Summer Cocktails: The 5 Must-Try Recipes to Make at Home

There's that specific moment, around 7 PM, when the light skims the table and the first drink of the evening calls for something more than just a fruit juice. Five cocktails return every summer to French patios, and for good reason: they are quick to prepare, require few ingredients, and are suitable for both a dinner for two and an aperitif with friends.

This selection doesn't aim for originality at all costs. It gathers recipes that we never tire of making again — Mojito, Margarita, Aperol Spritz, Piña Colada, and Cosmopolitan — with, for each, the ingredients, concrete steps, the glass that best suits them, and a preparation tip. Looking for a non-alcoholic alternative? Our best summer mocktails cover exactly that ground.

Getting equipped before you start

A good cocktail depends on three things: precise measurements, ice, and the right container. No need to own a whole bar, but a few tools genuinely change the result in the glass.

The shaker and exact measurement

A cocktail shaker remains the most cost-effective tool of all: it allows you to measure with a jigger rather than "by eye," and the result immediately shows in the balance of sweet/sour. For beginners, a few key items suffice:

• A three-piece shaker (body, built-in strainer, cap) — the easiest to use on its own
• A double jigger (usually 25 ml / 50 ml measurements) to never improvise a dosage
• Plenty of ice — one of the most frequent mistakes is running out of ice cubes when shaking
• An ice strainer if the shaker doesn't already include one

The right glass, half the experience

A Mojito served in a champagne flute loses its meaning: the shape of the glass conditions how the aromas rise to the nose and how the ice melts. Our collection of cocktail glasses covers the most useful shapes — tall tumbler, flared coupe, stemmed glass — so you never serve a cocktail in an unsuitable container. If design is as important as function to you, our guide on original cocktail glasses details the models that stand out.

The Mojito, Cuban star of summer evenings

Fresh, not too sweet if well-balanced, the Mojito remains the quintessential summer cocktail — the one you order without thinking on a terrace and rarely make as well at home, due to not muddling the mint correctly.

Ingredients for a successful mojito

• 6 cl white rum
• 2 cl fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons cane sugar (or cane sugar syrup)
• 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves
• Sparkling water to top up
• Crushed ice

Preparation in 4 steps

1. Place mint, sugar, and lime juice at the bottom of the glass, then gently muddle (the action should release the mint's essential oil, not tear it apart).
2. Fill the glass two-thirds with crushed ice.
3. Pour in the white rum and stir thoroughly with a mixing spoon.
4. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

The ideal glass: the Cylin cocktail glass, tall and straight, leaves enough space for crushed ice and sparkling water without the mojito overflowing at the first stir.

The Margarita, tangy freshness from Mexico

Three ingredients, a balance to find between acidity and sweetness — the Margarita is simple on paper, demanding in execution. The detail that changes everything: the quality of the triple sec and lime, never from a bottle.

Ingredients for a classic Margarita

• 5 cl tequila
• 2 cl triple sec (Cointreau or equivalent)
• 2.5 cl fresh lime juice
• Fine salt for rimming
• Ice cubes

Preparation in 4 steps

1. Rim the glass by running a lime wedge around the edge, then dipping it into a saucer of fine salt.
2. Pour tequila, triple sec, and lime juice into the ice-filled shaker.
3. Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Strain directly into the rimmed glass, over fresh ice or served "up" (chilled, no ice).

The ideal glass: not surprisingly, the Margarita cocktail glass, whose wide flare facilitates salting the rim and enhances the cocktail's color.

The Aperol Spritz, the indispensable Italian aperitif

Low in alcohol, colorful, easy to prepare in large quantities — the Aperol Spritz has established itself as the default summer aperitif. Its success almost entirely depends on respecting the proportions and the pouring order.

Ingredients for an Aperol Spritz

• 6 cl Prosecco
• 4 cl Aperol
• A dash of sparkling water
• A fresh orange slice
• Ice cubes

Preparation in 3 steps

1. Fill the glass to the top with ice cubes.
2. Pour in the Prosecco, then the Aperol — in that order, to preserve the bubbles.
3. Top with a dash of sparkling water and garnish with an orange slice.

The ideal glass: the Royal cocktail glass, with its generous opening, leaves ample space for ice cubes and the orange slice without crushing the Prosecco bubbles.

The Piña Colada, a tropical escape without leaving your patio

Creamy, sweet, it divides as much as it unites — but well-balanced, with real pineapple juice and not an industrial syrup, the Piña Colada remains a safe bet for extended summer aperitifs.

Ingredients for a homemade Piña Colada

• 5 cl white rum
• 6 cl fresh pineapple juice
• 3 cl coconut cream
• Crushed ice
• A pineapple slice and a cherry for garnish

Preparation in 3 steps

1. Pour rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream into a blender with crushed ice.
2. Blend until smooth and homogeneous, with no residual ice chunks.
3. Serve immediately, garnished with a pineapple slice and a cherry.

The ideal glass: the Trompette cocktail glass, with its gradual flare, complements a blended texture well and highlights the garnish.

The Cosmopolitan, New York elegance

More understated in its presentation, the Cosmopolitan remains the cocktail for slightly more formal dinners — the one served in a stemmed glass rather than a tumbler, because presentation matters as much as taste.

Ingredients for a classic Cosmopolitan

• 4 cl vodka
• 1.5 cl triple sec
• 3 cl cranberry juice
• 1 cl fresh lime juice
• An orange twist for garnish

Preparation in 3 steps

1. Pour all ingredients into the ice-filled shaker.
2. Shake firmly for about ten seconds.
3. Strain into a pre-chilled stemmed glass, without ice, and garnish with an orange zest twisted over the glass.

The ideal glass: the Calice cocktail glass, on a stem, allows the Cosmopolitan to be served chilled without the heat from your hand warming the liquid.

Which glass for which cocktail

To quickly find your way before hosting, here is a summary of the five recipes and their best-suited containers.

One thing these five recipes have in common: they can all be prepared without complex equipment, provided you have an appropriate cocktail glass and, ideally, a cocktail shaker for shaken versions. If you host regularly, equipping your bar once and for all with a complete cocktail kit remains the simplest choice.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about Summer Cocktail Recipes