10 Homemade Copycat Restaurant Drinks Everyone Loves

Skip the drive-through and make a fun drink at home. These easy copycat-style drinks use everyday ingredients, take only a few minutes, and are perfect for hot afternoons, brunch, movie nights, or whenever you want a little treat.

Quick tips

• Chill glasses first for a café-style finish.
• Use crushed ice for frozen drinks and cubes for fizzy drinks.
• Taste before serving because fruit sweetness varies.

1. Strawberry Lemonade Cooler

Ingredients: 1 cup strawberries, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey, 1 cup cold water, and ice. Blend the strawberries, lemon, sugar, and water; strain if desired and pour over ice.

2. Vanilla Iced Latte

Ingredients: ¾ cup cold milk, ½ cup chilled strong coffee, 1–2 teaspoons vanilla syrup, and ice. Fill a glass with ice, add the vanilla and coffee, then pour in the milk.

3. Peach Iced Tea

Ingredients: 1 tea bag, ¾ cup hot water, ½ cup peach nectar, 1 teaspoon honey, and ice. Steep tea for 4 minutes, cool it, mix with peach nectar and honey, then serve over ice.

4. Chocolate Cookie Shake

Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla ice cream, ¾ cup milk, 3 chocolate sandwich cookies, and 1 teaspoon cocoa. Blend until creamy and serve immediately.

5. Salted Caramel Frappé

Ingredients: ½ cup cold coffee, ¾ cup milk, 1 tablespoon caramel sauce, 1 cup ice, and a tiny pinch of salt. Blend until frosty and drizzle caramel inside the glass.

6. Mango Smoothie

Ingredients: 1 cup frozen mango, ½ banana, ¾ cup milk or coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Blend until silky.

7. Citrus Sparkler

Ingredients: ¼ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, ¾ cup sparkling water, and ice. Stir the juices and honey, pour over ice, and finish with sparkling water.

8. Cookies-and-Cream Iced Chocolate

Shake 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup and pour over ice. Finish with two crushed cookies.

9. Berry Lemon Fizz

Muddle ½ cup mixed berries with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add ice and ¾ cup sparkling water.

10. Creamy Cold Brew

Stir ¾ cup cold brew, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon brown-sugar syrup, and ice. A pinch of cinnamon adds a coffee-shop feel.

Make-ahead note

Prepare fruit purées and simple syrup up to three days ahead. Keep them chilled and add ice or sparkling water only just before serving.

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