Island Fruit Cooler

This tropical fruit drink is as close to a beach vacation as your kitchen can get. Pineapple juice and papaya or mango nectar bring the island sweetness, while a splash of lemon-lime soda adds fizz and a citrusy lift. Pour it over ice, garnish with fresh fruit, and you’re done.

The soda is what keeps this from tasting like straight juice. Those bubbles lighten the drink and make it feel more refreshing than a flat fruit punch. Use it cold and add it last so you don’t lose the carbonation.

This is a non-alcoholic cooler that works just as well at a kids’ party as it does on a patio. Simple, quick, and impossible to mess up.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill all the juices before mixing. Cold ingredients mean you use less ice, and less ice means less dilution.
• Pour the soda in last and stir gently. Vigorous mixing kills the fizz.
• Freeze pineapple juice in ice cube trays and use those instead of regular ice so the drink gets colder without getting watered down.

Variations

• Add a shot of coconut rum or white rum for an adult version.
• Swap lemon-lime soda for sparkling water and a squeeze of lime for a less sweet drink.
• Use guava nectar instead of papaya for a different tropical flavor.