This holiday season, turn to these nonalcoholic drinks and mocktails for when you want a little something special.
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Over the last decade, the nonalcoholic drinks category has blossomed from, “Have you heard about this gin that has no booze in it?” to a full catalog of wines, beers, cocktails, and other spirits. That's GREAT news for those who do not partake in alcohol because it opens up the world of mocktails and N/A or no-ABV (alcohol by volume) cocktails.
With the number of nonalcoholic drink options now available, it’s possible to build an entirely sober bar (here’s how to do it). Grab your favorite N/A ottles because we gathered our favorite mocktails for you below. Cheers!
Featured In: The Non-Alcoholic Holiday Survival Guide
Robin Shreeves joins Elana Lepkowski in compiling this list.
1. Cranberry Ginger Sparkler
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
Get Recipe: The 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Mocktail I’m Drinking All January Long
Senior Editor Laurel Randolph says, "This mocktail is equally good with Trader Joe’s 100% Cherry Juice and you’ll still achieve a nice red color. For a drier and less sweet nonalcoholic drink, swap up to half of the ginger beer for plain sparkling water."
2. Nonalcoholic Negroni (NAgroni)
Get Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Negroni (NAgroni)
Do you crave the bittersweet taste of a Negroni? Perhaps invest in a few bottles of booze-free gin and vermouth to mix up this alcohol-free take on a classic cocktail. The ratios are different, but the taste is just as bold as the original.
3. Earl Grey Tea and Tonic
Get Recipe: Earl Grey Tea and Tonic
Tea provides a wonderful stand-in for alcohol with its strong tannins and often complex flavor profiles. A citrus-y Earl Gray tea syrup has a luscious mouthfeel in this bright and bubbly drink made with lemon and tonic water.
4. Hibiscus Spritz
Get Recipe: Hibiscus Spritz
Dried hibiscus petals pack a TON of flavor—use it to make a ruby-hued syrup. For a simple N/A spritz, pair it with ice and sparkling water. I like it with a generous squeeze of lime. It's a refreshing, anytime drink. Bonus: The syrup will last for weeks in the fridge!
5. Nonalcoholic Mexican Mule
Get Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Mexican Mule
Moscow Mule has a spicy kick and this N/A version does too. It uses booze-free tequila, ginger beer, agave, and lime juice for a familiar, yet exciting twist on a classic. An alcohol-free vodka would make it a little less spicy and a more understated mocktail.
6. How To Make Ginger Switchel
Get Recipe: How to Make Ginger Switchel
If gingery drinks are your thing, try this combination of ginger and vinegar with a touch of honey. It’s super easy to make—no wonder folks have been enjoying it since the 17th century! It's a great base for sparkling water or even iced tea.
7. Spicy Margarita Mocktail
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
Get Recipe: Spicy Margarita Mocktail
Senior Editor Laurel Randolph says, "This formula works every time for me and is a crowd-pleaser—not too sweet, not too tart. However, adjust this to your tastes. If you like your drinks on the tart side, use as little as one teaspoon of agave. If you prefer a sweeter drink, use two teaspoons. And add more or less jalapeño to meet your heat tolerance."
8. Pear-Ginger Shrub
Get Recipe: Pear-Ginger Shrub
Pears are in season in January and a perfectly ripe bunch will make a flavorful shrub. Steeped with ginger or vanilla, this tart shrub is invigorating sipped on its own or mixed with club soda. Complete the party with a cheese plate.
9. Lavender Lemonade
Get Recipe: Lavender Lemonade
Want to elevate a tart lemonade? Add a hint of lavender. Want even more? Add a splash of club soda and an ounce of Seedlip’s Grove 42 for a burst of citrus.
10. Winter Spiced Orange Mocktail
Get Recipe: Winter Spiced Orange Mocktail
Highlight fresh citrus with this spice-scented mocktail. This is a recipe for a bitter orange squash (a fruity syrup, not a vegetable). Serve it with sparkling water, as a sweetener for your tea, or even drizzled over an orange loaf (a baked dessert, not a mocktail).
11. Limeade with Mint
Get Recipe: Easy Limeade
While limeades conjure up summers by the pool, it’s also a mood booster on cold winter days. With a hint of mint, this refreshing drink can be enjoyed from morning till night. And if you’re looking for a nightcap, add an ounce and a half of booze-free tequila.
12. Cucumber Lime Mint Aqua Fresca
Get Recipe: Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca
Make a pitcher of emerald-hued Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca when you need an N/A drink for a crowd! It’s a great option when you’re hosting and need something for imbibing guests (place a bottle of vodka nearby) and those who aren't.
13. Nimbu Soda with Cucumber (Cucumber Salted Lime Soda)
Get Recipe: Nimbu Soda with Cucumber (Cucumber Salted Lime Soda)
Contributor Elana Lepkowski says, "If you have a thin-skinned English or Persian cucumber, you can keep the peel on. You don’t have to remove the seeds. If you have one of the thicker dark green cucumbers, peel them off. The skin becomes bitter when muddled."c
14. Hot Mulled Cider
Get Recipe: Hot Mulled Cider
Batch up this cold weather favorite for a week’s worth of warm, comforting, mulled cider. The secret to a deep apple flavor is using freshly pressed cider, not the shelf stable kind, plus whole spices for more potent flavors.
15. Classic Mimosa (Made Zero Proof)
Get Recipe: Classic Mimosa
Pretend that bottle of La Marca in the photo above is an alcohol-free brut-style sparkling wine. Boom! You've just visualized how easy it is to make an N/A mimosa. With so many varieties on the market now, you may even consider creating a N/A Mimosa Bar.
16. Homemade Butterbeer
Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski
Get Recipe: Homemade Butterbeer
You don't have to be a kid to enjoy this Harry Potter-inspired drink. Use store-bought or homemade butterscotch syrup and add it to cream soda. Top with whipped cream—flavored with more butterscotch syrup—and you're drinking like you're a Gryffindor.
17. Raspberry Lime Rickey
Get Recipe: Raspberry Lime Rickey
Originating in New England, this popular, refreshing, fizzy, N/A drink contains a simple-to-make tart and sweet raspberry syrup, lime juice, and seltzer. This is the perfect mocktail for a mixed group with some who want to abstain and others who want a little nip because it works well with vodka or gin in it.
18. Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Get Recipe: Apple Cider Hot Toddy
There's nothing like a hot toddy to perk you up when you're feeling a little under the weather. Omit the whiskey in this recipe to make a Not Toddy, and you have all the flavor and warming vibes with none of the booze.
19. Rosemary Lemon Rhubarb Spritzer
Get Recipe: Rosemary Lemon Rhubarb Spritzer
As winter comes to a close and spring is in the air, that's when you'll want to your attention to this nonalcoholic spritzer. Rhubarb pieces, water, sugar, and rosemary leaves simmer until the rhubarb disintegrates. Add a little lemon, chill, and you'll have syrup to add to soda water to make a refreshing spritzer.
20. Cranberry Tangerine Shrub
Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski
Get Recipe: Cranberry Tangerine Shrub
This puckery shrub harnesses all the crantastic joys of the holidays. It's a snap to make and keeps well in the fridge for weeks. The shrub itself is a base syrup to mix with sparkling water, N/A gin and tonic, or whatever else your heart desires.
21. Tepache
Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski
Get Recipe: Tepache
Wintery? No, but this on-trend fermented pineapple drink has a natural fizz that's invigorating in bleak winter months. Intimidated by home fermentation? It doesn't get any easier than this one. Bonus: homemade tepache is way easier on the wallet than buying it in cans or bottles.
