Whip Up These Pitcher Cocktail Recipes for Your Next Outdoor Party

No collection of cocktails for a crowd would be complete without a ruby-red sangria recipe. With brandy, red wine, and two hits of lemon for extra refreshment, this is a party pitcher drink you’ll turn to again and again.

This Italian drink recipe means you can stop your search for big-batch cocktails with gin right here. This baby has everything going for it: gin, Aperol (a refreshing bitter-orange aperitif), vermouth, and citrus, plus an unmistakable Italian essence. PS: This recipe puts the “big” in big-batch cocktails. It serves 12, but feel free to scale it back for a smaller gathering.

When the temperature rises and you’re looking for creative big-batch summer cocktails, pick up some peaches. Grill the fruit, then toss them in a blender with fresh lemon, sugar, and a swig of Southern Comfort for one of our coolest (and most creative) pitcher cocktails yet.

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Here's a fun cocktail to make at home featuring some fall and winter seasonal flavors. To go along with the tart antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice we add orange liqueur, Prosecco, and fresh ginger. Give your party pitcher drink an herbal finish with some sprigs of rosemary.

Some guests love inventive craft cocktails, others prefer sticking with the tried-and-true. For the latter crowd, choose a classic pitcher cocktail recipe such as this traditional margarita. Then serve your more adventurous pals a great watermelon pitcher cocktail. Check out the tweaks for the fruity version in the recipe.

How do you make one of the world’s most refreshing pitcher cocktails? Start with some of the most refreshing ingredients. Honeydew melon, cucumber, mint, lime, and Sauvignon Blanc (the crispest of crisp wines) team up for one of our most thirst-quenching summer pitcher cocktails ever.

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Lightly citrusy and a wee bit floral, elderflower liqueur has been called bartender’s bacon because, like bacon, it greatly enhances many drinks. It’s no surprise that the liqueur works beautifully in pitcher cocktails. Add it to rosé wine with a little lemon juice for a head-turner.

You know you’ve landed on a winning recipe for a summer cocktails when orange and mint are involved. The duo brings extra refreshment to this sparkling sipper that can be made up to 24 hours ahead so the flavors have time to meld.

Refreshing party pitcher drinks are not solely for summer. They're handy for winter gatherings, too, especially when the party’s rife with salty snacks, warming fires, and happy holiday revelers. Here, dried fruits and cinnamon add a seasonal angle to this winter sangria.

Beer cocktails are usually lighter in alcohol than spirits, which makes them terrific for late-morning gatherings. This brunch cocktail pitcher combines your favorite savory bloody mary flavors (tomato, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, to name a few) with lager or pilsner beer rather than vodka.

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Spike your iced tea to make this satisfying big-batch gin cocktail. Lemon juice, tea, club soda, and gin combine for refreshment. For a wilder-tasting sip, use a botanical gin rather than a dry gin. Good choices come from Scotland, Ireland, and California.

Related: 39 Refreshing Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat

The dilemma: You’re hosting a taco party, but you’re looking for big-batch cocktails that go beyond the usual margarita. The solution: the Pepino. This ultra-contemporary cocktail has the sweet-tart angle found in many batch summer cocktails but with an ultra-fresh and cool touch of cucumber.

Summer pitcher cocktails are even better when they make the most of your trip to the farmers market. When strawberries are at their ripest, bring home a few pints and plunk them into this colorful beverage. PS: Because it doesn’t include a brandy (the high-proof ingredient in many sangria pitcher drinks), this recipe is a good choice for day-drinking.

Thanks to two hits of pineapple—one in the juice and the other as a garnish—drinking this will make you'll feel like you've landed in Hawaii. The fizz comes from a couple of our favorite bubble-makers for pitcher cocktails: prosecco and beer.

Related: 5 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Canned Wine (Plus 7 Sommelier-Approved Cans to Try)

Sangrias always make terrific choices for easy summer pitcher cocktails. Want something even more on point? Try a sparkling sangria. Bubbles really enliven punch recipes. Cava—a Spanish sparkling wine—is an admirable (yet inexpensive) choice for the fizz. Its dryness balances the lush sweetness of the the nectarines, honey, and orange liqueur.

Did someone say whiskey is a winter drink? Not so! Whiskey is a terrific option for batch summer cocktails, especially when punched up with bitter ingredients. That’s because in cocktails, bitter = refreshing. This drink relies on lemon, grapefruit, and bitters.

Related: Our Favorite Summer Appetizers

Pairing bourbon with fruit is not a novel idea (think of the cherries and oranges in a classic old-fashioned). With this cocktail pitcher recipe, we’ve refreshed the combo with strawberries and lemon. Muddled mint adds its cooling touch.

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Amidst collection of cocktails for parties, remember to choose at least one nonalcoholic choice for the abstainers. Watermelon, mint leaves, lime, and ginger ale make this choice much more interesting than the usual club soda with lime. PS: For those who do drink, see the alcoholic version for a great watermelon pitcher cocktail.

On the steamiest of summer nights, this vodka pitcher drink is going to really hit the spot. That’s especially true if you make the lemonade from scratch—with fresh lemon juice—for bright and tangy results.

Related: The Best Summer Recipes to Add Fresh Flavors to Your Menu

The secret to the dashing ice cubes for this watermelon pitcher cocktail is easy: Simply chill cubed watermelon a few hours before you serve the drink. That way, none of the flavors of this luscious margarita will get diluted.

Related: 31 Watermelon Recipes to Satisfy Your Summer Cravings

If you’ve never had fresh ginger in a beverage, get ready to fall in love. We adore the way it adds tingle to big-batch cocktails for summer. This punch is actually a mocktail, so it will be much appreciated by your guests who don’t drink alcohol.

If you like lemon drop martinis, this is the party drink for you. Homemade basil simple syrup layers on flavor in this pitcher cocktail recipe. Be prepared to be impressed by how the herb’s minty, clove-like flavor works with the sweet vodka-lemonade.

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When you’re searching for pitcher drinks for a summer brunch, keep these Champagne cocktails in mind. Sweet summery fruit and uplifting sparkle means they cheer any gathering. Plus, you'll already be cheery because the pitcher mixed drink requires only four ingredients and ice.

We love rum cocktails like mojitos to mai tais. But we also adore rum cocktails that introduce inventive flavor combinations, such as this recipe. Star fruit is the unexpected pleasure here (it’s a beautiful garnish) and mixing the rum with grapefruit soda and coconut sorbet adds a refreshing balance of sweet and tart. Cheers!

Shandy is usually a 50-50 combination of lemonade and beer. Those flavors are still here but we upgraded this pitcher cocktail with a bit of tropical flair by adding passion fruit juice or mango juice (your choice!). Serve it with a lemon slice garnish at your next summer party.