Must-Serve Frozen Drinks

May 01, 2010
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia E. DeGaris
Beat the heat with a slushy cocktail guaranteed to cool you off while the grill heats up.
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Frozen Margarita

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Erin Swift
Frozen Margarita Recipe
No fiesta is complete without rounds of Frozen Margaritas. We freeze our Margaritas in an electric ice cream maker for extra slushiness.
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Frozen Watermelon Margaritas

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas Recipe
With our most popular cocktail by your side, you'll definitely impress your pool party guests with a round of thirst-quenching, watermelon margaritas.

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Cosmopolitan Slushy Recipe

Photo: Maura McEvoy
Cosmopolitan Slushy Recipe Recipe
Take your traditional cosmo to the next level with this icy, ruby-red cocktail recipe.
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Mint Margarita Slushie

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Mint Margarita Slushie Recipe
A super simple slushie like this one is the perfect remedy to beat the summer heat.

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Grapefruit Margaritas

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Ana Kelly, Mindi Shapiro
Grapefruit Margaritas Recipe
Ruby red grapefruit juice gives this margarita a blushing pink hue, and the more you add, the richer the color will be. Add frozen limeade concentrate for a refreshing punch of flavor, without all that squeezing. You can even make this recipe the day before your party. Just freeze until your guests arrive and then all you need to do is stir, serve, and enjoy!

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Frozen Cranberry-Moonshine Lemonade

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Frozen Cranberry-Moonshine Lemonade Recipe
With this drink, you can enjoy your favorit holiday flavors all summer long! Just make sure you prepare the cranberry-moonshine mixture ahead of time because it has to stand and room temperature for three days. Then serve and enjoy!
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Frozen Peach Old Fashioned

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett 
Frozen Peach Old Fashioned Recipe
Try this fun twist on a classic cocktail. Served ice cold, these refreshing cocktails will keep your summer party guests cool!

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Icy Vanilla-Rum Malted Milkshake

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Icy Vanilla-Rum Malted Milkshake Recipe
azzle guests with this made-to-order icy beverage that couldn't be easier. Kids will love these milkshakes, too; just be sure to nix the liquor.

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Limoncello Mojito

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Stylist: Linda Hirst
Limoncello Mojito Recipe
Limoncello Mojito is a citrusy new take on the classic cocktail. This refreshing concoction is perfect for the dog days of summer.
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Guilt-Free Piña Coladas

Photo: Oxmoor House
Guilt-Free Piña Coladas Recipe
This guilt-free cocktail recipe is perfect so satisfy your thirst on a hot summer day. Now if only it could come with a side of beach.

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Cherry-Peach Sangria

Photo: José Picayo; Styling: Michele Faro
Cherry-Peach Sangria Recipe
This wonderfully refreshing cocktail combines cherries, peaches, and a couple sprigs of fresh basil. Watch out--you and your summer party guests won't be able to put these drinks down!

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Peach Fuzzies

Howard L. Puckett
Peach Fuzzies Recipe
Serve this festive drink at an early afternoon barbecue. Frozen pink lemonade concentrate gives the drink its color and its sweet-tart flavor base. Add vodka, water, and ripe peaches for extra sweetness, then process with crushed ice.
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Porter Float

William Dickey
Porter Float Recipe
Make a simple adults-only float using vanilla ice cream, creamy porter or stout, and a flavorful garnish of fresh raspberries and mint sprigs. Enjoy with a spoon, or take it out by the pool with you and let it thaw into a melty dessert drink.

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Sweet Tea Mint Juleps

Photo: Squire Fox; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
Sweet Tea Mint Juleps Recipe
This drink features the best of two classic Southern drinks: the mint julep and sweet tea. Sip on one of these cool cocktails on a warm summer day while sitting in a rocking chair on your front porch.

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Minty Lime Frozen Mojito

Photo: Jennifer Davick
Minty Lime Frozen Mojito Recipe
These gorgeous lime mojitos call for Key lime-flavored rum, frozen limeade, and a sprinkling of fresh mint leaves.
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Frozen White Chocolate

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Erynn Hedrick Hassinger
Frozen White Chocolate Recipe
Drink your dessert with this decadent milkshake-for-adults. It features white chocolate liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, crème de cacao, and plenty of vanilla ice cream.

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Beer 'Garitas

Photo: William Dickey; Styling: Margaret Dickey
Beer 'Garitas Recipe
Drink to a Mexican-inspired evening with these tasty beer cocktails. Limeade concentrate and orange liqueur add bright flavor. If you like your margaritas bold, make the drink with dark beer. Serve in mason jars for added summer flair.

