Food & Cooking Recipes Drink Recipes Cocktail Recipes 25 Pitcher Drinks Just Right for a Party Serving one of these big-batch cocktails for a crowd makes entertaining so much easier. By Jennifer Anderson Jennifer Anderson Jennifer is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines and Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland is a contributing writer with more than a decade of experience as a freelance lifestyle writer. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 20, 2024 Close Photo: Petrina Tinslay We're all about finding clever ways to make entertaining simpler and less stressful, which is why big-batch cocktails belong at every party, from a casual cookout to a sophisticated soirée. These pre-mixed beverages allow the host to prep ahead of time and let guests serve themselves. Choose from fruity sangrias, sparkling punches, spiked iced teas, and margaritas for a crowd, among other options. Most can be easily sized up to suit a larger crowd, Make Ahead Most big-batch cocktail recipes can be mixed together up to 24 hours in advance. There are a few ingredients that should be held back until just before serving, though. Any bubbly beverage—Champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine of any kind, as well as sodas, ciders, and seltzers—will lose their fizz if mixed in advance. For best results, your bubbly should be nice and cold when you add it to the mix. No room in the fridge? Use a cooler or dishpan to ice down your bottles. The other elements that should wait until party time to join the drink are bitters and any other strongly flavored amaro or liqueur—anything that has strong notes of spice, herbs, or bitterness. If left for too long to mingle with the other drink ingredients, these bold flavors will take over. 21 Summer Cocktails to Sip All Season 01 of 25 Stone Fruit Sangria Call on summer stone fruit to make a unique but crowd-pleasing big-batch cocktail. Pitted cherries and sliced peaches, nectarines, and plums are combined with peach liqueur, dry white wine, and cold ginger ale. It's eye-catching and refreshing. View Recipe 02 of 25 Rose Sangria With Nectarines and Strawberries Noe Dewitt Dry rosé wine, the base for this lighter take on classic sangria, is steeped with fresh strawberries and juicy nectarines, and garnished with a sprig of mint. View Recipe 03 of 25 Yellow Watermelon Margaritas Noe Dewitt Puréed yellow watermelon adds a sunny color to this frozen drink, while homemade lime syrup, tequila, and elderflower liqueur provide subtle sweet and tart accents. Mix the batch drink up to two days in advance; then shake each serving with ice to chill before serving. View Recipe 04 of 25 Orange-Mint Margarita Paola + Murray A pitcher full of margaritas on the rocks is a welcome sight at any gathering, whether it's a backyard barbecue or a fancy lunch. This citrus version, garnished with orange rounds and fresh mint, is a bright and vibrant option. View Recipe 05 of 25 Kentucky Half-and-Half Petrina Tinslay This twist on a traditional Arnold Palmer calls for mixing black tea with bourbon instead of lemonade; add lemon simple syrup in a nod to the original recipe. View Recipe 06 of 25 Pink Grapefruit-White Cranberry Sparkling Punch Con Poulos There's nothing as festive as a sparkling punch. Bold and refreshing with vodka, Cointreau, pink grapefruit, and white cranberry juice, this beauty can be made up to a day ahead—just add the prosecco and club soda for serving. View Recipe 07 of 25 Celery-Lime Gimlet Paola + Murray The earth, tangy taste of fresh celery is tamed by muddling the vegetable in a pitcher with sugar, while the addition of lime juice and gin provide a time-honored complement. View Recipe 08 of 25 Boozy Frozen Lemonade Christopher Testani This isn't lemonade the way you made it as a kid. Instead of the powdered mix that inspired countless childhood lemonade stands, this boozy version—made with tarragon simple syrup, lemon juice, and gin—is an adult-approved frozen alternative that you can make for a crowd. View Recipe 09 of 25 Aperol Gin Punch Paola + Murray This quick-prep punch comes together in just 10 minutes (make it ahead to lighten your day-of to-do list). Mix equal parts gin, Aperol, Lillet Blanc, and lime juice with an optional