These homemade cold drink recipes are the perfect addition to your summer routine. Bonus: they’re all made with healthy ingredients and no refined sugar!
There’s just something about a homemade cold drink that feels both industrious and indulgent, right? Squeezing my own lemons obviously gives down-to-earth, casual home chef kind of vibes, and the flavors of real, fresh ingredients give a hallelujah and amen in the tastebud department. *praise hands*.
Yup – when it’s a hot summer day and I’m sweating before 10am, a pitcher of something ice-cold and delicious in the fridge is the highlight of my day.
As I type this my husband is downstairs grinding coffee to make a batch of iced coffee for later and I think I just fell in love with him all over again.
Whether it’s Homemade Honey-Sweetened Lemonade, some Hibiscus-Green Iced Tea, an Iced Chai Latte, or a tall glass of Cherry Vanilla Italian Soda – my best summer days are defined by what’s in my mason jar cup that day.
Since I’m a huge fan of “fancy”* cold drinks AND nourishing my body with healthy ingredients, I curated the ultimate healthy cold drink recipe list!
*In my world, fancy = anything other than plain water. ?
This list has plenty of cold drink recipes to choose from. The one thing they all share in common is that they’re healthy*! No refined sugar or processed, junky ingredients to be found – thank goodness. In our sugar-obsessed, artificial-everything world, this in and of itself is a feat.
(Check out my Honey-Sweetened Lemonade post for a more detailed explanation for why I avoid refined sugar.)
*Of course – most of these drinks aren’t the most nutrient-dense thing you can find. They aren’t the cornerstone of your healthy diet, but they are an excellent choice when you want a treat without compromising your real food standards.
Browse the list by category, and let me know which one you plan to try first! (But first, check out a few of my favorite kitchen tools that come in handy when making homemade cold drink recipes!)
While you definitely don’t need everything on this list to make most cold drink recipes, here are my recommendations for some tools that can make your cold drink recipe-making easier and more enjoyable!
Coffee-Based Cold Drink Recipes
Coffee-lovers everywhere, rejoice! This is a lovely collection of more ways to drink coffee in the summer heat. Or, as my toddler calls it: foffee. (Yeesh, the cuteness.) Kicking off the list is R&H’s own floral-infused coffee, which is a unique and fun idea when you want to try something new!
Floral-Infused Iced Coffee Recipe (Two Variations) | Red & Honey (right here!)
Golden Milk Iced Latte | Robust Kitchen
Coconut Water Iced Coffee | Gimme Some Oven
Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato Recipe | Wicked Spatula
Homemade Dairy-Free Blended Ice Coffee Recipe | The Humbled Homemaker
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate | Jen Around the World
Homemade Caramel Vanilla Iced Coffee | Food Faith Fitness
Healthy Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino | The Lemon Bowl
Healthy Coffee Frappe with Banana | Make the Best of Everything
Tea-Based Cold Drink Recipes
Not everyone is a coffee lover. (I’m a fan of both tea and coffee, but actually only acquired a taste for coffee in my late twenties.) Tea is a wonderful addition to your drinks repertoire – there are seriously a ton of types out there, and surely something for everyone. From chai to rooibos, and orange pekoe to herbal – the possible flavours are diverse and lovely.
Iced Chai Latte (just 3 ingredients!) | Red & Honey (right here!)
Berry Iced Tea with Ginger and Mint | Veggie Desserts
Healthy Sweet Tea Recipe (Honey Iced Tea) | Sustainable Cooks
Iced Matcha Green Tea | Oh, How Civilized
Iced Matcha Latte | Tasteaholics
Herbal Tea Italian Sodas | Homespun Seasonal Living
Hibiscus-Green Iced Tea | Red & Honey (right here!)
Iced Mango Green Tea | Natural Fertility and Wellness
Paleo Thai Tea | The Coconut Mama
Instant Pot Iced Tea {Pineapple Flavor} | My Dainty Soul Curry
Blackberry Mint Iced Tea | Sweet Pea Chef
Jasmine Green Iced Tea | Jessica Gavin
Lemonade-Based Cold Drink Recipes
Technically, lemonade is a fruit-based drink (see fruit-based category below), but I found so many amazing-sounding lemonade-based recipes that I decided it deserved its own category! Lemonade is one of my all-time fave cold drinks, so I’m kicking this category off with my own easy classic honey-sweetened lemonade recipe that I’ve been using and loving for years!
Homemade Lemonade Sweetened with Honey (Paleo, Keto-Friendly) | Red & Honey (right here!)
