25 Best Blended Cocktails to Enjoy This Summer

Made-From-Scratch Recipes for Amazing Frozen Alcoholic Drinks

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/23/21
Frozen Lime Daiquiri

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

For the coldest cocktail, break out the blender. From fruity margaritas and daiquiris to creamy spiked milkshakes, these refreshing frozen alcoholic drinks come in an array of flavors. They're a great way to cool down on a hot summer day, and many are tasty beverages year-round.

Blended cocktails are easy to make from scratch. For most recipes, you'll simply add liquor, fresh fruit, juice, or other ingredients to the blender, along with a handful of ice or scoop of ice cream, then blend it up. It may take a few rounds to perfect your blending technique, but even the less-than-ideal drinks are delicious. Have fun with it and enjoy these slushy cocktails.

  • 01 of 25

    Lime Margarita

    Frozen Lime Margarita Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats

    With the refreshing flavor of lime juice, the basic frozen margarita is very simple. The recipe includes tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sour mix, and a cup of ice. It's the foundation for all other margarita recipes, so it's the perfect way to kick off a blended cocktail extravaganza.

    Blender Tip

    Cleaning the blender can seem like a chore because small particles get trapped around the blades. The trick is to rinse out the blender immediately after use. This prevents the sugars from drying up and makes it easier to wash properly when you're done enjoying your drink.

  • 02 of 25

    Lime Daiquiri

    Frozen Lime Daiquiri

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

    Tequila, not your thing? The frozen daiquiri has the same flavor as the margarita; it simply switches to aged or gold rum. This is another summer classic that's refreshingly tart and perfectly sweet. Rather than a sour mix, you'll need simple syrup for this recipe, and that's an easy homemade ingredient.

  • 03 of 25

    Strawberry Daiquiri

    Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

    The Spruce Eats

    The strawberry daiquiri is the most popular daiquiri flavor. The mix of sweet berries and rum is difficult for anyone to resist, especially when the fruit is at its best during the summer.

  • 04 of 25

    Piña Colada

    Frozen Piña Colada Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

    The piña colada is another essential for any blender enthusiast. It's a boozy tropical smoothie of pure deliciousness. The best part is that you only need five ingredients: rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, lime juice, and ice.

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  • 05 of 25

    Peach Margarita

    Frozen Peach Margarita

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    For all the hype other margaritas receive, this recipe is a true gem that everyone should try. Use fresh peaches when the fruit's in season, or make a peach margarita with canned or frozen fruits. Any way you go, it's a perfectly balanced and refreshing drink for hot days.

  • 06 of 25

    Tamarind-Pineapple Margarita

    Tamarind Pineapple Margarita
    Gentl and Hyers / The Image Bank / Getty Images

    Tamarind has a sweet-sour taste that makes the tamarind-pineapple margarita both alluring and unforgettable. It's a perfect pairing for tequila and pineapple, and this recipe uses tamarind nectar, which is relatively easy to find among the juices at most major grocery stores.

  • 07 of 25

    Chi-Chi

    Chi-Chi Frozen Cocktail - Blue Vodka Cocktail
    Angela Wyant / The Image Bank / Getty Images

    The chi-chi is a vodka and ice cream twist on the piña colada. It has the same delightful pineapple-coconut combination, and the beautiful blue color makes it a poolside favorite.

  • 08 of 25

    Frozen Banana Daiquiri

    Frozen Banana Daiquiri cocktail recipe

     The Spruce Eats

    Banana cocktails are a ton of fun. Among the best-known is the banana daiquiri, a frozen drink that builds on the original's rum-spiked base. All you need is a ripe banana.

    16 Cocktail Recipes That Will Drive You Bananas
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  • 09 of 25

    Rock Lobster

    Rock Lobster Frozen Cocktail
    Bryan Mullennix / Digital Vision / Getty Images

    The rock lobster is a flavorful blend of coconut rum, banana liqueur, grenadine, a banana, and orange and pineapple juices.​ Add a dark rum float and the fanciest tropical garnish you feel like constructing, and you'll discover why this drink is a hit.

  • 10 of 25

    Pomegranate-Grapefruit Frosé

    Van Gogh Vodka's Pomegranate Grapefruit Frosé - Blended Rose Wine Cocktail
    Van Gogh Vodka

    Frosés are frozen cocktails that feature rosé wine, and they can take on all sorts of flavors. This pomegranate-grapefruit frosé is a perfect introductory recipe that gets its signature flavors from pomegranate vodka and grapefruit juice.

  • 11 of 25

    Watermelon Margarita

    Fresh Watermelon Margaritas

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Watermelon is the iconic fruit of summer, so it's only fitting to enjoy a few watermelon margaritas. While the main recipe is for a shaken cocktail, tossing the ingredients in the blender is a quick variation and great use for leftover watermelon. Serve it at a barbecue and enjoy a delicious melon cocktail with a few friends.

