31 Mocktail Recipes That Go Beyond Seltzer and Fruit Juice
Mocktails: Great in theory, but more often than not, they’re just fruit juice and seltzer masquerading as booze in a punch bowl. Just because you’re not drinking alcohol doesn’t mean you should settle for something straight from a plastic jug (hi, fruit punch). Here are 31 mocktail recipes that are delicious in their own right.
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1. Triple Citrus Kombucha Fizz with Salty Chili Sugar
The kombucha adds just the right amount of fizz, and you can play with the flavors to find your favorite. Suddenly, dry January doesn’t seem so bad.
2. Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
Make-your-own-mocktail bar, anyone? This simple drink pairs well with flavored simple syrups and all kinds of citrus juice.
3. Grapefruit Lime Spritzer
Who needs Champagne when you have fancy Italian soda? Don’t skip the sugared (or salted) rim—it makes this drink feel extra special.
4. Coconut Coolers
If we didn’t know any better, we’d think we were on vacation.
5. Blood Orange Cooler
The key to a really refreshing mocktail? Coconut water. That, plus lots of citrus, will have everyone coming back for another.
6. Vanilla Plum Shrub
What’s a shrub, you ask? It’s like a cocktail, only it gets its kick from vinegar, not booze. Sound crazy? With sweet fruit and simple syrup, we promise it works.
7. Strawberry Basil Iced Tea Sparkler
A light and refreshing mocktail that just screams brunch.
8. Lavender Kumquat Shrub
Make the kumquat-lavender mixture beforehand, then set it out with ice and sparkling water and let everyone mix their own drink.
9. Cucumber Agua Fresca
Psst: This drink is blended with two whole limes, so it’s super refreshing.
10. Blueberry Ginger Mocktail
Hot tip: IKEA actually makes a mean blueberry drink concentrate that’s the base for this sipper.
11. Cherry Vanilla Maple Shrub
We’d take a glass of this slightly sweet shrub over a bad margarita any day.
12. Ginger Beer Mojito
FYI, most ginger beers aren’t alcoholic. That makes them the perfect fizzy base for a thirst-quenching mocktail.
13. Huckleberry Fig Shrub
If you can’t find huckleberries, any berry would make a fine substitute.
14. Rose Lemon Spritzer
The rose water is optional, but since it’s what gives this drink its irresistible peachy hue, we think it’s worth adding.
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15. Pineapple Margarita Mocktail
Permission to sip this at breakfast granted.
16. Watermelon Lime Mocktails
The Tajín-dusted rim makes it feel extra fancy.
17. Refreshing Hibiscus Mocktail
You can thank hibiscus tea for the festive pink color and tart flavor.
18. Concord Grape and Coconut Water Smash
Omit the vodka and add more coconut water to make it booze-free.
19. Pink Drink
This is so much tastier than store-bought mystery punch and carbonated water.
20. Shirley Temple
The value of a properly made Shirley Temple cannot be overstated.
21. Watermelon Ginger Sparklers
The candied ginger and vanilla bean really take it over the top.
22. Cranberry Orange Kombucha Sangria
Because it’s fizzy and a little bit tart, kombucha makes an excellent substitution for wine in this fruit drink.
23. Rhubarb Shrub
A little tart, a little sweet, a little bitter—basically, everything we want in a drink, alcoholic or not.
24. Mandarin Spritz
It doesn’t get better than freshly-squeezed mandarin juice, don’t you think?
25. Lavender Citron Pressé
It’s like a sparkling lemonade, but chic and French.
26. Alcohol-Free Pineapple-Mint Margaritas
No tequila, no problem. We’d even venture to say that these mocktails are good for you.
27. Honey, Blackberry and Sage Refresher Mocktail
This one screams “summer in the backyard,” but we plan on drinking it year-round.
28. Sparkling Honey Lemon Gingerade
This is sure to put a pep in your step.
29. Citrus Sage Tonic
It’s as pretty as it is tasty, thanks to all that fresh grapefruit juice.
30. Blackberry Thyme Mocktail
A homemade blackberry syrup makes this one taste like summer in a glass.
31. Jazzed Up Shirley Temples
Remember what we said about Shirley Temples? Well, they’re even better with fresh cherries, mint and lime.
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