16 Non-Alcoholic Cocktails for Your Next Holiday Party
Full of flavor with none of the booze, these alcohol-free cocktails are ideal for brunch, parties, and happy hour at any time of day.
José Mandojana
Whether you prefer to call them mocktails (we don't, for the record), zero-proof, or spirit-free drinks, we'd like to encourage you to dive deep into the world of non-alcoholic mixed drinks, which can be every bit as complex, delicious, and worth getting excited about as its boozy counterpart. The traditional principles used to craft alcoholic mixed drinks — finding balance in flavor and selecting thoughtful garnishes, glassware, and ice — apply to alcohol-free cocktails as well. While some of the recipes we enjoy the most call for a few additional steps, like making a syrup or a tincture, you'll be surprised by how easy many of these recipes can be used again to add extra flavor to everything from ice cream to coffee. Here's how to make 16 of our favorite non-alcoholic cocktails, from a booze-free riff on a classic Negroni to a caffeinated Coffee Cooler.
Saffron Cordial
In Turkish culture, this floral, citrusy, sweet cordial is believed to have protective properties: If someone trips on a flat path, it's poured on the spot to ward off the evil eye. Magical properties aside, this chilled, sunshine-yellow drink gets its hue from saffron threads; grinding them with sugar helps them dissolve easily. If saving overnight, discard the lemon slices, as they can turn the cordial slightly bitter. During Ottoman times, şerbeti made with saffron was commonplace at communal bathhouses known as hammam; nod to its roots by making this cordial part of a moment of self-care, or enjoy it anytime you need a refreshing drink.
Non-Alcoholic Negroni
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
The classic Negroni can still pack tons of flavor without the booze.
Sharab Rose Raspberry Shrub Cocktail
Ed Anderson
This tart non-alcoholic cocktail is bright and floral from the raspberries and rose water.
Frozen Shirley Temple
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This simple frozen cocktail can be made with or without alcohol, depending on your audience.
Strawberry-Chile Balsamic Shrub
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Sweet strawberries meet up with tart balsamic and smoky chiles in this fruity shrub.
Pineapple and Tamarind Cooler
José Mandojana
This tangy and sweet nonalcoholic punch delivers a little kick of heat thanks to the mix of habanero powder and salt that rims each glass. Chef Gregory Gourdet uses tamarind pulp to make a fruity, tart syrup that helps balance the tropical sweetness of the pureed pineapple. The drink has a slightly thick consistency, but served over plenty of crushed ice, it’s perfectly refreshing.
Watermelon Limeade
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
This sweet watermelon limeade is a refreshing way to toast summer afternoons.
Green Refresher
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
In the Green Refresher, one of our favorite NA concoctions from expert distiller and mixologist Sebastian Reaburn, the herbaceous, earthy notes of Japanese sencha tea perfectly complement the sweet, tart flavor of apple juice.
Coffee Cooler
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
Love an Espresso Martini but don't want the booze? The Coffee Cooler scratches any itch for caffeine with added sweetness from freshly squeezed orange juice.
Ghia Sour
Ghia is a Campari-lover's booze-free best friend, and this simple spritz shows off the complex botanicals and herbs in one of our favorite NA aperitifs.
Cherry Red
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
Mixologist Sebastian Reaburn uses black cherries when he makes this cocktail, which was inspired, he says, by "classic American flavors like Big Red chewing gum and Cherry Coke."
Jardin Verde
This refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail from Bryan Dayton is featured in Julia Bainbridge's book, Good Drinks. It is sweet and mildly bitter from Seedlip Garden 108 with botanical notes that shine with the addition of fragrant, herbal tonic water.
Shift Drink
MAtt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
The Shift Drink is a combination of freshly squeezed grapefruit and lemon juices, an intensely fragrant spiced honey syrup, ginger beer, and one of our favorite non-alcoholic spirits, Amass Riverine.
Psychedelic Backyard
Matt Taylor-Gross
Verjus adds a pleasant kick of acidity to this non-alcoholic cocktail from mixologist and author John deBary.
Oriole's G&T Tisane
From Chicago restaurant Oriole, this chilled tisane calls for juniper berries, coriander seeds, osmanthus flowers, Szechuan peppercorns, white peppercorns, and mustard seeds.
Pumpkin Shrub
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell
Who says pumpkin drinks can't have a welcome kick of acidity?
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