  • 12 of 25

    Hawaiian Margarita

    Hawaiian Margarita

      The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Pineapple and strawberry are pure magic, and the Hawaiian margarita showcases the duo perfectly. Not much different than any other margarita, you'll cut the fruits into blender-sized chunks, add your favorite tequila and triple sec, some sour mix and ice, then blend away.

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  • 13 of 25

    Chocolate Margarita

    Chocolate Margarita in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    Margaritas tend to be fruity, and that's great, but wait until you try this chocolate margarita! Made with tequila, chocolate liqueur, and cream, the secret ingredients are chocolate bitters and fresh lime and orange juices. That small pop of flavor takes it from ordinary to outstanding.

  • 14 of 25

    Bushwacker

    Bushwacker Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats

    In the bushwacker, you'll enjoy the irresistible combination of coffee, chocolate, and coconut. Back that up with a little rum, toss in milk and ice, and you're ready to relax with a perfectly creamy cocktail.

  • 15 of 25

    Frozen Banana Split Cocktail

    Frozen Banana Split Cocktail
    Westend61 / Getty Images

    This banana split cocktail is a great choice when you're in the mood for a boozy milkshake. Made with chocolate and strawberry vodkas, pineapple juice, ice cream, and a banana, it blends all the flavors of that favorite ice cream dessert into one delicious frozen drink.

  • 16 of 25

    Bay Hill Hummer

    Bay Hill Hummer cocktail in glasses with straws

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    Arnold Palmer is well-known for his signature iced tea drink, but he was also fond of his golf club's Bay Hill hummer recipe. No ordinary spiked milkshake, it really packs a punch with a mix of vodka, brandy, and chocolate liqueur.

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  • 17 of 25

    Batida

    Batida Cocktail - Popular Brazilian Cachaca Drink - Passionfruit smoothie
    vanillaechoes / Getty Images

    The batida is fascinating and perfect for anyone discovering the wonders of cachaça. Right behind the caipirinha on Brazil's list of most popular drinks, it's an exquisite mix of coconut milk, lime juice, and passion fruit syrup.

  • 18 of 25

    Spicy Cucumber Mint Margarita

    Frozen Cucumber Mint Margarita with Tabasco Sauce

    Tabasco

    Up for an adventure? Add the spicy cucumber mint margarita to your cocktail list. This cocktail offers a tantalizing base of cool mint and cucumber backed by a well-aged tequila and key lime juice. When you break out the hot sauce, things get really interesting.

    16 Spicy Cocktails That Turn Up the Heat
  • 19 of 25

    Kappa Colada

    Frozen Kappa Colada Cocktail
    Richard Jung / Photolibrary / Getty Images

    Don't ignore the brandy during the summer! Mix up a delicious kappa colada and put that bottle to good use. You'll enjoy the dark brandy background against a tropical blend of coconut, pineapple, and vanilla ice cream with this recipe.

  • 20 of 25

    Love Potion #9

    Love Potion #9 Cocktail
    jonthnsloane / E+ / Getty Images

    The love potion #9 is an excellent drink to share with your sweetheart. Filled with strawberries, ice cream, vodka, and chocolate liqueur, it's sweet, delicious, and irresistible.

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  • 21 of 25

    Boozy S'mores Milkshake

    Boozy S'mores Milkshake

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    No campfire is needed for this boozy s'mores milkshake. Vanilla ice cream flavored with marshmallow vodka, chocolate liqueur, Drambuie, and RumChata is just half the fun. Adorn the glass with a graham cracker rim, drizzles of chocolate, and a toasted marshmallow to complete the experience.

  • 22 of 25

    Frozen Mudslide

    Frozen Mudslide Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Take everything you love about the mudslide, blend it with ice cream, and a favorite cocktail is reborn. The frozen mudslide recipe is a dreamy mix of vodka, coffee and Irish cream liqueurs in a chocolate-lined glass, and it's as delicious as it sounds.

  • 23 of 25

    Lava Flow Cocktail

    Lava Flow Hawaiian Tropical Drink

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    The lava flow cocktail is not as difficult to make as it appears. The key to those amazing layers is two rounds of blending: A rum and strawberry base topped with a creamy tropical fruit slushy.

  • 24 of 25

    May Day

    May Day Cocktail - Blended Fruit Drink
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    A fruity blend with plenty of zing, this May Day cocktail is a fun change of pace. The peach, strawberry, passion fruit, and apple juice base is accented with ginger and spiked with rum. It makes two drinks, but no one will judge if you stash the second glass for yourself.

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  • 25 of 25

    Frog in a Blender

    Frog in a blender cocktail

     The Spruce Eats

    It's a bit of a gimmick, but the frog in a blender drink is undoubtedly a ton of fun. Basically a vodka-cranberry slushy, you want to blend this one just enough to break up the lime into chunks. Perfect for Halloween parties, guests will be surprised by the "frogs" floating in this brew.