it steep for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Discard the tea bag and it&#39;s ready to serve.

Serve the mugicha over ice cubes in individual glass cups.

To Serve

You can store mugicha for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

To Store

This watermelon juice recipe is just two ingredients and it’s about to be the most refreshing thing you’ll drink this summer. 

Salted Watermelon Juice

watermelon

Lime wedges (for serving; optional)

This recipe is a genius way to use up the second half of that enormous summer watermelon you’ve been snacking on. There is truly nothing more refreshing than a cold glass of salted watermelon juice. Oh wait, but what about a salted watermelon margarita? Here’s a recipe for that too. This recipe is part of the Healthyish Farmers’ Market Challenge. Get all 10 recipes here.

Purée watermelon in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher or measuring glass, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Mix in salt.

Pour juice into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with lime wedges if desired.

Never underestimate black peppercorns! Their heat sneaks up on you in this turmeric tonic.

Turmeric-Ginger Tonic with Chia Seeds

honey

black peppercorns

chia seeds

Club soda (for serving)

Thyme sprigs (for serving; optional)

Blend ginger, turmeric, honey, lime juice, black peppercorns, and 3 cups water in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in chia seeds and let sit until seeds begin to swell, 8–10 minutes.

Divide tonic among ice-filled glasses. Top off with club soda and garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Do Ahead: Tonic can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Stir vigorously before topping off with club soda.

We like this Shirley Temple recipe with just ginger ale, but some versions use lemon-lime soda. No matter what, don't forget the cherry!

Shirley Temple

grenadine

Ginger ale

maraschino cherry

We like this Shirley Temple recipe with just ginger ale, but some versions use lemon-lime soda, or a combination of ginger ale and lemon-lime soda. No matter what, don't forget the cherry!

Place grenadine in a Collins glass, fill with ice, and add ginger ale to fill glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Top this concentrate with hot water to make a steamy, cold-busting elixir, or pour it over ice with sparkling water for a sweet-spicy refresher. 

Spicy Lemon-Ginger Tonic, Two Ways

lemon zest

lemon juice (from 5–6 lemons)

cayenne pepper

Seltzer (optional; for serving)

Lemon

Lemon, ginger, and honey are a time-tested trifecta. Here they make up the base of a flavor-packed concentrate that you’ll find yourself making all year round. Top a few tablespoons with hot water to make a steamy, cold-busting elixir during winter months, and pour it over ice with sparkling water for a sweet-spicy refresher in spring and summer.

Bring 10 oz. ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped, 5 wide strips lemon zest, 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 5–6 lemons), ¼ cup honey, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of kosher salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is darkened in color and reduced by about one third, 30–40 minutes.

Strain tonic through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl or measuring glass, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible; discard solids (you should have ½–⅔ cup tonic).

To serve hot, pour 2 Tbsp. tonic into each mug. Top with hot water as desired and garnish with lemon wheels or twists.

To serve cold, pour 2 Tbsp. tonic into each ice-filled glass. Top with seltzer as desired and garnish with lemon wheels or twists.
Do ahead: Tonic can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Avocado gives this refreshing drink the creamy, sippable texture of a milkshake but without a drop of dairy.

Avocado Water

avocado,

Tbsp. sugar

Scoop avocado flesh into a blender and add lime juice, sugar, salt, ½ cup ice cubes, and 2 cups cold water. Purée until smooth; blend in another splash of water if mixture is too thick. Pour into glasses, filled with ice if desired.

While it is not uncommon to find ginger blended into limeades, lemonades, and fresh sugarcane juice in India, it also pairs nicely with tamarind. Serve cold and give it a good stir before drinking.

This recipe is made with tamarind pulp, which contains large seeds that you will need to remove. Avoid the temptation to use concentrates. They’re more convenient because they don’t have seeds, but they don’t taste nearly as fresh.

Ginger and Tamarind Refresher

(600 ml) water

2½ oz (70 g) sour tamarind pulp

oz (225 g) fresh ginger,

(200 g) sugar

club soda or 4 cups (960 ml) chilled water

Epicurious

Bring 1½ cups (360 ml) of the water to a boil. Put the tamarind pulp in a heat-proof nonreactive bowl, and cover with the boiling water. Cover and let sit for about 1 hour, until the pulp has become soft and mushy. Using a small potato masher or clean hands, massage and squeeze the block to soften the pulp. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a medium bowl, pressing the pulp through the strainer with a large spoon. Discard the seeds and other solids left behind. Refrigerate the tamarind extract in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use, for up to 4 days.

