The 99 Best Citrus Cocktails to Make in This Summer

If you mix enough drinks, you know that citrus fruits are essential in the bar. They not only come in the form of lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit juices, but also as citrus-flavored liquors (e.g., triple sec, Aperol, and Campari) and syrups like sour mix. Citrus cocktails can be sweet, but the fruits’ tart taste is often used to balance out drinks that use sweeteners or to accent the flavors of liquors. In several mixed drinks, citrus is the dominant flavor, and it’s extremely versatile, mixing well with everything from whiskey to vodka.

While citrus is often associated with summer drinks because the fruits have a bright, refreshing, and tart flavor, fresh citrus fruits are actually best in the winter. No matter the time of year, any cocktail is better with fresh-squeezed juice, and citrus cocktails are a great way to pick up your spirit when the weather turns cold.

To experience the best citrus-forward drinks, have fun exploring some iconic cocktail recipes that feature fresh fruit juices, popular citrus spirits, and other mixers. Though almost any of these cocktails can be enhanced with a dash or two, orange bitters do not contribute enough flavor to qualify a drink for this collection.

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Ward Eight Cocktail

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

A legend in the cocktail world, the Ward Eight is an enhanced whiskey sour. Choose bourbon or rye whiskey, then add equal pours of orange and lemon juices and just a dash of grenadine for sweetness to recreate this 19th-century drink.

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Buck’s Fizz
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

A fantastic brunch cocktail dating to the 1920s, the Buck’s fizz is possibly the predecessor to the mimosa. The only things you need to pull off this drink are orange juice and Champagne (or sparkling wine like Cava), though an orange twist adds an elegant touch.

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The Last Word Cocktail
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond

The last word cocktail is often an overlooked drink, but this variation on the gimlet deserves a taste. In it, the combo of gin and lime is enhanced with Green Chartreuse and maraschino liqueur.

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Blood and Sand Cocktail
The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

For scotch drinkers, there is the blood and sand cocktail. Best described as a scotch Manhattan with cherry brandy and orange juice, the four ingredients are poured equally (so it’s easy to remember) for a well-balanced cocktail that will impress anyone.
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Pisco Sour

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Key lime juice is not called for often in cocktails, though it does make the pisco sour far more enjoyable than the standard lime. To offset that intense citrus flavor, a touch of simple syrup sweetens the mix while an egg white gives the drink a luscious texture.
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Pineapple Chili Margarita

The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond

Building off the original margarita’s focus on lime, you can create several spectacularly flavored cocktails. Use pineapple juice and a dash of hot sauce to create a pineapple chili margarita that has a gentle but noticeable spicy kick.
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Orange Creamsicle

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

The orange creamsicle is an utterly delicious drink. You can serve it several different ways. On the rocks, as a martini or shot, or blended into a frozen delight; you can use the same proportions of vanilla vodka, triple sec, orange juice, and cream no matter the preparation method.
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Corpse Reviver No. 2

Lifewire

Lemon is often used as an accent juice, but in the corpse reviver no. 2 cocktail, it gets equal billing with orange liqueur. Set against the botanical combination of gin and fortified wine—with a little absinthe tossed in for good measure—this drink is bright, refreshing sipper.