15 Easy Mocktail Recipes You Can Make at Home
When it comes to at-home entertaining for those abstaining from alcohol, it’s all about one increasingly in-demand indulgence: the mocktail. But in an age of highly praised cocktail bars, speakeasies, and spirit-forward sippers, how can we ensure that the nonalcoholic drinks we’re fashioning for friends are just as exciting as the real-deal ones?
Thankfully, bartenders at restaurants and bars across the country are already on the case, using their expertise in all things ABV and morphing it into thoughtful, nonalcoholic drink recipes. “When making a mocktail, it should taste as good — if not better — than a regular cocktail,” says Sondra Bernstein, owner of the girl & the fig, a Sonoma fixture specializing in rustic French food and drink.
“As with anything, balanced flavors are important — it should not feel as if anything is lacking,” she notes. Onsite, Bernstein and her team serve a variety of nonalcoholic cocktails that incorporate all of the essentials of a successful drink — especially acidity, sweetness, and complexity.
The best part, according to Bernstein? Pulling off these party offerings isn’t nearly as tough as it may seem. “You don’t need to have a fully stocked bar or pantry to create a delicious mocktail at home,” she says. “In some cases, you might have all of the ingredients you need. In this instance, simpler can be better!”
For gatherings that are as fun as they are health-focused, read on. We’ve rounded up some of the best mocktail recipes you can try at home now.
Virgin Pimm’s Cup at the girl & the fig (Sonoma, CA)
Ingredients:
4–5 mint leaves
.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
Ice
1 oz. pomegranate juice
Soda water
Ginger ale
Slice of cucumber
Directions:
-In a highball glass, add 3–4 mint leaves and muddle with lemon juice
-Fill the glass with ice and stir with a cocktail spoon
-Add the pomegranate juice, then top with equal parts soda water and ginger ale
-Garnish with remaining mint leaves and cucumber slice
94 and Tonic at the Lobby Lounge at The Grill at The St. Regis San Francisco
Ingredients:
Ice
4 Tbsp. Seedlip 94
1 cup Fever-Tree Tonic Water
4 cloves star anise
1 sprig rosemary
Directions:
-Fill a balloon glass with ice and add Seedlip 94 and tonic water
-Garnish with star anise and rosemary
Terrace Lemonade at The Dalmar (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Ingredients:
3–4 basil leaves (reserve 1 for garnish)
Handful of blueberries (10–12) (reserve some for garnish)
2 oz. spring water
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
Ice
Powdered sugar (optional)
Directions:
-In a shaker, muddle together basil leaves and blueberries
-Add water, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the shaker
-Top shaker with ice and shake vigorously
-Strain into a Hurricane glass and top with ice
-Garnish with a basil leaf and a skewer of blueberries
-Dust top with powdered sugar (optional)
The Bright and Breezy at Proxi (Chicago, IL)
Ingredients:
3 blackberries
2 sprigs rosemary
1 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. simple syrup
Ice
Tonic water
Directions:
-Muddle blackberries in a shaker tin
-Add 1 sprig of rosemary, lemon juice, and simple syrup
-Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice; top with tonic water
-Garnish with remaining rosemary sprig
Just Getting Started at The Living Room Bar at W San Francisco
Ingredients:
10 raspberries (reserve some for garnish)
6–7 mint leaves (reserve some for garnish)
1 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
Ice
2 oz. ginger beer
Flowers (for garnish)
Lemon wheel (for garnish)
Directions:
-In a shaker, muddle berries and mint gently
-Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice, and shake together
-Add ginger beer and double-strain into a tall glass with ice
-Garnish with mint, flowers, berries, and lemon wheel
Cranberry Ritz at Ava Gene’s (Portland, OR)
Ingredients:
Ice
1.5 oz. cranberry juice
1 oz. honey
.75 oz. lime juice
Ginger beer
Mint sprigs (for garnish)
Directions:
-Fill rocks glass with ice
-Shake cranberry, juice, honey, and lime juice together
-Fine-strain into a rocks glass
