You have to try this cucumber cooler cocktail with a little bit of grapefruit mixed in. So good!

Summer cocktails that have a spa water vibe? Now we’re talking. Here’s a drink that will make you feel like you’re on vacation without the plane ride. It’s a tart twist on a cucumber cooler, that can be made as a cocktail or a mocktail.

Perfect for brunches spent with friends or just a summer sip out on the porch. Grab a highball glass and some fresh ingredients, here’s how to make your own grapefruit cucumber gin cooler…

Ingredients

• 2 ounces cucumber-infused gin*
• 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
• 2 ounces grapefruit sparkling water
• 1/2 tsp honey (sub 1/2 tsp grenadine if you want an ombre effect)
• 1 cucumber “twist”
• 1 small grapefruit wedge for garnish
• cubed ice

* For mocktails, try subbing for cucumber sparkling water like Spindrift Cucumber.

How to Make Grapefruit Cucumber Cooler

1. Mix fresh grapefruit juice, honey (if using grenadine, hold until later), and cucumber gin in a tumbler. If you plan to add cucumber sparkling water, don’t mix in tumbler to prevent leakage – you can add it after you’ve poured.

2. Before you pour, wet the inside of your glass. Wrap one ribbon of cucumber peel (the cucumber “twist”) using fingers or the back of a spoon until it is stuck to the inside of the glass.

3. Carefully pour grapefruit and gin mixture into the glass, being careful not to disturb the cucumber peel. If you are subbing the honey for grenadine, slowly add in the syrup so that is settles towards the bottom of the glass.

4. Add 3-4 ice cubes. Top off with grapefruit soda. This is also the time to add the cucumber sparkling water if you’re making a mocktail.

5. Give it a soft stir if you want, and garnish with grapefruit wedge.

More Summer Cocktails

Looking for more cocktail and mocktail ideas for summer?

Photography Amelia Lawrence

Who’s ready for vacation after this cocktail? 

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This homemade lemonade recipe is just the thing for a hot summer day. Made with 3 simple ingredients, it’s sweet, refreshing, and deliciously tart.

This homemade lemonade recipe is so refreshing on a hot day! Made with 3 simple ingredients—water, lemon juice, and simple syrup—it’s sweet, citrusy, and deliciously tart. In the summer, I’d happily drink an ice-cold glass every day. (Not surprising given that you’re on Love & Lemons, right?)

This lemonade recipe makes a big batch, so it’d be a great refreshment for your next cookout or BBQ. However, you can easily scale it down if you’re serving a smaller group. Garnish glasses with fresh mint leaves or basil for an aromatic, summery twist, or keep things classic and top each one with a fresh lemon slice. Enjoy!

Homemade Lemonade Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this homemade lemonade recipe:

• Fresh lemons, of course! When you’re making homemade lemonade, fresh-squeezed lemon juice is a must. Skip the bottled lemon juice, please! You’ll need about 12 lemons to make a full recipe.
• Simple syrup – For sweetness. Make a traditional simple syrup with equal parts granulated sugar and water, or infuse it with fresh basil or mint for an unexpected twist. Check out my simple syrup recipe to learn how to make a flavored syrup.
• Cold water – It dilutes the lemon juice and simple syrup, balancing the tart and sweet flavors.
• And ice – For a cold, refreshing drink.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Lemonade

My method for how to make freshly squeezed lemonade is super simple!

• First, you’ll make the simple syrup. Try the basil variation for a more complex flavor.
• Next, juice the lemons. Halve and squeeze lemons until you have 3 cups of lemon juice, or less if you’re making a scaled-down batch. Tip: A good juicer will serve you well here!
• Then, stir it all together. Pour the cooled simple syrup, lemon juice, and water into a pitcher. If you’re serving the lemonade right away, stir in a couple handfuls of ice.
• Finally, taste and adjust. The best part of making homemade lemonade is that you get to adjust the balance of flavors to your liking! If you prefer a sweeter drink, add more simple syrup. If you like yours nice and tart, add more lemon.

