Peach Cocktails I Actually Made (Sticky Hands, Big Smiles)

I spent a week with a crate of peaches and a messy counter. I made drinks every night until the fruit was gone. My family didn’t mind. My neighbor even “borrowed” my jigger and never gave it back. Typical.

I’ll share the exact recipes I used. I’ll also tell you what gear and brands helped or got in the way. Some were sweet wins. A few were meh. I’ve documented the full week—sticky counters and all—in Peach Cocktails I Actually Made: Sticky Hands, Big Smiles if you’d like the blow-by-blow version.

Here’s the thing: ripe peaches are magic. They smell like sun. They drip down your wrist. And yes, they make the best drinks.

If you’re hunting for more peach-forward inspiration, the seasonal cocktail menu at Roosterfish Bar is worth a peek and nudged me toward a few of these riffs.

Quick gear and ingredient notes (from my actual kitchen)

  • OXO Steel Double Jigger: My go-to. Clear lines. Sturdy. Doesn’t tip. Rinse fast. Love it.
  • Koriko shaker: Tight seal. No leaks. Hard to pop open with small hands like mine, but worth it.
  • NutriBullet blender: Crushed frozen peaches like a champ. Not as smooth as a Vitamix, but plenty good.
  • Libbey coupes: Cute, thin rims, but one chipped in the sink. Handle with care.
  • Topo Chico: The bubbles bite. Way livelier than store brand club soda.
  • Fever-Tree Ginger Beer: Bold spice. Not flat. Makes zero-proof drinks feel grown-up.
  • Peach liqueur: Giffard Crème de Pêche tastes like real fruit. DeKuyper Peachtree is sweeter and candy-like. I used both. Giffard wins for depth.
  • Vineyard peach liqueur bonus: I snagged a bottle of Giffard's Crème de Pêche de Vigne later in the week—it leans more floral and slightly tannic. Cool if you want a red-fleshed peach vibe.
  • Tequila: Espolòn Blanco—clean and bright. My freezer friend.
  • Bourbon: Maker’s Mark was round and soft. Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond worked fine when I ran low.
  • Prosecco: La Marca—crisp and not too sweet. Good value.
  • Peach purée: Monin is easy, a bit sweet. My homemade purée tasted brighter.

You know what? Fresh fruit still rules.

Recipe 1: Peach Bourbon Smash (my backyard winner)

This one tastes like summer evenings. It’s bright, minty, and it hits just right.

  • 2 oz bourbon (I used Maker’s Mark)
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz peach simple syrup (see below)
  • 3–4 fresh peach slices
  • 4 mint leaves
  • Crushed ice

Steps:

  1. In a shaker, muddle the peach and mint with the syrup.
  2. Add bourbon, lemon, and ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds.
  3. Strain over crushed ice.
  4. Clap a mint sprig and tuck it in.

Tastes like: juicy peach, soft oak, and a mint pop. If you like it drier, cut the syrup to 0.5 oz.

Peach simple syrup (what I used):

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ripe peach, chopped
    Simmer 10 minutes. Cool. Strain. Keep in the fridge for a week. Mine lasted five days because we drank it.

Recipe 2: Frozen Peach Margarita (freezer-safe mood)

It’s slushy, tart, and not shy.

  • 1.5 oz blanco tequila (Espolòn)
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup frozen peach slices (Trader Joe’s bag worked great)
  • 0.5 oz agave syrup
  • Pinch of salt
  • Tajín + sugar rim (1:1) if you like

Steps:

  1. Rim the glass if you want.
  2. Blend everything until smooth.
  3. If too thick, add a splash of water. If thin, add more frozen peach.

Tastes like: bright lime and real peach. The salt wakes it up. My sister said it “tastes like a vacation,” which made me laugh, but she was right.

Note: My NutriBullet handled this fine. A cheap blender left small fruit bits, which I don’t mind, but some folks do.

Recipe 3: Classic Peach Bellini (brunch I can handle)

Ignore the fussy takes. Keep it simple.

  • 1 oz peach purée (I used ripe peach blended with 1 tsp lemon juice)
  • 4 oz well-chilled Prosecco (La Marca)

Steps:

  1. Chill the flute.
  2. Add purée.
  3. Top slowly with Prosecco while tilting the glass. Give one gentle stir.

Tastes like: peach first, bubbles after. If it’s too sweet for you, use extra brut Prosecco or squeeze a touch more lemon.

Note: Monin purée works in a pinch. It’s sweeter but consistent. Homemade just feels alive. For a bigger lineup of bubble-forward experiments (some fizzed, some fizzled), check out my full test drive of Prosecco cocktails here.

Recipe 4: Spicy Peach Spritz (sunset color, picnic vibe)

This one kept sneaking back into my hand. It looks like a postcard.

  • 1 oz Aperol (Cappelletti also works if you want more bite)
  • 0.75 oz crème de pêche (Giffard if you can)
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • 3 oz Topo Chico (or club soda)
  • 2 thin jalapeño rings (seeded for less heat)
  • Ice

Steps:

  1. Fill a big wine glass with ice.
  2. Add Aperol, peach liqueur, lime. Stir.
  3. Top with Topo Chico. Slip in the jalapeño.
  4. Quick stir again.

Tastes like: zesty orange, real peach, light heat at the end. If you’re heat-shy, use one ring or none. It’s still great.

Recipe 5: Zero-Proof Peach Cooler (for kids, Mondays, or both)

No booze. Still fun.

  • 2 oz peach nectar (Goya worked)
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz honey simple syrup (1:1 honey and warm water)
  • 3 oz Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
  • Mint and crushed ice

Steps:

  1. Shake nectar, lemon, and honey syrup with ice.
  2. Strain over crushed ice.
  3. Top with ginger beer. Stir once.
  4. Mint sprig and a peach slice if you have one.

Tastes like: peach candy in a good way, with a ginger snap. I served this at a cookout with grilled corn and a loud game of cornhole. No one missed the alcohol.

If you're capping the evening with a solo sipper and want some interactive company beyond the glass, you could always explore JerkMate — a live-cam community where you can chat, flirt, and unwind alongside performers while your ice slowly melts, adding an extra layer of fun to your night in.

Small wins, small fails

  • Best peach flavor: Giffard Crème de Pêche. Real fruit vibe. Worth the extra cash.
  • Budget-friendly sweet note: DeKuyper Peachtree. A little candy-ish. Good in slushies.
  • Bubbles that matter: Topo Chico for bite. Fever-Tree soda is fine, too, but calmer.
  • Shaker seal joy: Koriko never leaked. My hands did need a towel to crack it open.
  • Glass drama: One Libbey coupe chipped on a hectic brunch day. I still use them, but I’m gentle now.

Fix-it tips if your drink feels off

  • Too sweet? Add 0.25–0.5 oz lemon or lime. Or a tiny pinch of salt.
  • Not peachy enough? Use a riper peach, or add 0.25 oz peach liqueur.
  • Flat spritz? Use colder ingredients and a fresh bottle of bubbles.
  • Thin frozen marg? Add more frozen fruit, not ice.

Speaking of dialing sweetness up or down, I recently came across the Sugar Daddy Summit—a live-event hub that dives into the art of generosity, luxury, and modern relationship dynamics; browsing their sessions can spark fresh conversation starters for your next cocktail night and deliver actionable insights from industry experts on navigating mutually beneficial connections.

And please taste as you

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