23 Best Mocktail Recipes To Try At Home

If you’re looking to throw a party or have a get-together with friends, then being able to provide a wide range of interesting and delicious drinks is an important part of being a good host.

Having a range of alcoholic drinks is easy, but what about your guests who either don’t drink or just want to try something different?

That’s why we’ve collated this list of the 23 best mocktails to try at home. Some of them are virgin versions of popular alcoholic cocktails, whereas others are specially designed non-alcoholic drinks.

They’re all listed in alphabetical order and all are delicious!

1. Blue Hawaii Mocktail

The key ingredient to making this blue Hawaiian mocktail so delicious is the inclusion of blue Gatorade.

The mixture of Gatorade, limeade, and pineapple juice in equal amounts makes this a refreshing and tasty drink that can look a little more green than blue.

The drink looks especially good when served in a hurricane glass or a similar tall glass. Add a slice of pineapple on the side of the glass and a maraschino cherry when serving.

2. Blue Mojito Mocktail

This blueberry mocktail is best made with frozen blueberries as they will produce a stronger and deeper purple color than you would get from fresh ones.

Many mocktail mojito recipes replace alcohol with soda but this recipe uses coconut water instead. You will need to muddle the mint leaves as you make the drink to get the best flavor from them.

The flavor of the mojito comes from the mint leaves, lime juice, and pink lemonade concentrate.

3. Citrus Strawberry Mocktail

If you want a mocktail that looks like sunshine in a glass, then this citrus strawberry mocktail is the perfect drink for you. It has a lovely sweet flavor that isn’t sugary sweet thanks to the combination of strawberry and citrus.

The sourness of the citrus cuts through the sweetness of the strawberry. Fresh strawberries are best for this mocktail but frozen ones are also suitable.

You’ll need to boil the ingredients together and then strain the strawberries to separate them from the liquid so they can be added as a topping later.

4. Ginger Gastrique

This is a non-alcoholic take on the Sidecar and is also known as a Steve McQueen. Its predominant flavor is ginger and this is produced by the inclusion of fresh ginger.

The ginger flavor isn’t overpowering, however, due to the addition of sherry vinegar and apple cider vinegar.

The sherry vinegar does have trace amounts of alcohol in it, but this will all be burned away in the process of making the mocktail. 

5. Honey Blackberry Mint Mocktails

Honey isn’t a common ingredient in cocktails or mocktails, but this drink uses it to great effect to make a refreshing blackberry drink.

To get the best results and flavors for this mocktail, you will need to muddle the mint leaves and blackberries.

Make sure you use seltzer and not tonic water and add a few fresh blackberries to the top of your finished drink before serving.

6. Lemon Basil Spritzer

This mocktail is not only alcohol free, but can easily be made as a naturally sugar free drink too. The recipe gives you the option of using either a simple syrup of liquid stevia and the other ingredients are all sugar-free.

As the name suggested, the strongest flavor is lemon and that comes from lemon juice and lemon wedges.

The combination of lemon and basil gives you a very light and refreshing taste that is perfect for the summer months.

7. Mai Tai Mocktail

Mai Tais are a well-known Tiki drink that usually has rum as its base. However, this is a non-alcoholic version and just like the alcoholic one, it will be the perfect drink to serve at any luau or island-themed party.

It’s made from equal parts orange and pineapple juice with a splash of lime juice, almond syrup, and grandine. It’s best served over ice with some oranges, limes or cherries as garnish.

8. Mango Mojito Mocktail

This is the second mojito-style drink on this list and it won’t be the last! This version of the classic mojito adds mango to give the drink a more tropical taste than it would usually have.

You will need to muddle 10 mint leaves to release their flavor and add these to some sugar, lime juice, and mango puree. You can use fresh mango that has been pureed in a blender for this.

The drink is then combined with some club soda and poured over ice.

9. Non-Alcoholic Mimosa

No brunch is complete without a mimosa or two and if you’re hosting but need a non-alcoholic alternative to the traditional mimosa, then this recipe is for you.

Instead of sparkling wine, the drink uses sparkling water and also adds in some pineapple juice to give it something extra special.

Of course, the orange juice is still present as it wouldn’t be a mimosa without one! Like a traditional mimosa, you should serve it in a champagne glass.

10. Non-Alcoholic Moscow Mule

Traditional Moscow Mules are made from vodka, ginger beer, and lime. As this is a mocktail, there’s no vodka included but that doesn’t take away from the great taste of the drink.

Although it’s served over ice, the addition of ginger means that this drink would also make a great choice for any fall or winter parties. You can add mint leaves to the drink if you wish to add some minty flavor.

11. Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail

This is another recipe that makes use of ginger, however, unlike the Moscow Mule that used ginger beer, this time its freshly ground ginger root that gives the drink its ginger kick.

The main flavor comes from the pomegranate though, and this is in the form of pomegranate juice. When the drink is finished and served you can garnish it with some pomegranate seeds and a slice of lime.

12. Refreshing Hibiscus Mocktail

As this drink is based on hibiscus tea, it’s not as sweet as many other mocktails can be.

It can be made with either hibiscus tea bags or loose leaf tea and will take longer to prepare than other mocktails as the tea is brewed hot and then allowed to cool.

It’s sweetened slightly with a honey syrup and topped with some lime juice and sparkling water.

13. Salted Caramel White Russian Mocktail

Most of the drinks on this list are ideal for hot summer nights, but this salted caramel white Russian was made for winter.

The sweet salted caramel sauce in the drink will instantly make people think of Christmas and you should consider adding this to your menu whenever you host a festive party.

