Leave the bottle at the door, these non-alcoholic cocktail recipes require not a single drop of booze. You can shake, stir or muddle up your own non-alcoholic cocktails from the comfort of your own home with just a handful of ingredients.
This troupe of tasty mocktails is the perfect list to refer to whether you never drink or are just abstaining for a little while (post-particularly-bad-hangover, or otherwise). Ideal for kids and mums-to-be too, there really is something for everyone when it comes to mocktails. And the beauty of this list is that they can always be tweaked if you don’t have all the ingredients, feel free to add your own personal touch or twist.
Fruity summer punch
Bring your own sunshine to summer with this colourful punch. Made from a mix of juice and sliced up fruit it’s pretty hard to go wrong with your mix, but below is our suggestion for a good balance of flavours.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 5mins
Suggested serve: Highball glass
Garnish: Strawberries and mint
Ingredients
- 300ml orange juice
- 300ml cloudy lemonade, we like Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade
- 300ml tropical juice
- 100g sliced strawberries, plus extra to garnish
- Handful sliced orange and lemon slices
- Few sprigs mint, plus extra to garnish
- Ice, to serve
Method
- Mix together all the ingredients, except the ice, in a large jug.
- To serve, divide the ice between four glasses and pour over the punch. Garnish with strawberries and mint.
Shirley Temple
The original non-alcoholic recipe, this sweet pink drink is sure to be a hit with mini mocktail connoisseurs. Although allegedly created by a bartender at Hollywood restaurant Chasen’s to serve to child actress Shirley Temple, the leading-lady herself claimed she didn’t like them!
Serves: 4
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Highball glass
Garnish: Maraschino cherries
Ingredients
- 30ml grenadine
- Ice
- 350ml Sprite, or similar
- 350ml ginger ale, we like The London Essence Company's Delicate Ginger Ale
- Maraschino cherries
Method
- Pour equal parts of the grenadine into four tall glasses, over ice. Top with equal parts of sprite and ginger ale.
- Stir well and top each glass with a cherry.
Sans-gria
Take yourself off to sunnier shores with this moreish holiday staple, minus the vino. Our favourite bit is the snack you get at the bottom of your glass. The fruit slices will have soaked up all the lovely flavour of your mocktail, making a delicious little finisher.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 15mins
Suggested serve: Red wine glasses
Garnish: Chopped oranges and apples
Ingredients
- 1 apple, cored, peeled and chopped
- 1 orange, sliced into small pieces
- 175ml orange juice
- 75ml apple juice
- 750ml red grape or blackcurrant juice, we like Kingsdown Blackcurrant Sparkle
- Ice, to serve
Method
- mix together all the ingredients in a large jug with plenty of ice.
- Pour into glasses and enjoy.
Strawberry and mint lemonade
Everyone loves lemonade, and adding strawberries and mint takes things to a whole new luscious level. With its pretty pink colouring this looks as good as it tastes, too.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 20mins
Suggested serve: Kilner glass mugs
Garnish: Sprigs of mint
Ingredients
- 4 unwaxed lemons, roughly chopped
- 175g caster sugar
- 100g strawberries
- 1ltr water
- Ice
- Mint, to serve
Method
- In a food processor blitz all the ingredients, except for the ice, together. Strain through a sieve into a jug and add the ice.
- Pour into chunky glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Iced tea
There’s nothing more thirst-quenching than a long, tall glass of cold iced tea. We love this simple recipe for its versatility. Make it your own by varying the tea flavours and mixers. This keeps well in the fridge, too, so you can make ahead and keep for up to three days.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Highball glasses
Garnish: Lemon slices
Ingredients
- 1ltr water
- 4 tea bags
- 3tbsp sugar
- Ice, to serve
- 1 lemon, sliced, to garnish
Method
- Boil the water and pour over the tea bags and sugar. Stir then leave to infuse for 6mins, remove the tea bags, then cool.
- Serve over ice in long glasses and garnish with lemon slices.
Mock up mojitos
Jazzing up soda water isn’t always the easiest of tasks, but with just a few additional ingredients you can mix up a mojito. This is great, too, if you want to make some with alcohol and some without. Simply mix in 50ml of white rum per person, for those wanting things a little spikier!