Serve over ice with your desired garnishes. We like lemon wheels and/or sprigs of fresh basil or mint.

Enjoy the lemonade on its own, or serve it as part of a summer meal with classic cookout fare like veggie burgers, pasta salad, fruit salad, and corn on the cob.

More Favorite Summer Drinks

If you love this fresh lemonade recipe, try one of these summer drinks next:

I love sipping a Hugo spritz on a hot day! Made with prosecco, elderflower liqueur, and fresh mint, this Italian cocktail is floral and refreshing.

Have you ever tried a Hugo spritz? This Italian cocktail is bubbly and bright, with floral notes from elderflower liqueur and herbal depth from fresh mint. It’s just as refreshing as an Aperol spritz, its better-known cousin, but it doesn’t have any of Aperol’s bitterness. Instead, it’s lightly sweet and delicate.

It’s one of my favorite cocktails to sip on a hot summer day—always on a patio, and preferably in Italy…though more likely in my own backyard. Luckily, this Hugo spritz recipe is easy to make with 5 ingredients, so it couldn’t be simpler to mix up at home.

Hugo Spritz Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this Hugo spritz recipe:

• Prosecco – Though you could use another sparkling wine like cava or Champagne here, prosecco is the most common choice. Fun fact: Prosecco is produced in the Veneto region of Italy, which borders the South Tyrol region where this cocktail was created!
• Elderflower liqueur – It adds sweet, floral notes to the spritz. St-Germain is the most widely available, but you could use any elderflower liqueur or elderflower cordial here. You could even sub an elderflower syrup for a lower-ABV drink.
• Sparkling water – It adds extra bubbles and balances the wine and liqueur.
• Fresh mint – You’ll add some to the drink and use more for garnish.
• A lemon or lime slice – For garnish. It gives the cocktail a bright, citrusy finish.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Variation: St-Germain Spritz

A St-Germain spritz is essentially a simplified version of a Hugo spritz. It consists of prosecco, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, and club soda. Just skip the mint and lime in this recipe, and you’ll have a St-Germain spritz! I love a lemon twist for garnish.

(The traditional ratio for a St-Germain spritz is 1.5 parts St-Germain to 2 parts prosecco to 2 parts soda water—feel free to adjust as you like!)

More Summer Cocktails to Try

If you love this Hugo spritz cocktail recipe, try one of these refreshing summer cocktails next:

Made with fresh strawberries, coconut rum, a splash of Coco Real, and soda water, this strawberries and cream cocktail is creamy, refreshing, and honestly my ideal summer drink.

Where are my Malibu fans at! If I’m drinking a cocktail, it is almost ALWAYS something sweet, fruity and spiked with rum — specifically Malibu. The girls like to poke fun at my love for the same alcohol we used to buy in college, but hey, I say drink what you like — and I like Malibu . All kidding aside, this strawberries and cream cocktail is so refreshing and perfectly creamy and sweet. I hope you love it as much as my Malibu-loving heart does .

Only 4 Ingredients Needed

• Strawberries: It’s strawberry season, baby! I love picking up a bucket of strawberries at the farmers market at the cabin for the best sweet flavor, but any fresh strawberries will work.
• Coco Real: A staple in our liquor cabinet! If you haven’t tried it, it’s sweetened coconut juice that’s squeezable. It offers yummy, creamy coconut flavor, and a little goes a long way.
• Malibu Rum: My girl! Coconut rum pairs perfectly with the coco real and fresh berries flavor of this cocktail.
• Plain Soda Water: You’ll add this at the very end — it gives this cocktail a lil fizz. Plain sparkling water will also work.
• Optional Toppings: Whipped cream! More sliced strawberries! Sprinkles! You go right ahead and get crazy here .

Frozen strawberries will also work! Learn how to freeze your own strawberries so you always have some on hand with our easy how-to guide.

