10 Mother's Day Beverages That Will Make the Day Extra Special

Cheers to mom!

By
Genevieve Yam
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Genevieve Yam
Senior Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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Published May 04, 2025
Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria

Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

Moms should be celebrated all day, every day. That, however, doesn't mean we can't take a moment on Mother's Day to show them just how much we love and appreciate them. The best way to do that —besides cooking an extravagant brunch—is to make mom a fun, delicious beverage of her choice. Below, you'll find 10 bright, refreshing beverages, including a sparkling grapefruit sangria, classic French 75, and sweet strawberry lemonade, to express your heartfelt thanks to mom.

  • Strawberry-Mint Sparkler

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    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Muddle strawberries with a few mint sprigs, shake with a big splash of vodka, some lime, and a little simple syrup, then strain over ice and top it off with club soda. It's a refreshing, effervescent beverage that's perfect for a special occasion brunch.

  • Thyme for a Salty Dog

    20150408-vodka-cocktails-grapefruit-thyme-vicky-wasik-1.jpg

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    This invigorating beverage gets its bright, tart flavor from freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, while a simple syrup infused with thyme gives it a herbaceous note.

  • The Best Bloody Mary

    Two bloody marys one wooden costers

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

    For the very best Bloody Mary, skip the mix and zhuzh up your beverage with tomato juice, freshly grated horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. The result is a deliciously savory beverage with well-rounded zing that lingers on your tongue.

  • Paloma

    Side view of two palomas

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

    Whipping up a Paloma is delightfully simple: All you have to do is combine fresh lime juice, reposado teqila, coarse salt, and grapefruit soda for a drink that's light and bright.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • Raspberry Spritz

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    Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

    This low-alcohol cocktail gets its sweet, tart flavor from a syrup of fresh raspberries and mint. Cocchi Americano gives it a refreshing bitterness, and dry sparkling wine and club soda turns it into a fun, bubbly beverage.

  • French 75

    Two classes of a French 75

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

    Tart, refreshing, herbal, and effervescent, the French 75 is a classic cocktail that makes every occasion feel like a special one. It's marvelously simple to make, too: Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar with ice until it's chilled, then strain it into a champagne flute. All that's left to do is top up with champagne.

  • Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria

    Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria

    Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

    This sparkling sangria makes use of the French aperitif Lillet Rosé, which comes already flavored with sweet and bitter orange peel and fruit liqueurs to boost the flavor of the pitcher drink. Grapefruit adds crisp tartness, just right for a warm day.

  • Pamplemousse Cooler

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    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Cool off with this vodka cocktail, which gets a delicate vegetal flavor from muddled cucumber. Created by Christopher Longoria of San Francisco's 1760, it has a soft sweetness from elderflower liqueur.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below

  • Strawberry Lemonade

    Strawberry lemonade in two glasses and a pitcher

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Macerating strawberries and lemon zest draws out the strawberries’s juices and the zest’s natural oils, resulting in a more flavorful lemonade. Plus: This no-cook technique dissolves the sugar easily, meaning there's no need to whisk.

  • Fizzy Strawberry Pisco Punch

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    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    This punch is mouthwateringly tart, slightly fizzy, and pleasantly herbal, thanks to fresh strawberries, thyme, and Bonal, a flavorful French aperitif. Prep this punch mix ahead of time, then combine it with your sparkling wine of choice when it's time to serve.

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