It’s 5 o’clock somewhere—and heck, we all deserve a break. So, chill by the poolside and beat the heat with our cool, refreshing summer drink recipes.

1. Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Lemonade

Serves: 8
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 hibiscus tea bags
• 6 cups water
• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup simple syrup

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a simmer. Take off of heat, add tea bags, and steep for 30 minutes. Remove tea bags, and pour tea into a pitcher. Let cool completely.
2. Mix strawberries and sugar in a glass bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Heat until strawberries release juices, about 25 minutes. Strain the juice over the pitcher.
3. Add lemon juice and simple syrup to the pitcher, stirring to combine. Pour tea into ice-filled glasses, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

(Adapted from marthastewart.com.)

 2. Blackberry Gin and Tonic

Serves: 1
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ripe blackberries
• ½ ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 1½ ounces gin
• 3 ounces tonic water

Directions

1. Muddle blackberries and lime juice at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add simple syrup and gin. Shake for 10 seconds.
2. Fill a glass with ice. Strain juice into glass, add tonic water, and stir gently.

(Adapted from seriouseats.com.)

3. Tequila Mint Lemonade

Serves: 2
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 lemons, juiced
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ cups water
• 4 ounces tequila
• ¼ cup seltzer water
• 2 slices lemon
• 10 fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water to make simple syrup. Bring to a boil and simmer. Let cool.
2. In a large pitcher, combine ice cubes, lemon juice, simple syrup, mint leaves, tequila, lemon slices, and seltzer. Serve cold.

4. Watermelon Mojito

Serves: 2
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup watermelon
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 mint leaves
• 2 ounces white rum
• 4 ounces ginger ale

Directions

1. Muddle watermelon chunks, lime juice, and sugar in a glass. Stir in a handful of mint leaves. Add white rum, ice, and ginger ale.

5. Lemon Margaritas

Serves: 1
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces lemon juice
• 1½ ounces tequila
• 1 ounce triple sec
• Salt for rimming the glass

Directions

1. Rub the rim of a glass with lemon juice and coat in salt.
2. Shake together the lemon juice, tequila, and triple sec in a cocktail shaker for about 10 seconds.
3. Pour over ice into glass.

(Adapted from whiteonricecouple.com.)

These recipes were originally featured in Baked’s Spring 2015 issue. Grab your copy on campus today!