Meet the most perfect summer cocktail! Muddled blackberries give this vodka spritzer a lovely color, and the fresh cucumber and mint add a refreshing touch. If enjoying fruity cocktails is on your summer agenda, this bubbly blackberry-cucumber-vanilla vodka spritzer is just what you need.

A blackberry cucumber vodka spritzer with purple flowers and a can of La Croix in the background.

With summer here, we need plenty of refreshing cocktail recipes in our back pocket. You just never know when an impromptu gathering on the patio calls, and only the most summery sipper will do. As far as I’m concerned, this cocktail has everything that makes me think of long days and warm nights.

Fresh produce.
Sprigs of vibrant mint.
A hint of citrus.
Plenty of bubbles.

Sounds like summer in a cocktail glass to me. Now let's get to it.

Bonus: If you love blackberry cocktails, be sure to also put my fresh blackberry margarita on your cocktail list this summer!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cucumber is a delicate flavor, so to help it shine, I like to make fresh cucumber juice. This is as simple as blending a cucumber with a splash of water and use the purée for a stronger touch of cucumber.

Next, we add the blackberries to the shaker with the cucumber juice, mint leaves and start muddling. We're finished when the blackberries mostly break down, which shouldn't take too long.

With our flavorings prepared, we're ready to mix in our vodka, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Originally, I planned to make this cocktail with regular vodka, but I checked my freezer to discover only a sad scant of vodka left in the bottle. Fortunately, I recently bought a bottle of vanilla vodka, so I adjusted. Sometimes you need a cocktail ASAP, and you don’t have the time or patience for another trip to the store. Of course, feel free to use regular vodka if that’s your preference.

After giving this cocktail a good shake, we strain into ice-filled glasses. The blackberries can clog up the small holes on the top of your cocktail shaker, so I recommend changing the top to use a cocktail strainer.

To finish, we give our cocktail a sparkly finish with some bubbly water. I specifically used La Croix Muré Pepino. Club soda works as well, but I love using sparkling flavored water that mimics the ingredients in a cocktail.

And that's it! We're ready to sit back, enjoy the summer evening and sip away.

Perfect Pairing

Picking a pairing for this cocktail is difficult because you can go in so many directions with this drink. That said, with the cucumber and mint, my brain keeps returning to Mediterranean food. To keep with the summer theme, I suggest marinading some bone-in chicken in Greek dressing and tossing it on the grill. Serve the grilled chicken with a side of tzatziki sauce, couscous and this blackberry-cucumber-vanilla vodka spritzer for one tasty meal.

When you need the perfect summer cocktail, I hope you try this blackberry-cucumber-vanilla vodka spritzer.

Cheers!

A few blackberries on green cheesecloth with purple flowers in the background.

An aerial view of the blackberry cucumber spritzer on a silver platter.

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