Frozen Drinks: Cocktails You'll Think Are Desserts

Although bubbly buckles and crumbles are ubiquitous at warm-weather barbecues, we haven't seen too many cocktails that capture the sweet/tart taste of summer berries. That's why this spiked blueberry/strawberry smoothie is so refreshing (it also has a few splashes of orange and pineapple juices, Jamaican rum and the coconut cream Coco Lopez). While Kim Haasarud, author of 101 Tropical Drinks and founder of a beverage consultancy suggests using 3/4 cup of ice, you can use less if you want your drink more liquid-y, or more, if you prefer it on the slushier side.
Get the recipe: Summer Wind

Peaches and almonds make a terrific, if unsung, pairing. If you need convincing, first consider this Peach Pie With Double Cinnamon-Almond Crust dessert recipe; then, try a sip of Haasarud's Peach Pit cocktail, which contains a whole ripe peach, peach vodka and the amaretto liqueur Amaretto di Saronno, an Italian brand that has a bittersweet almond flavor.
Get the recipe: Peach Pit

Though it's missing the Cool Whip topping and instant pudding, the Banana Daiquiri has the hallmark fruity flavor of the custard-y pie, thanks to a splash of creme de banane liqueur and half of a ripe banana. Use crushed ice if you can, says Haasarud. Smaller pieces of ice will combine with the other ingredients more quickly, so you won't have to run the blender too long and can avoid infusing your drink with air pockets. (If you only have large cubes, blend at high speed until the drink is the consistency you like, advises Haasarud, then run at low speed for a few seconds to deflate some of the air.)
Get the recipe: Banana Daiquiri

Few ice pops are as iconic as this fruity and creamy refresher. And while Oprah's famed Frozen TangOrita plays up the citrus angle, you could certainly add a dash of half-and-half or cream to make it taste a little more indulgent. Either way, the sweetness pairs well with Patron Silver tequila, which has a lighter, smoother flavor than aged tequilas.
Get the recipe: Frozen TangOrita

Haasarud has a trick to give this drink the same look of drizzled chocolate sauce atop a classic ice cream sundae: she swirls some of the sauce along the inside of a tall glass and then pours in the cocktail, which is a mixture of coconut cream, pineapple juice, rum and chocolate. You'll see zigzags of chocolate through the glass -- just watch out for a brain freeze. (For speedy blender cleanup after you're done, Haasarud has another smart idea: fill the pitcher with hot water until it's 1/4 full, add a few drops of dishwasher detergent, run the blender on high for a few seconds, then rinse with fresh hot water).
Get the recipe: Cocoa ColadaNext: One-bite appetizers to make for your next party