Rinse the ginger and gently scrub to remove any traces of dirt. If the ginger is young, with a thin skin, leave the skin on. Otherwise, peel. Cut into thin slices. In a medium saucepan, combine the ginger, sugar, and remaining 1 cup (240 ml) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the ginger simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the ginger.

In a large pitcher, mix the tamarind extract and the ginger simple syrup together. Fill eight tall glasses with ice. Pour 4 oz (120 ml) of the tamarind-ginger syrup into each glass, top with 4 oz (120 ml) of the club soda or chilled water, and stir. Store any remaining tamarind-ginger syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

This rejuvenating drink combines the mild heat of young ginger and the sourness of tamarind. It’s wonderful during the warmer months. Young ginger requires no peeling before use because its outer skin is so thin. I recommend using South Asian tamarind, which is a lot more sour than the Mexican variety. Look for it in Asian and Indian markets.

A simple  lime cordial and a touch of salt make this non-alcoholic cocktail just as special as any boozy option. Make this cucumber spritz for happy hour.

Cucumber Spritz

limes

(300 grams) sugar

Tbsp. (20 grams) salt

cucumbers,

(90 ml) Lime Cordial

lime lime

Sparkling water

We opened a little bar called Pisellino across the street from Via Carota in 2019. It’s an homage to drinking all things Italian, inspired by our favorite cafés in Florence and Milan. We think that a fresh-squeezed juice and your latte macchiato should feel just as special as an evening cocktail. When we make this non-alcoholic beverage, the Bevanda al Cetriolo or Cucumber Spritz, we make a simple lime cordial for a dash of good old-fashioned bartending.
This recipe was excerpted from 'Via Carota' by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi with Anna Kovel. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Peel the limes with a vegetable peeler. Toss the peels with the sugar in a bowl or a large jar. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a muddler, bruise the peels a little to release their fragrant oils. Cover and leave overnight. The next day, juice the limes—you want to add 6 ounces (180 ml) lime juice—directly into the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Lime cordial can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Stir salt and water together until salt dissolves completely. Pour into a small bottle, ideally one with a small opening, or a dropper.

Slice a few cucumber slices and set aside for garnish. Peel the remaining cucumber and purée it in a blender or run it through a juicer. If blending it, strain the juice, pressing on the solids to extract as much as possible. You should have about ½ cup juice.

Stir the lime cordial, saline solution, and lime juice together in a mixing glass (you will have 4 tablespoons of this base). Pour in the cucumber juice and stir well.

Fill two highball glasses with ice, pour the cucumber juice mixture into the glasses and top up with sparkling water or seltzer. Garnish with cucumber slices.

This refreshing lemon, lime, and bitters recipe gets its spicy kick with a dash of Angostura bitters, keeping it low-alcohol and very refreshing for summer.

Lemon, Lime, and Bitters

club soda

simple syrup

lemon juice

Angostura bitters

The exact origins of this beloved Australian cocktail are murky, but we know it was a favorite of golfers before going mainstream. Many lemon, lime, and bitters recipes call for lemon-lime soda or bottled lime cordial (a.k.a. sweetened lime juice), which you can use if you don’t have fresh citrus on hand. By using fresh juice, simple syrup, and club soda, however, you can tweak the sweetness and acidity of the drink to your liking. You can also add the Angostura bitters with the simple syrup and citrus juice in the beginning, but I like to float it on top at the end, which gives this drink an elegant ombré sunset vibe.
Note for strict teetotalers: This drink does contain a small amount of alcohol due to the bitters. Per The Epicurious Cocktail ABV Calculator, the ABV is roughly 0.6%—slightly higher than commercially produced kombucha.
To make the simple syrup, mix equal parts sugar and hot water in a resealable container and shake until sugar is fully dissolved.

Fill a rocks glass with ice and add 4 oz. chilled club soda (it should fill glass about halfway up). Add 1 oz. simple syrup, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, and ½ oz. fresh lime juice. Float ½ tsp. Angostura bitters over and gently stir to create an ombré effect.

The gentle heat of fresh ginger and bright tang of fresh lime juice highlight strawberries’ natural sweetness in this ultra-refreshing drink.

