NOW EXPERIENCING:10 fruity cocktails that scream summer
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10 fruity cocktails that scream summer


Read time 4 Mins

Posted 19 Dec 2024

By
Emily Reed


A selection of peak-summer fruit and a highball cocktail

Give the season’s tastiest fruits the respect they deserve in these fun and juicy cocktails.

Ahh, summer. It’s the season of stifling hot days, balmy nights, running barefoot in the backyard, burning your backside on the leather car seat, devouring ice creams before they melt all over you, and, arguably, the best fruit. With that in mind, we’ve pulled together some of our most popular (and summer-ready) cocktails that showcase the tastiest, juiciest fruits of the season. 

Perfect for entertaining or when you’re in need of a refreshing drink as the mercury rises, these cocktails will encourage you to buy in-season, leading to not only tastier but also more affordable tipples. Hey, you can even stock up on fruit and freeze it for later months if you want to get the best bang for your buck. 

There’s no shortage of summer-ready cocktail recipes on Dan’s Daily – this is just a snapshot. We have heaps more fruity recipes available, so just search by ingredient on our cocktail page. Okay, let’s get into it!

The Spicy Honey Peach Margarita next to a pineapple
1. Spicy Honey Peach Margarita
Here's a fun, peachy and spicy twist on the classic OG Marg, dreamed up by Nick Pearce – the brains behind Recipearce, home to approachable and highly shareable recipes. Nick’s all about simple, delicious food made with locally sourced produce and ingredients from his own garden in northern NSW. This cocktail features tequila, peach, lime and spicy honey. It’s a quick and easy dump-and-blitz recipe that’s salty, sweet, floral… essentially summer in a glass. Best served ice-cold on a sweltering day, the peaches really shine here. If you’d prefer another stone fruit, blood plums or nectarines work well, too. While tinned fruit is an option, fresh produce is plentiful this time of year – so hit up your local market before making this one.   
2. Strawberry Champagne PunchIf you’re thinking about hosting a summer soiree, but don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen shaking cocktails all afternoon, then our Strawberry Champagne Punch is a no-brainer. It’s a refreshing drink for the masses (and by masses, we mean all the mates). Fun fact: there’s actually no Champagne in our Strawberry Champagne Punch – we use pink moscato instead (but that name doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way). We love how fun and vibrant this punch looks and tastes; it’s a sweet, tart and fizzy good time for all involved. Don’t be afraid to try other sparklings in this punch: you could use Champagne or perhaps even a sparkling rosé. If it’s a hot one, we recommend preparing an extra large ice cube – a couple of days in advance – by freezing sliced strawberries in water in a takeaway container.
A jug of Strawberry Champagne Punch
The Peach Please is one of the best fruity cocktails for summer
3. Peach PleaseThis is Louis Hanson’s peachy twist on the classic French 75. The writer, presenter, comedian and podcaster certainly knows his way around a tasty cocktail. It combines all the delicious flavours of summer: Champagne (or sparkling wine), stone fruit and mint. It’s sweet and juicy, and has just the right amount of fizz. When adding mint, skip the bruising, tearing, or breaking – just ensure it’s fresh and placed directly into the cocktail shaker. Strain the finished cocktail well, and for a peachy garnish, mix and match different types of peaches for a colourful touch.
4. Watermelon MojitoJust when you thought a Mojito couldn’t get any more summery, you add watermelon to the equation and all of a sudden it’s officially the drink of summer. The key to this cocktail is to pay attention to your measurements and taste-test as you go. And when muddling your chopped watermelon, you can decide how smooth you want it. Just remember that the Mojito is a relaxed drink – just like you between Christmas and NYE – so feel free to play with flavours, fruits and spices until it tastes too good to be true. Make sure you choose a decent rum and the rest is easy.
Watermelon is on show in this fruity Mojito