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Raspberry Summer Freeze

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Raspberry Summer Freeze Recipe
Four ingredients, ice and a blender are all you need to fill you glass with this frosty cocktail.
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Kiwi Colada

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Kiwi Colada Recipe
Ring in summer by combining all the fun flavors of the season. Midori (melon-flavored liqueur) and cream of coconut add a taste of the tropics to the pineapple concoction. Use green kiwi for a tangy flavor, or substitute golden kiwi for a sweeter taste.

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Piña Colada

Victor Protasio
Piña Colada Recipe
Skip the storebought colada mix and whip up your own with chopped fresh pineapple, rum, fresh lime juice, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice.

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Frosty Raspberry-Lime Margarita

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Erynn Hedrick Hassinger
Frosty Raspberry-Lime Margarita Recipe
Have a little fun with your traditional margarita recipe by adding fresh raspberry and lime flavors.
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Blackberry Pineapple Mojito

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon
Blackberry Pineapple Mojito Recipe
The key to making bartender-worthy concoctions: muddling fresh fruit and herbs, like in this blackberry pineapple mojito based on one at Scottsdale's Deseo restaurant.

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Frozen Lemonade with Coconut Rum

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Frozen Lemonade with Coconut Rum Recipe
One reviewer had this to say: “Made this for my husband's Jan. 1st birthday party for 30 guests. Since we live in the Florida Keys, I figured it could be served year round. It was the hit drink of the party—couldn't make them fast enough! Even the men were drinking them, and all the rest of the drinks were hardly touched. New favorite tropical drink. -KeysBet

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Frozen Cranberry Margaritos

Charles Walton IV
Frozen Cranberry Margaritos Recipe
A mojito traditionally uses rum; here we use tequila instead, hence the fun title. Dip rims of glasses in lime juice and a mixture of equal parts kosher salt and sugar for a twist on salt-rimmed glasses.
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Brandy Shakes

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker
Brandy Shakes Recipe
Brandy Shakes, made from high-quality vanilla ice cream and brandy, are a super simple way to cool down and relax on hot summer afternoons.

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Classic Margarita

Classic Margarita Recipe
The only margarita recipe you'll need, this easy cocktail is a simple mix of shaken fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, tequila, and powdered sugar.

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Orange-Cream Refresher

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Orange-Cream Refresher Recipe
Reminiscent of creamsicles, this icy beverage is sure to envoke a bit of sweet nostalgia in your party guests.
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Watermelon Bellini

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Watermelon Bellini Recipe
Whip up Watermelon Bellini for a refreshing sipper--plus any summer melon will work. For a nonalcoholic option, replace the sparkling wine with sparkling white grape juice, sparkling cider, or club soda.

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Champagne Mango Margaritas

Photo: Romulo Yanes
Champagne Mango Margaritas Recipe
Champagne mangoes make these brightly colored frozen margaritas as smooth as can be. Spicy chiles balance the fruity sweetness.

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Honeydew-Kiwi Daiquiris

Honeydew-Kiwi Daiquiris Recipe
A pitcher of slushy daiquiris is a great way to start the weekend. You'll use about half of the melon for this recipe and the rest in Sunday's fruit salad.
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Blueberry-Mint Frozen Gimlet

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Blueberry-Mint Frozen Gimlet Recipe
Juicy blueberries and fresh mint leaves make a perfect partnership in this frozen cocktail. Just load everything in a blender and whir until frosty.

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Tropical Sherbet Frosty

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Tropical Sherbet Frosty Recipe

Instead of pineapple, you could substitute mango sherbet, keeping in the tropical theme. 

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Cucumber, Honey, and Thyme Margarita Slush

Photo: Hector Sanchez Styling: Claire Spollen
Cucumber, Honey, and Thyme Margarita Slush Recipe
This simple margarita comes together in no time flat.  The cucumber infuses the slush with a cool flavor, which balances the sweet notes from honey at the end of each sip.
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Boozy Frozen Hot Chocolate

Boozy Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe

Dessert, cocktail, or both? However you look at this grown-up drink, the answer is yes. The rich, sweet caramel notes found in rum nicely complement the chocolate, but bourbon, whiskey, or stout make good alternatives.

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Salty Dog Slushes

Photo: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Karen Rankin
Salty Dog Slushes Recipe

The Salty Dog has no flaws, but turning it into a slush makes it the most wonderful and festive summertime cocktail ever. The bitterness, sweetness, salt, and booze come together to make a subtly sweet pink and frosty delight. You can even keep frozen grapefruit juice cubes in the freezer and whip a few drinks up to amaze friends (or yourself).  If you’d like to experiment, this would also make a mighty fine granita.