DIY Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade | Red & Honey on Keeper of the Home
Green Tea Lemonade Recipe, Keto and Traditional | Mom Foodie
Watermelon Mint Lemonade | Everyday Delicious
Pineapple Lemonade | Lathi’s Kitchen
Rhubarb Lemonade with Orange and Cardamom | Everyday Delicious
Blueberry Lemonade | Celebrating Sweets
Mango Lemonade | Lathi’s Kitchen
Strawberry Basil Lemonade | Yummy Healthy Easy
Frozen Strawberry Lemonade | A Clean Bake
Strawberry Lemonade Kombucha | Don’t Waste the Crumbs
Homemade Peach Lemonade | Natural Fertility and Wellness
Honey-Sweetened Frozen Lemonade | Healthy, Delicious
Frosted Strawberry Lemonade | All Day I Dream About Food
Fruit-Based Cold Drink Recipes
When you want something a little different from your standard iced coffee/tea and cold lemonade rotation (I find myself in that rut often and I don’t hate it, but hey – branching out is good too!), here are some fun fruit-based cold drinks you can try!
Egyptian Mint Limeade Recipe | Venture1105
Cherry Vanilla Italian Soda Recipe | Red & Honey (right here!)
Strawberry Kiwi Juice | Masala Herb
Watermelon Lime Refresher | Wicked Spatula
Rose Hip and Hibiscus Kombucha | Don’t Waste the Crumbs
Hydrating Homemade Pink Drink (Starbucks Copycat) | A Clean Bake
Passion Fruit Juice | Attainable Sustainable
co*cktail & Mocktail Drink Recipes
Strawberry Kombucha Mojito Mocktail | Krolls Korner
Watermelon Cooler | Everyday Maven *(Alcoholic with a mocktail option)
Virgin Sangria Mocktail Recipe | The Spruce Eats
Sparkling Raspberry Limade Mocktail | Low Carb Yum
Peach Moscow Mule (Moscow Mule Mocktail) | Sustainable Cooks
Sparkling Blood Orange Mocktail | Marisa Moore
Low-Carb Margaritas | All Day I Dream About Food
White Wine Sangria, Mojito, and Pina Colada | Health Nut Nutrition
Green Margarita | Food Network
Kale Mary | Food Network
Flavored Water Cold Drink Recipes
Sometimes keeping it simple with a tall glass of water is what you want, but a little extra zip in your glass makes it just right. These water flavoring ideas make getting your daily water quota a sheer delight. Make a big batch each day for your drink dispenser (linked above) and enjoy the benefits of staying easily hydrated.
DIY Hydrating Electrolyte Drink | Red & Honey (right here!)
Homemade Flavored Waters | The Humbled Homemaker
Lemon Cucumber Mint Water | Masala Herb
Infused Water with Fresh Fruit | Cook, Clean, then, Repeat
Secret Ingredient Lemon Water Recipe! | Cook, Clean, then, Repeat
Berry Agua Fresca Recipe | Celebrating Sweets
Infused Water (Agua Fresca) | Never Enough Thyme
Switchel | Natural Green Mom
Lavender Blueberry Switchel {probiotics! Paleo, GAPS, AIP} | Eat Beautiful
Strawberry Basil Switchel | Eat Beautiful
Mint Lime Drink | That Girl Cooks Healthy
Pineapple Infused Water | That Girl Cooks Healthy
Agua Fresca | Little Sunny Kitchen
Smoothies and Slushies
Need something a little more hearty? Try a smoothie! If you want to really amp it up, throw some collagen in there for natural protein, and some MCT oil, and you have yourself a satiating and nourishing snack or occasional meal replacement. (Psst! Find the best collagen and MCT oil here, and use REDHONEY10 for an extra 10% off.)
Happy Adrenal Power Smoothie | Red & Honey (right here!)
Watermelon Agave Mint Refresher | Spoonful of Flavor
Blueberry Cheesecake Protein Smoothie | Red & Honey (right here!)
Strawberry Melon Mint Kombucha Smoothie | Recipe Runner
Cranberry-Orange Detox Smoothie | Red & Honey (right here!)
Strawberry-Beet Kvass {Paleo, AIP, GAPS, probiotics!} | Eat Beautiful
Watermelon Slushie | Real Food Real Deals
Customizable Coconut Milk Smoothie: Rich in Healthy Fats to Curb the Munchies | Red & Honey (right here!)
Minty Mango Nectarine Delight Smoothie Recipe | Red & Honey (right here!)
Red, White, and Blue Layered Smoothie | Crowded Kitchen
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie | Red & Honey (right here!)
Homemade Slushies Made With Real Fruit | The Coconut Mama
Pina Colada Smoothie | The Coconut Mama
Healthy Blueberry Smoothie | Savory Thoughts
