Drinks & Cocktails For Every Occasion

Raise a glass to these individual and large-batch cocktail recipes that please a crowd, whether you’re planning a weekend brunch, holiday party, bridal shower, or tailgate menu. Every Southern host needs a signature sipper, and these are our favorite mocktails and cocktails that quench thirst and generate party buzz. From cozy fall cocktails to refreshing summer slushes to fun and fancy chilled nightcaps, here are our best no-fail drink recipes to liven Happy Hour and porch sittin' at home.

974 Pins

·Last updated 9h

Curated by

Southern Living

Bushwackers Are The Booziest Chocolate Milkshake Ever

This Bushwacker recipe is made with a powerful blend of coffee, Irish cream, and dark crème de cacao liqueurs for richness and depth, with black or dark rum to add a final boozy kick to the drink. Cream of coconut and crushed ice lighten the mixture with a refreshing, tropical touch, with an indulgent addition of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce for a decidedly dessert-worthy result. Whipped cream and maraschino cherries top it all off for a boozy milkshake you won't soon forget. #bushwacker #drinks #cocktails #partydrinks #recipeideas

What Is Cherry Bounce? The Cherry-Infused Cordial You'll Want To Enjoy At The Holidays

Cherry bounce is a cherry-infused cordial often made in the summer, during peak cherry season, and enjoyed at the holidays. For the best flavor, cherry bounce does need to infuse for several months, but it's a great way to put up for the winter when cherries are ripe and juicy. #recipeideas #cordial #cherrybounce #southernrecipes #cherrydrinks

0:22

Frozen Georgia Peach Spritz Can Beat The Southern Heat

A sip of this frozen Georgia peach spritz is a sip of Southern summer. You can taste the sweet peach immediately, followed by the flavor of the Aperol. The citrusy herbal aperitif pairs perfectly with the flavors of the peaches and dryness of the wine. Blending the frozen fruit results in a drink that is the perfect in-between consistency of a smoothie and a slush drink, with a wonderful creaminess you don't get from icy cocktails. It's easy to drink and easy to make! #peachspritz #spritz #frozencocktail #cocktails #cocktailrecipes #summerdrinks

26 Bourbon Cocktail Recipes Made For Sipping

What's the best way to drink bourbon? You can't go wrong with on-the-rocks or straight-up, but it's hard not to love these jazzy bourbon cocktail recipes. So get out your highball glasses and your shaker, because these bourbon cocktails are perfect for quiet nights on the porch and lively parties. #recipes #cocktails #drinkrecipes #bourbon #partydrinks

a pan filled with blood oranges and lemon slices

21 Alcoholic Punch Recipes To Liven Up Any Party

Any holiday is a good excuse to break out the punch bowl or drink dispenser. We've got plenty of festive options for Christmas, including our Texas Santa Punch and Sparkling Pomegranate Punch. Need a big-batch Thanksgiving cocktail? Our Thanksgiving Rum Punch and Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch have all the cozy flavors of fall. If you're hosting a bridal shower or ladies' luncheon, try a sparkling punch recipe. No matter the occasion, there's a punch that's just right. Check out these easy punch recipe options and you'll find the perfect one. #alcoholicpunch #punchrecipes #partydrinks #partypunch #partyrecipes

This Bourbon Margarita Is Made For Beach Days

If you like a whiskey sour, you'll probably love a bourbon margarita. In this cocktail, we swap out tequila for bourbon, making for a particularly Southern take on a classic margarita. For a spicy version, muddle a few slices of jalapeño in the bottom of the shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients. #recipeideas #drinks #cocktails #bourbonmargarita #partydrinks #partycocktails

two glasses filled with drinks sitting on top of a white table next to orange slices

New Orleans Drinks

Tailgate Menu

Batch Cocktail Recipe

Breakfast Party Foods

Easy Dinner Casseroles

Famous Cocktails

Batch Cocktails

Breakfast Party

Etiquette And Manners

How To Make The Most Famous Cocktail In New Orleans

The Hurricane Cocktail became popular in New Orleans in the 1940s, and you can still order it at the legendary Pat O'Brien's bar. Packed with two types of rum, it's luxuriously sweet, citrusy, and refreshing. #recipeideas #drinks #cocktails #hurricane #hurricanedrink #classichurricane #besthurricanerecipe

two glasses filled with red wine and grapes on a table next to some limes

Vodka Grape Juice Drink Recipes

Transfusion Drink Recipe

Cocktail Drinks Alcoholic

Summer Drinks Alcohol

Classic Transfusion Cocktail For A Refreshing Sipper On And Off The Links

Cool down with this popular golf course cocktail. A proper Transfusion cocktail recipe contains four ingredients: vodka, ginger ale, Concord grape juice, and lime juice. Between the carbonation, touch of sweetness, and generous pour of liquor, a Transfusion has all the qualities of a perfect outdoor cocktail. #cocktails #cocktailrecipes #summerdrinks #transfusionrecipes #southernliving

two glasses filled with smoothie next to each other on a white counter top, one has a strawberry and the other has a piece of a pineapple