The Tomatini is a savoury twist on the Martini using tomatoes
5. TomatiniVodka, dry vermouth and… tomato? Absolutely. Tomatoes aren’t just for Bloody Marys – and given they’re at their juiciest and freshest in summer, a Tomatini this time of year just makes sense. While this drink isn’t a decades-old classic like the Martini, we’re confident it has staying power. Despite its layers of delicate, sweet, savoury and sour flavours, the Tomatini is surprisingly simple to make – once you’ve prepared your tomato-infused vodka (which keeps in the fridge for about 14 days). From there, it’s as easy as combining the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, giving it a good stir, and straining it into your favourite cocktail glass. Top it off with a drizzle of quality olive oil (trust us), and enjoy!
6. Crimes of PassionFrom the cocktail mastermind and co-owner of top Melbourne bar Caretaker’s Cottage Matt Stirling comes Crimes of Passion. It’s a cocktail that sits neatly in the Sour family, with its closest relative being a Tommy’s Margarita. Expect vibrant lime sourness elevated by the unexpected blend of honey, mezcal and passionfruit. As Matt says, it’s tropical, earthy and textural, with the honey and passionfruit pairing to create a sherbet-like flavour. With Caretaker’s Cottage now ranked the 21st best bar in the world, you’d better believe this cocktail will impress – and it’s surprisingly easy to recreate at home. Matt recommends freezing your glasses and juicing your citrus fresh for that perfect zing.
The Crimes of Passion cocktail was created by Melbourne bar expert Matt Stirling
The Frozen Lychee Martini is a sweet and refreshing cocktail for summer
7. Frozen Lychee MartiniHot weather and a blender filled with ice just go hand in hand, especially when you’re entertaining. This recipe calls for canned lychees, however given they’re in season this time of year, we recommend getting your hands on some fresh ones if you can. We know we bang on about it a lot, but fresh really is best when you’re crafting tasty cocktails at home. In addition to the lychees, you’ll need a cup of ice, elderflower liqueur and good gin (we like Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin or a classic Bombay Sapphire), followed by a dash of fresh lemon juice. Easy! 
8. Pink ParadiseThis fruity and fresh summer sipper is a Shirley Yeung original. If you don’t know Shirley, she is leading the group operations of popular Perth bars like Foxtrot Unicorn and Nieuw Ruin, and also heads up Mixhaus, which supports women in hospitality. And she’s not afraid to make a bangin’ cocktail. Shirley describes this as fruity and balanced with fresh pink grapefruit and raspberry sweetness. Best of all, it not only looks great but it also tastes delicious! A simple yet complex mix of reposado tequila, fresh pink grapefruit, raspberry syrup (homemade, if you can) and a few dashes of Angostura, this pretty-in-pink drink is light, sweet, zippy and perfect before a summer picnic, barbie or all of the above.
The Pink Paradise is a beautiful colour and super refreshing
The Hotel Nacionale makes the most of fresh pineapple
9. Hotel NacionalSomewhere between a Hemingway and a Golden Glove sits the Hotel Nacional. Sure, this is often referred to as a ‘winter Daiquiri’ but we think it goes alright in summer too – especially with the inclusion of fresh pineapple juice and a nice aged rum. It’s a cinch to make, too, with everything thrown into a cocktail shaker with plenty of cubed ice before it’s carefully strained into a chilled glass. You can really lean into the summer vibes by placing a big old pineapple wedge on top as a garnish. Now that’s tropical.  
10. Mango & Amaretto Daiquiri

If there’s one fruit that screams summer, it’s mango. In this icy Daiquiri, the mango really comes into its own, pairing perfectly with the almondy hit of amaretto. You can go to town on garnishes with this – we love a maraschino cherry and an orange wheel for a touch of colour and a hint of citrus. We’ve used white rum here, but you could experiment with any type depending on your taste. Dark rum will lend a rich depth to the bright flavours, while white rum keeps it light and lets the mango shine. 

The Mango and Amaretto Daiquiri is summer in a glass