Strawberry Limeade

ginger, scrubbed, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

lime juice (from about 6 limes)

Club soda and lime wedges (for serving)

The gentle heat of fresh ginger and bright tang of fresh lime juice highlight strawberries’ natural sweetness in this ultra-refreshing drink that can easily be scaled up for a crowd. Add a splash of vodka, tequila, or gin for a boozy version.

Stir 4 oz. ginger, scrubbed, thinly sliced (about 1 cup), 1 cup (200 g) sugar, ½ lb. fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered, and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; simmer gently until strawberries have lost most of their color, 15–20 minutes. Remove pan with strawberry syrup from heat.

Using a potato masher or fork, gently crush remaining ½ lb. fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered, in a medium bowl. Strain strawberry syrup through a fine-mesh sieve over crushed berries and press on cooked berries in sieve to extract as much liquid as possible; discard cooked berries and ginger. Add ½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes) and ¼ tsp. kosher salt to strawberry mixture and stir to combine. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.

To serve, divide strawberry mixture among 4 glasses filled with ice to come about halfway up sides; top off with club soda. Garnish each with a lime wedge and serve with straws if desired.

Refreshing and bright, this sparkling preserved lemonade uses both fresh and jarred lemons for a unique spin on the classic beverage.

Sparkling Preserved Lemonade

Tbsp. coarsely chopped preserved lemon

tonic water and thinly sliced preserved lemon (for serving)

Like sparkling lemonade but funkier. Instead of using sparkling water for bubbles and simple syrup to offset the sourness of fresh lemon and the brininess of preserved lemon, feed two birds with one scone (see what we did there?) by using bittersweet tonic water to round it all out. You can follow our preserved lemon recipe to make your own at home, but store-bought will work just as well.

Crush 3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped preserved lemon to a paste with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice.

Divide mixture among 4 highball glasses. Fill with ice, then top off with chilled tonic water. Garnish with thinly sliced preserved lemon.

A hot pink drink with a jalapeño kick. 

Pineapple-Hibiscus Cocktail

peeled,

white vinegar

hibiscus flowers

jalapeño,

mint

lime,

tequila

We love the citrusy sour flavor of hibiscus, not to mention its amazing color.

Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add pineapple, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes to infuse syrup with pineapple flavor. Strain into a small bowl; stir in vinegar. Cover and chill shrub until cold, about 30 minutes. Cover and chill pineapple pieces until ready to use.

Meanwhile, place hibiscus in a small bowl and pour 1¼ cups boiling water over. Cover and let steep 10 minutes. Strain tea into an airtight container; discard flowers. Cover tea and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Top 21 cold drink recipes from across the web

The most viewed cold drink recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

2-Minute Pumpkin Spice Milk (aka: N...

Homemade Salted Caramel Iced Coffee

Cava Sangria

Cold-Brew Iced Coffee Concentrate

Citrus Shandy

Super Summer Fruit Syrup

Garden Party Super Punch

Cold Brew Mugicha (Japanese Barley ...

Salted Watermelon Juice

Turmeric-Ginger Tonic with Chia See...

Shirley Temple

Spicy Lemon-Ginger Tonic, Two Ways

Avocado Water

Ginger and Tamarind Refresher

Cucumber Spritz

Lemon, Lime, and Bitters

Strawberry Limeade

Sparkling Preserved Lemonade

Pineapple-Hibiscus Cocktail

Iced Vanilla Latte (Starbucks Copyc...

Acai-Peanut Protein Shake

Top 21 cold drink recipes from across the web

The most viewed cold drink recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

2-Minute Pumpkin Spice Milk (aka: N...

Homemade Salted Caramel Iced Coffee

Cava Sangria

Cold-Brew Iced Coffee Concentrate

Citrus Shandy

Super Summer Fruit Syrup

Garden Party Super Punch

Cold Brew Mugicha (Japanese Barley ...

Salted Watermelon Juice

Turmeric-Ginger Tonic with Chia See...

Shirley Temple

Spicy Lemon-Ginger Tonic, Two Ways

Avocado Water

Ginger and Tamarind Refresher

Cucumber Spritz

Lemon, Lime, and Bitters

Strawberry Limeade

Sparkling Preserved Lemonade

Pineapple-Hibiscus Cocktail

Iced Vanilla Latte (Starbucks Copyc...

Acai-Peanut Protein Shake

The most viewed cold drink recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine