20 Sangria, Summer Punch, and Cooler Recipes for Hot Summer Days

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated May 07, 2020
Sidney Bensimon
A pitcher of cold, refreshing sangria or punch is the perfect way to cool off on the hottest days of the year.
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Sidney Bensimon

Enjoy a sip of sunshine with these refreshing, fruity beverages. From red, white, and rosé sangria to pretty punches made with sparkling white wine, vodka or tequila, and fruit juices, all of these crowd-friendly drinks are just the thing for a summertime party or an afternoon relaxing by the pool with family.

Sangria is a Spanish-inspired punch that is typically made with red or white wine, brandy or orange liqueur, and chopped fruit. It's easy to make for a crowd and a fabulous way to use summer produce. Try this refreshing recipe for Boozy White Sangria, which is made with dry white wine and the elderflower liqueur, St. Germain. It's fresh, floral, and a delicious drink for warm weather. Or make a blended, frozen version for a slushie-like sangria that's sweetened with peaches, plums, and strawberries using our recipe for Frozen White Sangria.

We also have plenty of punch recipes, which is a much broader category of drinks that can include any combination of booze and fruit that you like. We've turned a couple of classic cocktails into party-ready punches. Our Aperol Gin Punch is made with gin, Aperol, Lillet Blanc, lime juice, and orange-blossom water. It's earthy, bitter, and a bit romantic. Another Italian-inspired drink, the Negroni, is transformed into a punch that we want to ladle over and over again into our glasses. Prosecco, Campari, and Cocchi Americano are combined into a punch with a radiating pop of color for this Sparkling Campari Punch.

As the sun shines bright, the temperature rises, and family and friends gather together to celebrate the season, make these sangria, summer punch, and cooler recipes.

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Pink Grapefruit-White Cranberry Sparkling Punch

Con Poulos
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Wow your crowd with this fizzy and festive punch made with dry sparkling white wine, club soda, white cranberry juice, vodka, and Cointreau. It has plenty of citrus flavors, thanks to the zest and juice of pink grapefruit, plus the sliced kumquats that are added for serving.

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Sparkling Campari Punch

Mikkel Vang
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In between a Negroni and sangria is this crowd-friendly punch that will surely get the party started. The base is made with pink grapefruit juice, Cocchi Americano, Campari, and sparkling white wine, but it's the variety of thinly sliced citrus wheels that really hit a home run.

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Aperol Gin Punch

Paola + Murray
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Aperol Spritz reigns as summer's most popular drink, so why not try this lovely twist featuring Lillet blanc, fresh lime juice, and orange-blossom water? It's an elegant creation that's party-ready.

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Boozy White Sangria

Sidney Bensimon
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The floral elderflower liqueur St. Germain and dry white wine make a delicious duo in this green-as-grass sangria recipe. A half cup of vodka or tequila and three cups of mixed fruit such as pineapple, honeydew melon, grapes, and kiwi offer a taste of summer.

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Ginger-Campari Lager Punch

Linda Pugliese
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For a casual backyard party, make this lemony-lime punch recipe with cold lager, ginger beer, and Campari. It pairs well with burgers or barbecue, and can easily be packed for a picnic.

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Rose Sangria with Peaches

Sidney Bensimon
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Can't decide between red or white sangria? Have the best of both worlds with this rosé-based blend that also includes cherry liqueur and vodka or tequila with mixed stone fruits.

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Vermouth-Grapefruit Sangria

Armando Rafael
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Aromatic vermouth and tart grapefruit team up in this simple, four-ingredient sangria. You can make it up to one day in advance, which is ideal for when you have lots of other party prep.

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Frozen White Sangria

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This is perhaps the easiest recipe here because there's only one step—blending all of the ingredients together! It's a boozy version of a smoothie made with frozen peaches, plums, and strawberries, plus dry white wine and brandy.

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Summer Spritzes

Christopher Testani
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Add some variety to your lemonade-and-iced-tea routine with one of these cool, fruit-filled sparklers. They're deft as midday thirst-quenchers—and delightful spiked for an evening get-together. Start with the refreshing pineapple-cucumber combo, then try the Hibiscus-Ginger Spritz and Spicy Grapefruit Spritz.

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Watermelon Punch and Bowl

Johnny Miller
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A ripe watermelon is both a punch bowl and summer drink with this fun, kid-friendly recipe. Just before serving, mix the puréed fruit with chilled seltzer and pour into the hollowed-out melon shell.

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White Sangria

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Cognac meets four summer fruits plus dry white wine in this warm-weather refresher. This sangria recipe would also be delicious with sparkling wine.

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Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler

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Strained watermelon and cucumber purée provide the wonderfully thirst-quenching juice for this cooler. Sweeten with honey and add vodka if you like, or enjoy it as a nonalcoholic refresher.

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Honeydew Agua Fresca

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Inspired by traditional Mexican fruit drinks, this thirst-quenching summer drink combines honeydew juice (made by straining the puréed fruit), lime juice, and a little sugar.

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Honey-Vanilla Spritzer

Raymond Hom
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Vanilla bean infuses honey syrup with a seductive aroma. Balance the sweetness with lime juice and splash the syrup into chilled seltzer. Sip and repeat!

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Sherry-Sangria Cocktails

Johnny Miller
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Using dry sherry rather than wine gives this sangria a nice kick. Sweeten the mixture with orange liqueur and add your choice of sliced stone fruit, such as apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, and cherries.

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Tropical Ginger Punch

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A mixture of orange juice, pineapple juice, grated fresh ginger, and vodka for this punch can be prepared up to a week in advance. Add chilled ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

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Sangria Spritzer

Raymond Hom
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Use plenty of chilled seltzer to make this light and lively interpretation of sangria. Sweeten chilled red wine with orange liqueur and garnish with sliced lime, orange, and any other fruit you like.

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Orange-Rum Punch

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Lemon juice and bitters balance the sweetness of this punch for summer. Garnish each serving with a twist of orange zest.

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Paloma Cooler

MIKKEL VANG
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A fun alternative to margaritas, the Paloma cocktail combines platinum tequila with Mexican grapefruit soda. Hollow out lime halves and fill with reposado tequila to garnish each glass.

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Summer Fruit Sangria

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Choose a crisp white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and mix in orange liqueur, fresh ginger, lemon juice, basil, or mint leaves. Then, add your choice of summer fruit such as pineapple, cantaloupe, and apricots.

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