Serves: 4
Ready in: 15mins
Suggested serve: Highball glasses
Garnish: Mint
Ingredients
- 4 limes, cut into wedges
- 4tsp caster sugar
- Small bunch mint, plus extra to garnish
- 200ml apple juice
- 600ml soda water
- Ice, to serve
Method
- Divide the limes, sugar, mint and apple juice between four glasses and muddle until everything is well crushed. You can use the end of a rolling pin for this, if you don’t have a muddling stick.
- Top up with soda water and add ice. Stir well before serving and add some mint to garnish.
No-gin sour
This sweet and sour serve is like grown-up lemonade, and all the more delicious for it. The egg whites create the most amazing frothy texture, just make sure you use the freshest possible and highest quality eggs.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Whiskey glass or coupe
Garnish: Strip lemon rind
Ingredients
- Ice, to shake and to serve
- 8tsp icing sugar
- 8 egg whites
- 8tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 200ml non-alcoholic gin, we like Cedars
- Strips of lemon rind, to serve
Method
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, reserving some for serving. Top with the icing sugar, egg whites, non-alcoholic gin and lemon juice. Shake vigorously for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes thick and foamy.
- Strain into chilled glasses and top with strips of lemon rind.
Gin-free G&T
When the craving for a gin and tonic strikes, no other drink will do. Happily, there are a whole load of different non-alcoholic gins available now which add that signature juniper kick without any of the booze.
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Highball glass
Garnish: Strip lemon rind
Ingredients
- 200ml non-alcoholic gin, we like Seedlip
- 400ml tonic water, we like Fentiman's Botanical Tonic Water
- Ice, to serve
- 4 sprigs rosemary, to serve
- 1 orange, sliced, to serve
Method
- Pour the non-alcoholic gin and tonic water over ice and stir.
- Bash the rosemary slightly to release its oils and add a sprig to each glass, along with a slice of orange. Stir again and serve.
Non-alcoholic mulled wine
Christmas is definitely one of those times you don’t want to miss out on all the party favourites if you’re not drinking. Mulled wine fills the house with a festive scent and this non-alcoholic version is deliciously sweet and spicy.
Serves: 6
Ready in: 10mins, plus infusing time
Suggested serve: Moscow mule copper mugs
Garnish: Fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks
Ingredients
- 1ltr red grape juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks, to serve
Method
- Add all of the ingredients, except for the cranberries and additional cinnamon sticks, to a pan and bring to a simmer. Just before the mixture begins to boil take off the heat and leave to infuse for 30mins.
- Strain and serve in mugs, reheating if necessary.
Virgin pina colada
Under most circumstances we wouldn’t be fans of paper paraphernalia in drinks, but somehow pina coladas can carry them, and carry them well. We love this fun and fruity drink for summer parties and picnics – the perfect way to get everyone in a celebratory spirit.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Poco grande glass
Garnish: Paper umbrellas and maraschino cherries!
Ingredients
- 250g frozen pineapple chunks
- 150ml pineapple juice
- 150ml unsweetened coconut milk
- 2tbsp brown sugar
- Handful ice
- Paper and umbrellas and maraschino cherries, to serve
Method
- Blitz all of the ingredients, except the garnishes, in a blender until smooth. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if liked.
- Pour into glasses and decorate with paper umbrellas and cherries.
Rhubarb cordial
Sweet and sour, this punchy pink cordial makes the most of delicious rhubarb cordial while it’s in season. Because of this recipe being a cordial it makes 12 glasses, and just needs topped up with either regular or soda water for a refreshing long drink.
Serves: 12
Ready in: 10mins
Suggested serve: Julep cup or champagne flute
Garnish: Paper straws
Ingredients
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 250g rhubarb, chopped
- 1tsp dried rose petals, optional
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Ice, to serve
- Paper straws, to serve
Method
- Put the sugar in a large pan and cover with 150ml water. Bring to just below a boil and add the remaining ingredients, except for the ice.
- Simmer the mixture over a medium heat until the rhubarb is falling apart. Pour through a muslin cloth to strain (or a fine sieve) and into clean, sterilised bottles. Keep in the fridge for up to one month.
- To serve add around 25ml cordial to 100ml soda water and a handful of ice. Finish with a paper straw.