-Top with ginger beer and garnish with mint sprigs
The Ace at Fort Oak (San Diego, CA)
Ingredients:
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. lime juice
1.5 oz. orgeat syrup
Ice
Pebble ice
1 slice dehydrated pineapple (for garnish)
Directions:
-Shake pineapple juice, lime juice, and syrup together with ice and strain into a Collins glass filled with pebble ice
-Garnish with a slice of dehydrated pineapple
Cranberry-Rosemary Cooler at Basic Kitchen (Charleston, SC)
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. Cranberry-Rosemary Shrub*
1.5 tsp. lime juice
1.5 tsp. Cinnamon Syrup**
6 Tbsp. club soda
Ice
1 sprig fresh rosemary (for garnish)
Directions:
-Add all ingredients in a Collins glass and top with ice
-Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary
*Cranberry-Rosemary Shrub
Ingredients:
6 cups frozen cranberries
6 cups water
1.5 cups white wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
4–6 sprigs rosemary
Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar
-Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries pop (about 20 minutes)
-Let cool, then strain
**Cinnamon Syrup
Ingredients:
5 cups sugar
5 cups very hot water
10 smashed cinnamon sticks
Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar
-Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes
-Let cool before straining out cinnamon sticks
Virgin Milk Maid at The Whistler (Chicago, IL)
Ingredients:
.75 oz. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
.25 oz. simple syrup
.75 oz. lime juice
3 cucumber slices (reserve 1 slice for garnish)
2 pumps salt
Directions:
-Shake all ingredients with two cucumber slices
-Pour into a rocks glass
-Garnish with two pumps of salt and a slice of cucumber
Rosemary Lemon Spritz at The Rooftop at Harmon Guest House (Healdsburg, CA)
Ingredients:
1 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. rosemary syrup
.75 oz. honey syrup
Soda water
Lemon wheel
1 rosemary sprig
Directions:
-In a tall glass, mix lemon juice, rosemary syrup, and honey syrup
-Top off with soda water
-Garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary sprig
Watermelon Smash at Summer House Santa Monica (North Bethesda, MD)
Ingredients:
6 large mint leaves, pressed
2½ oz. fresh watermelon juice
½ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. simple syrup
Splash of soda
Lime wedge (for garnish)
Directions:
-Muddle mint leaves in bottom of glass
-Add ingredients, stir, and garnish with lime wedge
Spiced Pineapple at RPM Steak (Chicago, IL)
Ingredients:
Ice
4 oz. fresh pineapple juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 slice jalapeño pepper
1 sprig cilantro
Grated lime zest (for garnish)
Crushed pink peppercorn (for garnish)
Directions:
-Fill Collins glass with ice and stir in pineapple juice, lime juice, and simple syrup to combine
-Top drink with jalapeño, cilantro, lime zest, and pink peppercorn
The Bloom at 20|Twenty Restaurant (Carlsbad, CA)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz lemon juice
1 oz. Lavender-Infused Syrup*
Ice
Club soda
Lemon wheel (for garnish)
Edible flowers (for garnish)
Directions:
-Shake all ingredients together with ice and pour into a Collins glass
-Top with club soda
-Garnish with half lemon wheel and edible flowers
*Lavender-Infused Syrup
Ingredients:
½ cup lavender
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Directions:
-Steep lavender in boiling water
-Slowly stir in sugar until dissolved
Pineapple Ginger Mojito at Oyster Bah (Chicago, IL)
Ingredients:
2 oz. pineapple syrup
1 oz. fresh lime juice
.5 oz. fresh pineapple juice
.75 oz. spiced ginger syrup
3 pieces pineapple chunks
1 Tbsp. mint leaves
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Splash of soda
Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in a shaker
-Shake, strain, and pour into a Collins glass
-Top with extra ice and a splash of soda
Alsace Spritz at Everest (Chicago, IL)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Harvest Infusion Syrup
*The infusion is 1 cup steeped Alsace Harvest tea with 1 cup of sugar.
.5 oz lemon juice
Club soda
Ice
Lemon coin (for garnish)
Directions:
-Build in a Collins glass with ice
-Stir to combine
-Garnish with a lemon coin
