The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes This Season

Mocktails: The Curious Elixirs To Enjoy Anytime

Lately, I have found that I have been searching for more Non-Alcoholic cocktail recipes than normal. You see, sometimes I am in the mood for a cocktail but don’t necessarily want the boozy effects. 

Recently I was the DD for the evening, and at the restaurant we were patronizing they had this exquisite-looking cocktail. I wanted to try it but I knew if I did I shouldn’t drive. 

I asked the bartender if he could make it sans the alcohol and he gladly complied. The drink was marvelous and I vowed to come back another time for the leaded version.

Dry January: A Great Time To Sample Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes

At the beginning of every year, I hear people talking about ‘Dry January’. They start the year off vowing to not drink a sip of alcohol for the entire month.

I’m sure this is so hard just after all of the parties and family events of the holidays. I have tried to abstain from drinking Coca-Cola a few times. Those first 4 days were miserable! 

The hard part is we are all in these social situations where others are drinking and we feel that (internal) pressure to get that alcoholic beverage that we are so used to drinking.

That got me thinking about writing about Mocktails and Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes.

Mocktails and Your Waistline

Don’t think that just because you are avoiding alcohol that you will be losing weight on these Mocktails. Usually they will include more sugary ingredients to offset the alcohol.

So if your intention for having a non-alcoholic cocktail is to lose weight, Mocktails might not be the right choice for you.

Mocktail Choices Come in Many Shapes and Sizes

Today we have many choices in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink adult beverages. You can ask for your familiar cocktails without the alcohol but many times that will alter the taste in not a good way.

There is non-alcoholic beer, wine as well as non-alcoholic canned cocktails, Optimist drinks, and non-alcoholic spritz beverages. The list grows longer every day.

Adaptogenic Euphorics as Mocktails

These Mocktail ‘Cocktails’ are not as well known non-alcoholic drinks. They come in cans filled with many a variety of herbs and plants along with caffeine. It is said that they can relax you and provide you with mental alertness and clarity. 

Depending on where you live, they come in many different types and with different (legal for your State) items that can include anthing from CBD or even mushrooms. 

It sure seems like a healthy alternative to drinks like Monster or Red Bull, which are mixed into cocktails all the time but have some ingredient’s that aren’t very healthy. 

Maybe in a future blog I can test out some adaptogenic euphorics mixed with a spirit or two and give you the lowdown. As for today, I’m just suggesting these Mocktails all on their own.

Your Sparkling Linup of Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes

I handpicked these recipes for their taste first but mostly for the ease at which you can make and share them. It is always fun to share a cocktail or two with friends, right?

Watermelon Lemonade Mocktail

6 cups fresh watermelon Cubed and seeded. 

¾ cup fresh lemon juice

4 cups water

¾ cup sugar

Ice 

Mint (garnish)

First, cube your watermelon and put it into a blender to puree. Then strain well. Next mix water, lemon juice, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add watermelon puree, add mint, ice, and stir. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve. Makes 6 servings. 

Non-Alcoholic Mojito (Nojito)

3 Tbsp Club Soda

2 Tbsp Apple Juice

4 tsp Lime Juice

3 tsp Elderflower Non-Alcoholic Cordial

2 Lime Wedges

6 Mint Leave (to muddle)

1 Sprig of Mint (for garnish)

Place 6 mint leaves into your glass and muddle to extract the juice and full flavor of the leaves. Next add your apple juice, lime juice, and Elderflower Cordial and stir. Finally, add your club soda on top (you may use a little more if desired). Garnish with a mint leaf.

Pure and Simple Sangria

4 Cups Grape Juice

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

12 oz Can of Frozen Apple Juice (thawed)

3-4 Cups of Club Soda

1 Orange (sliced)

1 Lime (sliced)

1 Apple (diced)

1 Cup Strawberried (sliced)

¼ Cup Blueberries

1 Sprig of Mint

Mix juices in a pitcher then add fruit. Stir and then place in refrigerator for two hours (or more) to let the fruit soak in all the juices. When it’s time to serve, pour into glasses and then top off each glass with ½ cup (or more) of Club Soda. Makes 6 servings.

Mocktail Margarita

2 Tbsp Orange Juice (fresh if possible)

3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice

2 tsp Agave Nectar

⅓ Cup Club Soda

Lime Slice (for garnish)

Coarse Salt (for rim)

To start with rim your Margarita glass with lime juice and then dip it into coarse salt. Next mix all other ingredients except for Club Soda into a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into Margarita glass and top off with Club Soda then stir gently. Garnish with a lime slice.

Coconut Cooler 

4 Cups Coconut Water

2 Cucumbers (sliced thin)

½ Cup Fresh Lime Juice

¼ Cup Sugar 

¼ Cup Mint Leaves

In a pitcher, muddle ½ of the mint leaves then mix the coconut water, cucumbers, lime juice, sugar, and remaining mint leaves. Refrigerate to chill. Makes 4 servings.

Raise Your Glass to Dry January

You will see from my recipes that alcohol-free cocktails can be just as delicious and enjoyable as their boozy counterparts. 

With a little bit of creativity and a bit of experimentation, you can craft your own delicious drinks with the same flavors and textures as classic cocktails. It is actually fun!

So the next time you’re looking for an adult beverage without alcohol, give these zero-proof cocktails a try! And for more cocktail ideas follow me at Nextcocktails.com or at NextCocktails on Facebook.