27 Best Mocktail Recipes for When You Want a Break from Alcohol
27 Best Mocktail Recipes for When You Want a Break from Alcohol
Picture this: It’s the end of the day, and you want to treat yourself to something bubbly and delicious. The catch? You don’t want to add wine or spirits to your beverage due to Dry January or other personal reasons (that’s your business!). Enter the mocktail, a beverage that has all the ingredients of a cocktail—minus the alcohol.
Mocktails are proof that virgin drinks don’t have to be boring. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite easy mocktail recipes, which you can prepare for a crowd at a party or the whole Thanksgiving table. The recipes even work for kids who want to trade in apple juice for something a bit more sophisticated.
Just as cocktails are versatile—with fruity recipes for summer, heartier blends for winter, and pumpkin-flavored ones or fall—there’s a mocktail for every season and flavor palette. Those looking to bring a bit of a tropical getaway home can stir in watermelon and pineapple. If you’re looking for a drink befitting a night in with books, mix in some turmeric and ginger beer.
Studies show that abstaining from alcohol has proven health benefits, including a reduction in blood pressure, improved sleep, weight loss, a reduced risk of liver disease, and of course, a boost in savings. And with these mocktails, you won’t feel like you’re missing out.
1) Mango Mule
Try this chic alternative to the all-time classic cocktail the Moscow mule. Mango puree and honey syrup give it a sweet taste, while the final splash of ginger beer makes it unique and exciting.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
4 to 5 cucumber slices
1 ounce honey syrup
1.5 ounces mango puree
1.5 ounces fresh lime juice
1.5 ounces ginger beer
Ice
Instructions
Muddle the cucumber and honey syrup into the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the mango puree and lime juice to the mix, then shake with ice. Pour the liquid into a copper mug for the iconic touch of a Moscow mule. Sprinkle in ginger beer and stir.
See more on Against All Grain.
2) Cranberry Basil Sangria
This fruit-filled drink includes cranberries, oranges, and apples and will surely hit the spot. It’s also practical. A pitcher can yield up to 4 servings and is easy to serve at a “dry” Zoom party.
Yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
3 cups cranberry juice
? cup orange juice
1 canned seltzer
1 sliced orange
1 sliced apple
? cup frozen cranberries
? packed basil leaves
Ice
Instructions
Pour the cranberry juice, orange juice, and seltzer into one pitcher. Add the fruit slices and basil. Stir together, then serve into individual glasses.
See more on Delish.com.
3) Sweet Sunrise
A play on the popular tequila sunrise, this orange juice-and-grenadine alternative can greet you every morning and transport you to a sunny, crystal-water beach. It’s got to be 9 o’clock in the morning somewhere.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
4 to 6 ounces orange juice
? to 1 ounce grenadine
1 orange slice
Instructions
Fill a tall glass with orange juice and ice. Add grenadine and an orange slice to top it all off.
See more on The Spruce Eats.
4) Souchong Sour
Here’s a radically different and delicious take on your typical whiskey sour. Mix a dash of sweet-yet-smoky flavors into a quarter-cup of Lapsang souchong tea, a black tea that has benefits such as boosting energy and aiding weight loss, and subdue your alcohol craving. Great for the fall and winter atmosphere.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
? cup Lapsang souchong tea at room temperature
4 tsp. maple syrup
Pinch of ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. egg white, organic and pasteurized
? orange slice
Maraschino cherry
Instructions
Pour the tea, maple syrup, lemon juice, and pepper into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Add the egg white and shake again. Pour the drink into a glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with the orange slice and cherry.
See more at The New York Times.
5) Lyre’s Dublin Double Irish Coffee
Travel to Ireland with Dublin Double Irish Coffee. Indulge dinner guests with this coffee-based mocktail that’s anything but boring.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
2.5 ounces Lyre’s American Malt
4 ounces hot brewed coffee
? ounces premium maple syrup
3 ounces whipped cream
Instructions
Stir American Malt, maple syrup, and hot coffee into an Irish coffee mug. Once maple is mixed in well, add the whipped cream on top.
See more on Lyre.
6) Hot Apple Cider
Lie back by the fire and enjoy a hot apple cider, perfect for the winter season. Easy to prepare and comforting to drink, this festive beverage will keep you warm and cozy.
Yields 12 servings.
Ingredients
1 gallon fresh cider or organic unfiltered apple juice
1 medium orange, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 half-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into quarter-inch cubes
4 three-inch cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
2 whole star anise pods
Orange slices
Instructions
Pour the cider into a large pot, and add the orange, ginger, and cinnamon. Place cloves and star anise pods in a double layer of cheesecloth or a coffee filter, and add. Cook for about 45 minutes for the flavors to blend together. Serve immediately.
See more at Mermaids and Mojitos.
7) Shirley Temple
The Shirley Temple is an easy go-to drink to serve kids who are in the mood to spice things up but aren’t of age yet. However, the tasty grenadine flavor has adults returning to this simple mocktail years later!
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
1 ounce grenadine
6 ounces soda (Sprite, 7Up, ginger ale)
Maraschino cherries
Instructions
Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a tall glass filled with ice. Then add about 6 ounces of the white soda of your choice to fill the rest. Top it off with maraschino cherries.