It’s also great for caffeine addicts as it includes a large hit of coffee as well as the caramel sauce, cream, and vanilla extract.

14. Sangria Mocktail

Here’s another mocktail recipe that’s designed for Christmas and the colder months. It’s more of a winter drink than a summer drink due to the fruits that are included.

Anything that has cranberries will instantly make people think of winter and this sense only becomes higher when you add orange and ginger, too. The drink also includes raspberries, a pear, and pineapple juice.

15. Shirley Temple

Unlike many of the other well-known drinks on this list, a Shirley Temple has always been a non-alcoholic drink.

It’s made with grenadine, a cocktail mixer that is made from pomegranate juice and gives the drink its distinctive bright red color.

It’s also made with lemon-lime soda and the juice of a lime and is usually served with some maraschino cherries on top.

16. Sparkling Cranberry Kombucha Mocktail

Kombucha is a fermented drink that is made with tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast. It can be bought in bottles in a wide variety of flavors or, if you have the time, you can make it yourself from scratch.

This mocktail recipe uses bottled kombucha and allows you to choose your own flavor. As well as kombucha, you will also need cranberry juice, fresh ginger, and rosemary to make this drink.

17. Triple Berry Sparklers

This drink looks amazing and takes a unique approach to making a mocktail that tastes as good as it looks.

The triple berries referred to in the name of the mocktail are blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries but instead of being mixed into the drink, they’re instead frozen into coconut water ice cubes.

You will need to prepare the ice cubes a few hours before making the drink so that they’ve had enough time to freeze. The liquid part of the drink is made from seltzer, honey, lime juice, and lemon juice.

18. Virgin Cosmopolitan

There is no vodka in these virgin cosmopolitans but they retain all of the other flavors and features that made the drink so famous.

By using a reduced sugar cranberry juice you can easily make this a low-sugar alternative to the other sugary mocktails in this article.

The only ingredients are the cranberry juice, lime juice, sparkling water, and orange juice, so it’s a relatively simple drink to mix.

19. Virgin Margarita

This margarita has a strong citrus taste due to the inclusion of lime, lemon, and orange juice.

You can control exactly how citrusy it is by reducing the amount of lime juice and lemon juice and increasing how much simple syrup you use.

The syrup is easy to make as it’s just a water and sugar mix although this will need to be made in advance as it’s mixed while hot and needs to cool down.

20. Virgin Mary Mocktail

The non-alcoholic version of the bloody Mary is probably one of the most famous mocktails there is. It’s a very unique tasting drink due to its savory taste and the spicy and salty flavors within it.

There aren’t many mocktails that use hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish, after all! The main ingredient is tomato juice and it’s this that gives the drink its distinct red color.

21. Virgin Mojito

We’ve already had a couple of mojitos on this list, but they were both variations on the classic recipe that had additional ingredients. This recipe is based on a classic mojito but makes it non-alcoholic.

The flavor comes from muddling mint leaves and lime and the drink can be made with either club soda, or a drink such as 7-Up (for more amazing 7-Up cocktails, read here). If you opt for club soda, you will need to add some additional sugar to balance out the lime juice.

22. Virgin Piña Colada

Nothing says tropical vacations and hot summer days better than a piña colada! It’s like drinking a tropical milkshake due to its creamy texture and sweet taste.

As this mocktail version uses some ice cream, it’s a little creamier than the standard piña colada but it’s just as delicious.

As well as the ice cream, the recipe uses pineapple chunks, coconut milk, and pineapple juice for that tropical taste.

23. Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri

Although regular strawberry daiquiris are made with rum, this mocktail version leaves out the alcohol. You can use either frozen or fresh strawberries but we recommend using a mix of the two for the best results.

The drink is made with a simple syrup of water and sugar that will need to be made a few hours in advance so that it has time to cool down.  

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we will answer some of the most commonly asked questions about making mocktails at home.

What Is a Mocktail?

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic drink. It’s a portmanteau of the words “mock” and “cocktail” and is used to refer specifically to non-alcoholic drinks that are a mix of ingredients such as different juices, syrups, creams, and fruits. 

What Equipment Do I Need to Make Mocktails At Home?

If you’re planning to just make a few mocktails for fun, then you will probably be able to create delicious mocktails with the equipment you already have in the kitchen.

However, if you’re serious about making cocktails and mocktails at home, then you will need to pick up a few pieces of equipment to make the best drinks possible. 

One of the most important items is a shaker. These have a glass and metal jug that slots together to create a leakproof seal and allow you to shake and mix your ingredients together. 

Jiggers are also a necessary piece of kit as when making a mocktail, you will need to measure out precise quantities of liquid and this is what jiggers are for.

A bar spoon will allow you to stir drinks in tall glasses as well as create drinks that are layered. For mocktails that include fruit in them, a strainer will help you remove any excess pulp.

There are some mocktails that require more specific equipment. For example, cocktails such as Mojitos and Caipirinhas that use herbs will need a muddler to process the herbs correctly.

How Do You Muddle Herbs?

You may have noticed throughout this article that several recipes require herbs, usually mint, to be muddled. Muddling herbs means that you press down on them gently to extract the oils from them.

You shouldn’t break the herbs or tear them, just press them. This can be done with a muddler or a pestle and mortar.

Final Thoughts

Whatever reasons you or your guests have for not drinking alcohol, there’s no reason why you can’t join in the fun and have a delicious and interesting drink.

This list included non-alcoholic versions of famous cocktails such as mojitos and margaritas, but also had some unique combinations that even alcohol drinkers won’t be able to resist.

We hope that you enjoy making, and drinking, the mocktails in this article.