22 Healthy-ish Summer Cocktails to Beat the Heat

Sarah Landrum
Updated

Summer is a season with many tough, albeit fun, decisions — like what to sip. You don’t have to sacrifice taste for calories with the right summer cocktails that balance out the more indulgent BBQ and ice cream. Be sure to buy local produce, and skip the mixes when making any of the following healthy beverages. Everyone (including you) will notice the punch of flavor.

1. Lavender Sangria: Nothing promotes a relaxing evening like a chilled glass of white wine and the soothing scent of lavender. Combine the two with your favorite fresh fruit for a classic drink from Jessica Merchant. Skip the simple syrup, or make it with a sugar-free sweetener to lower the calorie count. (via How Sweet Eats)

2. Strawberry Basil Lime Cooler: We are extra excited about this mocktail offering, a combo of club soda, lime wedges, strawberries, and fresh mint. You could always throw in a shot of something carb-free like tequila, vodka, or gin. (via Making Thyme for Health)

3. Rosé Chilton: Get in touch with your inner Southern belle and enjoy this rosy twist on a classic Texas beverage. It gives you an excuse to try out that rosé vodka you keep seeing around. (via A Zesty Bite)

4. Blood Orange Moscow Mule: Usually mules make us think of copper cups and cold nights by the fire; however, this summery take will have you dreaming about beaches and citrus sunsets. Since oranges are already pretty sweet, opt for a sugar-free ginger beer to top things off. (via Just a Little Bit of Bacon)

5. Strawberry Thyme Prosecco: Sparkling wine is good all on its own, yet drop in a few strawberries blended with limoncello, and you’ve got a refreshing drink for your summer. (via Damn Delicious)

6. Easy Rosé Spritzer: A little rosé, a little club soda, a slice of lemon… and you’re set to sip guilt-free with this simple spritzer. (via Salt and Lavender)

7. Peach Mojito: Fruity mint mojitos FTW. The fresh peaches and mint here make this drink something special. You can always sub out the teaspoon of sugar with stevia, Splenda, or your choice of sugar-free sweetener. (via Cookie and Kate)

8. Pamplemousse La Croix and Lavender Mocktail: Though this grapefruit and lavender mocktail doesn’t feature alcohol, a shot of gin would perk it right up. The recipe does call for simple syrup, but you can always splash in less or make it sugar-free. (via Brit + Co)

9. Rhubarb Pie Cocktail: Nothing says “home for the summer” like this rhubarb pie cocktail. The rhubarb simple syrup does make the bulk of the drink, so opt for a sugar-free sweetener when making it. (via Boulder Locavore)

10. Pink Greyhound: A new way to rosé courtesy of Hangar 1’s Rosé Vodka. Yes, girl, you read that right. (via sfgirlbybay)

11. White Sparkler Sangria: While we’d drink Champagne every day if we could, sangria is the next best thing. The fizz in this recipe makes us want to plan our next Gatsby party. (via Damn Delicious)

12. The Bramble Cocktail: Blackberries and gin come together in a sour, sweet, and all together refreshing cocktail. The muddled berries in the bottom of the glass are a lovely boozy snack when you’re finished. If your blackberries are ripe, you can probably get away with using just a smidge of stevia over the simple syrup to round out the cocktail. (via A Beautiful Mess)

13. Fresh Cherry Lime Vodka Soda: Vodka sodas are a low-calorie drink staple — that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Make a homemade cherry syrup to enliven the drink. Though the original recipe calls for sugar… you know what to do by now. (via How Sweet Eats)

14. Maple Mint Julep: Don’t worry about having to melt down sugar to make simple syrup for this julep recipe. The maple syrup makes this the easiest bourbon classic you’ll ever make. (via Cookie and Kate)

15. Blueberry Mojito: The thing about mojitos is that they pack a lot of flavor without a lot of calories. You can get the color and taste of this mojito just right by adding enough blueberry (and leaving out the sugar). We wouldn’t mind sipping it with some of those fancy straws either. (via The Novice Chef)

16. La Croix Pimm’s Cup: For those early vacation mornings, mix together chilled La Croix and Pimm’s for a burst of summer flavor that will satisfy. We suggest pairing it with a bowl of fresh fruit for breakfast. (via Brit + Co)

17. Watermelon Gin Fizz: Here, ginger ale is used for sweetness. If you want, swap it for soda to make this a healthier, adult-friendly cocktail. (via Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts)

18. Citrus Champagne Punch: The glory of this shower-pleasing brunch is that you can decide just how much sugar you want to add by reducing the amount of simple syrup. (via Pizzazzerie)

19. Skinny Pineapple and Jalapeño Infused Vodka Cocktail: Okay, this one takes a little overnight preparation, but the good news is you’ll have jalapeño and pineapple vodka you can save for other quick cocktails. It’s sweetened with pineapple juice only and has a little flavor oomph with pineapple seltzer water. (via Physical Kitchness)

20. Strawberry Mojito: Rely on that sugar-free simple syrup swap to keep this beverage as low calorie as possible. The strawberries should be so sweet you shouldn’t need much else. (via Sidewalk Shoes)

21. Sparkling Watermelon Lychee Cocktail: Watermelon and mint get a spiked makeover in this cocktail. (via Salty Canary)

22. Healthy Scratch Margaritas: Stop giving in to the allure of sweet and sour mix and follow a few simple tips to make a light and refreshing margarita from scratch. You’ll want some strong fists or a citrus juicer for this one. It’s just ever-so-lightly sweetened with date syrup too. (via Sunkissed Kitchen)

Find your next go-to summer drink with recipes like these on our Pinterest!