8) Baby Bellini
Taking time off alcohol doesn’t mean skipping out on all the fun. That’s when the baby Bellini comes in handy. Enjoy this chic and delicate mocktail with your gals over a Zoom brunch or during the appetizers at home.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
2 ounces peach nectar
4 to 5 ounce sparkling cider
Peach slice
Instructions
Pour peach nectar into a champagne glass, then add the sparkling cider. Garnish with the peach slice.
See more on The Spruce Eats.
9) Cos-Mock
Perfect for the holidays, this bright red mocktail will not only taste like heaven but also give you your dose of vitamin C, all while ensuring you won’t wake up hungover the morning after.
Yields 2 servings.
Ingredients
? cup Seville orange marmalade
Juice of 1 lime
? cup cranberry juice
Lemon twists
Instructions
Place marmalade in a strainer over a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. boiling water while forcing the jelly, not peels, through the strainer. Stir it in the bowl. Place this marmalade syrup in a mixing glass. Add the lime juice, cranberry juice, ice, then stir. Serve in two cocktail glasses with the lemon twists to finish it off.
See more on The New York Times.
10) Pineapple Mint Mojito
This virgin version of the traditional Cuban cocktail is great for hot temperatures. The refreshing mix of lime and mint will help quench your thirst on a sunny day.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
10 fresh mint leaves
2 packets Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
? cup pineapple juice
Juice of 1 lime
? cup club soda
Instructions
Place the mint leaves and Splenda No Calorie Sweetener into a cocktail shaker and press them against it. Add the pineapple juice, lime juice, and ice, and shake. Strain into a tall glass with ice and fill the rest with the club soda. Garnish with mint leaves.
See more on Delish.
11) Designated Appletini
This virgin appletini is a delicious variation of the classic martini. Elegantly served in a tall martini glass, it will trick you into thinking you’re biting into your favorite sweet-and-sour green apple.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
Granulated sugar
? cup fresh apple juice
1 Tbsp. simple syrup
? Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Apple slices
Instructions
Rim the cocktail glass with sugar. Pour apple juice, simple syrup, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into the glass and add the apple slices on top.
See more on The Spruce Eats.
12) Sweet Adeline
This sweet drink is ideal for the holiday season, the period in which fresh pomegranates are in season. This is a special example of how to fancy up a relaxing tea drink into an exciting mocktail.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
? cup fresh pomegranate juice
1 Tbsp. cinnamon syrup
1 teabag orange-and-spice blend black tea
? to ? cup hot water
Cinnamon stick
Instructions
Pour pomegranate juice and cinnamon syrup into a warm mug. Add the teabag and pour in the hot water. Let it sit as long as the specific tea recommends, then remove the teabag. Stir and garnish with the cinnamon stick.
See more on The Spruce Eats.
13) Watermelon Margarita
A fun twist on the popular margarita cocktail, this watermelon margarita is the ultimate summer beverage and perfect for entertaining a crowd!
Yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 medium seedless watermelon cut into pieces
? cup fresh lime juice
4 tsp. agave
5 Tbsp. sparkling water
Instructions
Place the watermelon chunks into a blender in order to obtain 4 cups of watermelon puree. Add the lime juice and agave and blend again. Pour into 4 cups. Distribute the sparkling water into the 4 cups.
See more on Healthy Beat.
14) Seedlip Spice and Tonic
Made with Seedlip Spice 94—a non-alcoholic spirit with notes of oak, grapefruit, lemon, and more—the Seedlip Spice and tonic will surely leave people wanting more.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
50 ml Seedlip spice 94
125 ml tonic water
Red grapefruit twist
Cinnamon stick
Instructions
Pour Seedlip Spice and tonic into a glass with ice and mix. Garnish with the red grapefruit twist or the cinnamon stick.
See more on Seedlip.
15) Fakir
Both sweet and tart in flavor, this drink will be your new super-simple go-to. It requires only two ingredients and will give you the illusion of eating an energizing acai bowl, except here you’re drinking it!
Yields 2 servings.
Ingredients
? pint fresh blackberries
8 ounces ginger ale
Instructions
Set aside 4 berries for garnish. Force the rest through a sieve to remove the seeds in order to end with ? cup of berry puree. Pour the ginger ale evenly into two champagne flutes, and add a tablespoon of berry puree into each. Without mixing, garnish each drink with a couple of berries.
See more on The New York Times.
16) Citrus Fizz
This tasteful mocktail exudes exactly what its name presents: citrus-filled flavor. The combination of Seedlip Grove 42 (which is made of orange, lemon peel, lemongrass, and ginger) and an organic marmalade cordial makes this sophisticated drink a great replacement for champagne on a special occasion.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
1.75 ounces Seedlip Grove 42
? ounce organic marmalade cordial (mix 300 grams organic marmalade with 150 ml hot water, strain, and store in the fridge)
Sparkling water
Instructions
Pour Seedlip and cordial into a champagne flute and fill the rest with sparkling water.
See more on Seedlip.