Cheers!

Obviously this strawberries and cream cocktail is best enjoyed immediately after making. If you wait too long between blending and serving, the coco real will begin to separate from the pink blended strawberry color. This doesn’t change the taste at all, but will look a little off-putting.

I love making these cocktails for the girls when we’re spending the day on the lake at the cabin. It’s a perfect afternoon cocktail that is just so dang fruity and fun.

More Strawberry-Flavored Drinks

30 Recipes to Cook This June

This collection features some of my favorite recipes shared in the month of June over the years on HBH! Looking back, I was reminded just how many summertime favorites we’ve created—fresh dinners, sweet berry-filled desserts, chocolate treats, ice cream, and of course, a refreshing drink or two. There’s a recipe for every day of the month… plus a few extras!

With the start of June comes the excitement of summer. We’re so close—and for some of us, it’s already here. I just spent a week in South Florida, and let me tell you, it’s full-on summer down there! Being in that sunshine kicked off all the summer vibes and sparked so many fun ideas—I can’t wait to share them with you.

But before diving into new summer recipes and entertaining stories, I love taking a moment to revisit the classics. This collection includes community favorites and a few personal ones I’ve loved over the past 13 years. I’d even forgotten about some of these myself, and now I’m adding a few back to my own menu this month (yes, including for the 4th of July!).

I hope you find something new—or rediscover an old favorite—to cook this June. And as always, I’d love to hear what you’re making! Got any recipe requests? Let me know what I have to make next!

Here are 3o recipes to cook this June! Enjoy!

Breakfast/Brunch

Hot Strawberry Jam Dutch Baby

Jalapeño Cheddar Popovers with Honey Butter

Raspberry Lemon Brioche Rolls with Whipped Ricotta Cream

Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones

Drinks

Frosted Watermelon Rosemary Frosé

Frozen Aperol Peach Margarita

Salted Spicy Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

Appetizers/Sides

Granny’s 7 Layer Dip

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Burrata

Pull Apart Italian Sub Sliders

Caprese Garlic Bread with Crispy Prosciutto

Mexican Street Corn Dip

Baked Gruyère Tomato Bruschetta

The Best Simple Vegan Potato Salad

Avocado Shrimp Salsa

Charred Baby Bell Peppers with Burrata

Marinated Goat Cheese Strawberry Crostini

Salads/Dinners

Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

The Italian Salad Sandwich

Watermelon Peach Salad

Queso Steak and Elote Tacos

BLT Caesar Pasta Salad

Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo

Picnic Style Brie and Prosciutto Sandwich

Pesto Peach Chicken in White Wine with Burrata

Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad

Pesto Chicken Saltimbocca with Burst Tomatoes and Burrata

Zucchini Cacio e Pepe with Brown Butter

Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Butter

Greek Watermelon Feta Salad

20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta

Crispy Honey Ginger Salmon Bowl

Cheesy Tomato Basil Stuffed Chicken

BLT Pasta Salad

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pepperoni Pizza

Picnic Style Pesto Turkey and Avocado Bacon Sandwich

Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo

20 Minute Ginger Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

Skillet Creamed Street Corn Chicken

Chicken Tzatziki Rice Bowls

Grilled Caprese Pesto Chicken Skewers

Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes

20 Minute Florentine Butter Chicken with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Bowls

Dessert

Easy Blueberry Cherry Galette

No Churn Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Bursting Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

Toasted S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches

Nonnie’s 6 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

Browned Butter Grilled Peaches

The Best Strawberry Shortcakes

Cinnamon Maple Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp

4 Ingredient Creamy Fruit Popsicles

Nonnie’s 5 Ingredient Peach Dump

Blackberry Lavender Ice Cream Sandwiches

Smashed Raspberry White Chocolate Layer Cake

Lavender Lemon Sugar Cookies

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites

Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake

Blueberry Chamomile Galette

Homemade Animal Crackers