I’d like to introduce you to the 3 minute mocktail that I can’t stop making. Over the past year, this has become my most frequently made drink for friends and family. And for what it’s worth? I absolutely love the convenient fun of these deli container drinks too.

There aren’t many things I like more than to sip a fancy drink while chatting with a friend on the porch or late at night while the house is quiet. There’s just something that feels extra special about it. What I don’t love is that feeling the next day, not hungover, don’t get me wrong, just not great. You know? So, I’ve been making most of my favorite cocktails sans the alcohol for a long while now, years in fact. It turns out that the Blackberry Bourbon Smash that everyone enjoys so much is also absolutely delicious without the bourbon and it was the inspiration that finally led me here, through a lovely delicious mocktail path.

Easy Mocktails

I saw a video this past spring making a deli container drink, and it inspired me. You know the kind, like they make at food trucks or at the fair, punching a hole in the lid of a deli container. Don’t worry, I’ll show you how it’s done. Just hold on a moment and stick with me. Anyways, I immediately had to try it.

I was hooked from the first sip, there’s just something extra fun about handing these drinks off to friends when you’re hanging out on the porch or camping in the summer. Over the past few years, I’ve been making more and more alcohol-free drinks, in an attempt to both drink more water and stay more hydrated. Basically adding citrus and mint to everything. Adding a splash of juice to my seltzers. You get the idea.

Well, I’ve hit on a simple Smashed Berry Mocktail that has been a huge hit with family and friends this summer and enough people have asked exactly how I make these drinks, I decided to write up my method for easy mocktails and share it here.

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Rich, sweet, and infused with whiskey that has been mellowed by heavy cream, homemade Irish cream is dreamy. It’s much more subtle and sophisticated than its commercial counterpart.

Homemade Irish Cream

Unless you’ve never been in a bar or had an adult beverage in the United States, you’ve definitely heard of and probably enjoyed Bailey’s Irish Cream. From Irish coffees to Mudslides, Irish cream is everywhere.

It’s also used in many cakes, frostings, and other desserts. And if you love Bailey’s, you should definitely be making Irish cream at home.

Why? Well, fresh is always best, for starters. But it’s also so easy to make it seems silly not to. You can also make your own subtle adjustments to the recipe to make it exactly like you want it.

Which brings us to an important point. What is Irish cream anyway?

What is Bailey’s Irish Cream?

Irish cream is a perfectly balanced of cream, Irish whiskey, chocolate, and coffee.

Commercial versions are emulsified with vegetable oil, and are good for up to six months after being opened so long as they’re refrigerated. Homemade foregoes the vegetable oil and uses the blender to add an aerated texture and is good for up to two months in the refrigerator.

Homemade Irish Cream Recipe

To make your very own homemade Irish cream, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• heavy cream
• sweetened condensed milk
• Irish whiskey
• chocolate syrup
• instant coffee granules
• vanilla extract
• almond extract

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Plump, juicy blackberries are muddled with fragrant fresh mint to form the base of this irresistibly beautiful and refreshing Blackberry Bourbon Smash. This is a cocktail so gorgeous it’s hard to believe it’s so easy to make!

Blackberry Bourbon Smash

This has been my cocktail of choice this summer for a whole host of great reasons. Gigantic blackberries have been available at bargain prices in my grocery stores, so it’s hard to resist stocking up and I’ve been stuffing blackberries into just about every dish I can.

This particular cocktail, though, is a riff on the classic whiskey smash; a citrus forward drink that tastes like a boozy lemonade. Our blackberry bourbon smash recipe adds a heaping helping of muddled blackberries for both flavor and aesthetics.

The end result is a seriously sippable, perfectly balanced, delightfully refreshing cocktail that is easy on the eyes, too. It’s a winner of a drink!

Bourbon Smash

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• fresh blackberries
• mint leaves
• fresh lime juice
• ice cubes

There aren’t many things that top a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, but this strawberry lemonade is one of them. And if you’re like me and prefer your drinks a bit less sweet, homemade is the way to go.

You can control the sweetness, and if it’s a lazy summer night, no one is going to judge you for adding a splash of vodka to your glass. Spiked strawberry lemonade? That’s a happy recipe for porch-sitting with friends and family on a Friday night.

I love mixing drinks, both with and without alcohol, in the summertime. There’s something extra refreshing about holding a homemade soda, iced coffee, or a frozen chocolate milk.

Pineapple, mint, and lime combine deliciously to make these irresistible Pineapple Mojitos. These are the cocktails I have made the most frequently for several years now. While I will forever love Classic Mojitos, Blueberry Mojitos, and Basil Mojitos too, the pineapple version is a guaranteed crowd favorite.

Have you heard of a Dirty Banana? I hadn’t until I sailed with Princess Cruises and I have to admit that the name alone made me laugh. Hard. However, the milkshake-like cocktail proved irresistible.

Want something a little unexpected? Sandia en Fuego (a.k.a. the best Watermelon Margaritas of your life!) are a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet. Watermelon meets serrano peppers along with a splash of tequila to make this unforgettable drink. Spicy heat with sweet watermelon? Yes, PLEASE!

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Get ready for a tasty combination of fresh fruit and cool mint in this Blueberry Mojito recipe. You’ll find yourself hooked from the first sip!

Blueberry Mojito

These cocktails are perfect for sipping at a party or for relaxing on the porch with friends on a warm summer evening. A blueberry mojito is just summer in a glass, for me.

Having lived in one of the hottest cities in the US for a very long time, mojitos became a favorite pretty much year-round. But, the blueberry mojito adds a twist on the classic beverage.

Blueberries have a distinct flavor that starts off sweet but leaves a tanginess that lingers. The taste will vary depending on the ripeness of the berries, with riper blueberries tending to be sweeter.

But, I adore the way that the sweetness of the muddled blueberries in this drink balances the zesty citrus of the lime juice. This recipe is so good, it makes it harder to appreciate the drinks that are made outside your kitchen.

Blueberry Mojito Recipe

• fresh mint leaves
• fresh or frozen blueberries
• lime juice
• simple syrup
• white or light rum
• ice and club soda

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