dash of orange blossom water, a sprig of fresh basil, and colorful edible flowers. View Recipe 10 of 25 Aperol Jasmine Spritz Petrina Tinslay A take on both the Jasmine gin cocktail and the trendy Aperol spritz, this bubbly drink includes homemade lemon syrup and a garnish of fresh rosemary. View Recipe 11 of 25 Pineapple-Rum Cocktail The tropical color of this cocktail isn't the only thing that will have you feeling like you're sunning yourself in the Caribbean with every sip: The combination of pineapple juice and rum tastes like a mini vacation, even in your own backyard. View Recipe 12 of 25 Hibiscus-Honey Iced Tea Iced tea may be one of the simplest warm-weather drinks you can make, but floral hibiscus tea bags, lime juice, honey, and light rum make this version anything but basic—and boozy to boot! View Recipe 13 of 25 Strawberry Ginger Smash Paola + Murray Make the most of a basket of strawberries fresh-picked from the farm by mixing up a pitcher of strawberry ginger smash, which combines the chopped fruit with fresh ginger, ginger beer, and vodka. View Recipe 14 of 25 Fizzy Fruit Punch NICO SCHINCO This classic fruit punch, made with sugared fruit, orange juice, cherry juice, and unsweetened seltzer, is an elevated version of your favorite summer throwback drink. Add white rum or tequila for an adults-only beverage. View Recipe 15 of 25 Pineapple-Raspberry Bellini Armando Rafael The bold pink color of this fruity bellini comes from two cups of puréed raspberries, while pineapple juice, sparkling wine, and seltzer provide a sweet, bubbly finish. View Recipe 16 of 25 Negroni Sbagliato Mikkel Vang Made with prosecco instead of gin, this lower-proof version of an Italian Negroni mixes Campari, vermouth, lemon juice, and club soda with the Italian sparkling wine. Top this pitcher drink with orange and rosemary to elevate the bar menu at your poolside cocktail hour. View Recipe 17 of 25 Classic Sangria Anders Schonnemann Spanish sangria is the perfect make-ahead drink for parties of any size since the longer you let the fruit soak in the wine, the better the resulting taste. This traditional recipe calls for soaking orange, lime, apple, and grapes in a mixture of dry red wine, lemon-lime soda, and brandy, View Recipe 18 of 25 Smoky Lemon Margarita Petrina Tinslay Smoky mezcal and tart lemon cut the sweetness of orange liqueur and simple syrup in this margarita recipe, served with fresh orange slices and frozen lemon wedges. View Recipe 19 of 25 Daniel Webster's Punch Meredith Jenk The presentation suggestion for this circa-1869 punch involves lining a punch bowl with pineapple rounds while floating orange and lemon slices, star anise, and nutmeg on the top. The rest of the instructions are simpler: Mix citrusy oleo saccharum with brewed black tea, lemon juice, Jamaican black rum, oloroso sherry, and Bordeaux red wine for a big-batch mixed drink that's on the savory side. View Recipe 20 of 25 Pina Colada Bryan Gardner Skip the bottled mixes to prepare a batch of from-scratch pina coladas, using fresh pineapple chunks, gold or white rum, cream of coconut, and ice. View Recipe 21 of 25 Lemony Spiked Sweet Tea Classic Southern sweet tea, made from orange pekoe tea bags, simple syrup, and lemon juice, is given an after-5-p.m. makeover with the addition of a cup of high-proof golden rum. View Recipe 22 of 25 Lillet-Vodka Cocktails The bright flavor of orange juice complements herb-infused Lillet Blanc and vodka in this refreshing big-batch drink. View Recipe 23 of 25 Fresh Grapefruit-Campari Cocktails Sweet-tart grapefruit juice freshens up a blend of Campari, club soda, and simple syrup. Top each drink with a twist of grapefruit peel for an individual, custom garnish. View Recipe 24 of 25 Vodka-Thyme Lemonade Old-fashioned lemonade gets an elegant herbal boost with homemade simple syrup infused with thyme. (Fresh springs lining the pitcher are a woodsy accent against the vibrant color.) View Recipe 25 of 25 Clerico Aaron Dyer This South American standby, a white wine version of sangria, calls for a dry white wine, brandy, and sliced peaches, strawberries, and grapes. Chill for at least two hours, and finish with rounds of fresh banana just before pouring. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit