Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: A cucumber lime cooler is pleasantly tart and refreshing. It’s the mocktail your summer party needs! The recipe includes a cocktail option, too.
How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: glass, muddler or spoon
Servings: 1
Better than spa water. Way better.
This mocktail has the same fresh, clean vibe as spa water — cucumber, lime, a little sweetness — but with bubbles, which somehow makes it feel like a completely different drink.
Add gin if you want a cocktail. Skip it, and it’s still so good. Either way, it takes about 10 minutes and tastes like summer. Perfect for parties or any weeknight that needs a little something-something.
What makes it special:
- Lightly fizzy: Unlike spa water, which is usually served flat, this cucumber lime cooler is fizzy. It’s juuust effervescent enough to make it extra refreshing.
- Easy to customize: Adjust the sweetness, make it a cocktail by adding gin, vodka, or white rum, or muddle in fresh mint for another layer of flavor.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here’s an overview of what you’ll need.
- Cucumber: You can make this recipe with any cucumber variety but I usually use the tender-skinned English cucumbers (hot house or Persian). If you use a regular garden-variety cucumber, I would peel it first and scrape the seeds out before you muddle it.
- Fresh lime juice: You want to use fresh lime juice, not bottled, for more vibrant flavor. The lime juice adds bright acidity that really makes the flavor pop.
- Simple syrup: Simple syrup is my preferred option, but if you’d like to use honey, I recommend stirring it into an equal amount of warm water first, until the honey dissolves. This extra step helps it incorporate more smoothly into the drink.
- Sparkling water or club soda: Neither of these add any extra sugar but they give the mocktail light effervescence.
- Fresh mint: You can add it as a garnish for a light mint flavor or muddle it with the cucumber for a bit more minty oomph.
How to Make a Cucumber Lime Cooler
Muddle the cucumber. Add the cucumber slices to the bottom of a glass. Use a muddler or the back of a spoon to gently press them until they release their juices. You don’t need to completely mash them, and in fact, it’s better not to because it will add a lot of “floaters” to your glass.
Add the flavor. Pour in the fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Give it a quick stir to combine.
Add ice and bubbles. Fill the glass with ice. Top with sparkling water or club soda, then stir gently just to bring everything together. You don’t want to stir the cooler too much or you’ll lose the effervescence.
Garnish and serve. Add a few extra cucumber slices and a sprig of fresh mint for garnish. Serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Turn it into a cocktail. Add 1 to 2 ounces gin, vodka, or white rum when you add the lime juice and simple syrup. Gin pairs especially well with its light, botanical flavor.
- Mix a big batch. You can scale up the recipe and mix it in a pitcher, then add ice and sparkling water just before serving.
- Try different herbs. Basil would be fantastic too!
Serving Suggestions
Summer gatherings: A refreshing cucumber lime mocktail goes well with lighter finger foods like classic tomato bruschetta or spinach artichoke bites. Serve it with herbed feta dip or edamame dip, along with crudités or crackers. Vegetable cream cheese roll ups are a good choice, too!
Brunch: Rather than the ubiquitous mimosa, surprise your guests with this cucumber lime cooler. It goes well with rhubarb cake, which has a bright, tart flavor that complements this mocktail. Serve an asparagus frittata or crustless quiche as a main course.
An afternoon pick-me-up: Because it’s so refreshing and hydrating, this mocktail is perfect when you need a little boost in the afternoon or early evening. It feels like a cocktail but won’t make you feel sluggish or sleepy.
This cucumber lime cooler is best enjoyed immediately. If needed, you can prep the muddled cucumber and lime mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours, then add ice and sparkling water just before serving. The recipe card also includes instructions for making a pitcher if you’re having guests.
More Mocktail Recipes
Cucumber Lime Cooler
Ingredients
- ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber (4 to 5 slices, plus more for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons simple syrup (or to taste)
- ½ cup cold sparkling water or club soda
To Serve:
- ice
- 4 fresh mint leaves or small sprigs (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add cucumber slices to the bottom of a glass. Gently muddle with a spoon or muddler, until lightly crushed. You can also add fresh mint and muddle it along with the cucumber, if you want. Try not to mash the cucumber too much; you don't want bits and pieces of it floating in your mocktail.½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
- Add lime juice and simple syrup. Stir to combine.1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons simple syrup
- Fill the glass with ice. Top with sparkling water and stir gently to combine.½ cup cold sparkling water or club soda
- Garnish with additional cucumber slices and fresh mint leaves or sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.4 fresh mint leaves or small sprigs
Notes
- Cocktail option: Add 1 to 2 ounces of gin, vodka, or white rum when you add the lime juice and simple syrup. (If you add 2 ounces gin, the cocktail will have 183 calories.)
- How to make simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to use. This will make enough for 24 mocktails, depending on how much you add to your mocktails. The simple syrup will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator.. You can easily decrease or increase the recipe.
- Garnishes: You can try other fresh herbs for the garnish. Mint gives the cocktail a mojito vibe but basil, lemon balm, cilantro, lemongrass, or thyme are fun to try, too!
- 2 cups thinly sliced cucumber
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons simple syrup
- 3 cups sparkling water (add just before serving)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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