17) Pi?a Colada
This tropical mocktail is essential for creating a beach atmosphere, even if you’re stuck at home. With just three ingredients, you can re-create this delicious treat.
Yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
3 cups frozen pineapple chunks
15 ounces coconut milk
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Drink umbrellas
Instructions
Blend all ingredients together and garnish with a cute drink umbrella.
See more on A Couple Cooks.
18) Berry Burlesque
Beat the heat with this refreshing berry-flavored drink that couldn’t be easier to make–just toss everything together and shake, then add the special touch of ginger beer to tie it all together.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
? ounce lime juice
? ounce honey syrup
1 ounce black currant puree
4 to 6 mint leaves
Ginger beer
Instructions
Shake all ingredients except ginger beer together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice and finish it off with ginger beer.
From Cooks on Main.
19) The Emoji
This adorable drink is the epitome of bartender creativity. Created in a New York City bar, this sensation mixes the tropical flavors of passion fruit and lemon with the bitterness of cold-brew coffee.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
1? ounce cold-brew coffee
? ounce passion fruit puree
? ounce orgeat
? ounce lemon juice
Instructions
Fill a goblet with crushed ice, and mix all together.
From New York’s Penrose Bar, per Imbibe.
20) Virgin Mary
Spice up your brunch with this tangy, savory, and salty tomato drink. Perfect for winter as the spice will warm you up.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
3 ounces tomato juice
? ounce lemon juice
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. celery salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 dashes hot sauce
1 celery stalk
1 pickle spear
Instructions
Pour the tomato juice and lemon juice into a tall glass filled with ice and mix. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Mix again. Add the celery stalk or pickle spear as garnish.
See more on The Spruce Eats
21) Chocolate Martini
For those with a sweet tooth and a chocolate addiction, this mocktail is the one for you! You can keep it in the fridge for whenever you get a chocolate craving and replace dessert with it as well.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
? cup cold milk
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
? Tbsp. corn syrup
Chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
Combine milk, chocolate syrup, corn syrup, and ice in a blender. Place excess chocolate syrup and the chocolate sprinkles on the rim of the glass. Pour drink into the glass.
See more on Punch Fork
22) Turmeric Tonic
Start the day with a small glass of this bright and sharp tonic containing turmeric, which boasts amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Yields 2 servings.
Ingredients
1 two-inch piece piece peeled turmeric
1 two-inch piece peeled ginger
? lemon
3 Tbsp. agave syrup
Sparkling water
Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Pass turmeric, ginger, and lemon with peel through a juicer. Mix in agave syrup. Serve juice over ice and add sparkling water to fill. Add a dash of cayenne pepper.
See more on Bon Appétit.
23) Cranberry Spritzer
This peach-colored mix of cranberry, honey, and orange with a little fizz to top it all off is a noteworthy choice of drink to serve at a party, either for kids or even adults.
Yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
12 ice cubes
2 ? cups of seltzer
2 cups cranberry juice
2 Tbsp. honey
1 sliced orange
Instructions
Add ice, seltzer, and cranberry juice to a large pitcher. Mix in 2 Tbsp. honey and orange slices.
See more on Food Network
24) Arnold Palmer
This famous drink got its name from the American golfer who was known to always order this simple beverage combination of lemonade and iced tea. It’s both easy to make and easy to love.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
5 ounces fresh lemonade
5 ounces iced tea
Mint leaf
Lemon wedge
Instructions
Combine lemonade and tea in a glass over ice. Garnish with mint and lemon wedge.
25) Tahitian Coffee No. 2
Impress your guests with this innovative bartender creation. Designed to look like a summery cocktail you’d be served at a resort in Hawaii, this coffee-accentuated drink is perfect for sharing and expanding your palate.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
1 ounce cold brew
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce orange
? ounce passion fruit juice
1 ounce guava juice
1? tsp. honey
Orchids
Grated coffee
Instructions
Mix all ingredients, then garnish with orchids and grated coffee.
26) Steve McQueen
A classic sidecar is an elegant and easy cocktail that never goes out of style. This version includes ginger and vinegar syrup, adding spice to it and making it more exciting.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
1 wedge orange
1 cup sugar
3 ounces apple cider
? ounce fresh orange juice
1 ounce ginger gastrique
Instructions
Moisten the rim of a coupe with the orange and then dip the rim in the sugar. Add remaining ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour drink into coupe.
See more on Delish.
27) Grapefruit Kombucha Agua Fresca
This unique incorporation of kombucha, a fermented tea containing antioxidants that has been growing in popularity, into the infamous agua fresca is a step up from your regular tea beverage. Originating in Mexico, agua fresca is a light fruit drink that also has great health benefits like increasing your metabolism and naturally boosting energy.
Yields 1 serving.
Ingredients
? cup grapefruit juice
? cup unflavored kombucha
? teaspoon maple syrup
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
Mix together grapefruit juice, kombucha, and maple syrup. Pour drink in a glass over ice. Rub a sprig of rosemary between your hands to release its oils. Add the sprig to the glass.
See more on Will Frolic for Food.
These mocktail recipes are sophisticated and easy to make for crowds, kids or anyone going alcohol-free. Get out your Sprite, lemon, watermelon, and more to follow along.