Strawberry Pina Colada

Strawberries And Pineapple

You'll Want to Sip This Strawberry Piña Colada All Summer

Whether you're relaxing on the beach or simply looking to get into a vacation state of mind, this strawberry piña colada is for you. Frosty, rosy, and filled with tropical flavors, this drink requires little to no forethought or time—just 10 minutes to be exact. Simply chop up some fresh strawberries and pineapple, and you're halfway there. A few zaps in a good, heavy-duty blender, and the texture will be smooth enough to rival any restaurant or pool bar drink. #cocktails #drinks #strawberrypinacolada #pinacolada #frozendrinks

10m

Salty Dog Cocktail Recipe

Salty Dog Cocktail

Dog Cocktail

Ruby Red Grapefruit

There's Nothing More Summery Than A Classic Salty Dog Cocktail

Our salty dog cocktail recipe makes the most of gin, grapefruit juice, and salt. The result? A fresh, tart, and balanced drink. The Southern Living Test Kitchen crafted this cocktail with fresh grapefruit juice, but bottled juice would be fine in a pinch. If you are freshly squeezing, we recommend using ruby red grapefruit for a beautiful, pink drink. Finish your glass with a salted brim. #drinks #cocktails #saltydogcocktail #beachdrinks #partydrinks

10m

copper pitchers filled with alcohol and garnished with lime

Alcoholic Drinks To Make At Home

Drinks To Make At Home

30 Refreshing Non-Alcoholic Drinks For Everyone To Enjoy

It doesn't have to be 5 o'clock somewhere for a booze-free beverage. These easy, non-alcoholic drinks to make at home can transform any weeknight into something special—no liquor required. From creative mocktails to new twists on your classic sweet tea, this collection of cool, non-alcoholic drinks is sure to quench anyone's thirst. Prepare a pitcher full for your backyard barbecue or a single serving for an afternoon treat. One sip in, and you won't be missing the booze one bit. #drinks #mocktails #nonalcoholic #partydrinks #virgindrinks

two glasses filled with different types of drinks on top of a wooden table next to pineapples and cherries

Pina Colada Song

Condensed Coconut Milk

How To Make A Piña Colada So Good You'll Think You're On Vacation

The piña colada originally hails from Puerto Rico, and there was a time that ordering one was as fashionable as big earrings and even bigger hair (around the 70s and 80s). And who can forget the 1979 Rupert Holmes song "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)?" Nothing beats the coconutty, creamy, pineappley sweetness of a real piña colada, and this recipe delivers on all fronts. #recipeideas #drinks #cocktails #pinacolada #bestpinacolada #homemadepinacolada

two glasses filled with drinks sitting on top of a metal tray

White Chocolate Martini

Raspberry Beer

Vodka Cocktail Recipes

Vodka Cocktails Recipes

18 Vodka Cocktails That Go From Brunch To Dinner

From martinis to mules, there are endless ways to shake it up with vodka. The spirit's simple, clean taste lends itself to savory and sweet whether it's a Bloody Mary or white chocolate martini. You can even add a splash to just about any of your favorite non-alcoholic punches. From long-standing classic recipes to new creations, like our pickletini, here are our favorite vodka cocktail recipes that won't disappoint. #vodka #cocktails #drinks #cocktailrecipes #vodkacocktails #summerdrinks

two glasses filled with liquid and garnished with cherries on a blue plate

Cherry Limeade Is Lemonade's Sweetest Competition

Sweet, tart, and super refreshing, cherry limeade is the nonalcoholic drink you'll reach for all summer long. (Fans of Sonic might notice our version tastes just like the chain’s cherry limeade, a happy hour favorite.) With a stunning color for a festive presentation, this drink is sure to be a hit at parties—and it’s easily scalable as a batch recipe for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. Bonus: It's also friendly for guests of all ages, and those abstaining from alcohol, but can be made boozy for any adults who wish to enjoy it that way. #drinks #cherrylimeade #cherrylimeadecopycat #limeade #summerdrinks #partydrinks #sonic

a drink in a glass with strawberries and ice

Pool Drinks

Southern Summer

Delicious Snacks

20 Pool Day Drinks To Sip All Summer Long

Sometimes there's no better way to cool off then with a pool day. While we'll never pass up a beach escape or lake getaway, sometimes pool days are the easiest ways to beat the Southern summer heat. Whether you're heading to the backyard or a public park, pool days call for delicious snacks and refreshing drinks to keep us hydrated. We've rounded up our favorite pool day drinks that you'll enjoy sipping all summer long. #drinks #cocktails #pooldrinks #summerdrinks #summercocktails