31 Spring Cocktails for Warmer Days
Our best spring cocktail recipes are fresh and inviting, like opening up the windows on that first warm April day. The perfect spring cocktail should check a few boxes: It should taste great outdoors, highlight seasonal produce like rhubarb and fresh herbs, be flavorful—and preferably a little fizzy.
There’s plenty of room for classics like the mint julep, which is all but mandatory for drinking in May, a minty Southside, and a pretty-in-purple Aviation. Beyond these, you’ll find a delightful riff on a cosmopolitan that’s bright and bubbly, as well as an equally sparkling twist on a Pimm’s Cup. There are also plenty of lower-ABV cocktails that still offer layers of flavor in a lighter format that’s perfect for casual al fresco gatherings. As soon as daylight saving time hits and the temperatures steadily climb, shake or stir up one of these essential spring cocktails.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne2/31Tom Collins Cocktail
This sunny drink is essentially a sparkling gin lemonade. Using club soda—which contains a small amount of salt—makes the flavors pop, but chilled sparkling water also works fine.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich6/31Paper Plane
If you’re into amari and you like citrusy drinks, you’ll love the Paper Plane, a deeply flavorful, orangey-herbal-rhubarby delight. It’s more robust than a spritz, but not as bold as some other bourbon-based drinks, making it perfect for sipping during spring.
Photo by Eva Kolenko8/31Killer Bee
This version of the classic honey-sweetened Bee’s Knees uses earthy mezcal instead of gin. It’s the perfect pairing for those long-awaited warm weather meals.
Photo by Nicole Franzen10/31Rosé All Day
When you want to drink rosé but you also want a cocktail, make this easy concoction. Muddled strawberries add fruity flavor, and Aperol a citrusy punch, but fresh lemon keeps things from getting too sweet.
Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo12/31Strawberry, Grapefruit, and Chamomile Brunch Punch
If you need cocktails for a spring brunch, this is your move—a pitcher full of strawberry-chamomile punch to please a crowd. Garnish with edible flowers for a picturesque nod to the season.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert14/31Clover Club
Fresh raspberry syrup gives this gin-and-vermouth sour its striking hue. Use the leftover syrup to make a fruity pink lemonade or a mezcal-laced Red Headed Saint.
