6 of the World's Best Mocktail Recipes

For a variety of reasons – perhaps you’re the designated driver for the evening, looking to lose a little weight or you’ve made a permanent lifestyle choice – mocktails have recently become an absolute must on drinks menus at bars and restaurants, at private parties or festive dinners, offering fun and flavour in a glass without anyone consuming a single drop of alcohol. Refined, refreshing and oh-so gorgeous, non-alcoholic punches, mulled drinks and spritzers are the perfect combination of taste and festivity for all party animals, just without the booze!

With surprisingly complex flavours and elegant garnishes, today’s mocktails are virtually indistinguishable from their boozy counterparts. One way to make a mocktail is to take a cocktail recipe and simply skip the alcohol. That’s not a bad option, and was in fact how bartenders have historically made virgin versions of many classic drinks. The base was usually soda water, tonic water or ginger ale, to which syrups, fruit juices, aromatics and garnishes were all added.
 

However, these days innovative mixologists – whether in elegant Parisian restaurants, trendy bars, or jazz clubs – are pushing the boundaries further. Rather than just miss out alcohol from the blend, they are using zero-proof alternatives to whisky, gin, tequila, vodka and rum to up their game, while introducing non-alcoholic wines from sparkling to rosé, reds and whites into the mix too. This gives mocktail recipes the note and complexity of their original alcoholic versions, but happily without the wearisome after-effects.
 

So be adventurous at your next dinner party or summer picnic – whatever the occasion, add mocktails to your drinks menu. Buy in zero-proof spirits and non-alcoholic wines, and pull together a collection of high-end mixers such as ginger beers, fruit juices, syrups and purées. More unusual choices, like maple and lychee syrup, coconut water or apple cider, are also recommended by mixologists at Rooftop Pedzouille La Grange, where you can enjoy fabulous panoramas over Paris to the Eiffel Tower along with your bespoke aperitif. 
 

And it wouldn’t be a mocktail without the garnish! Keep fresh mint, citrus peel, fresh fruit or flowers, cucumber and good olives in brine all on hand to add that extra-special touch to your cocktail. 

In these days of enlightened concern for our physical health and mental well-being, it’s time to say au revoir to overly sugary mocktails. Low-sugar versions with a focus on personal wellness are working their way onto creative mixologist Matthias Giroud’s exceptional drinks menus at IlVolo Bar Rooftop and Tribe Table in Paris. Yet more life-enhancing creations cater for dietary preferences or allergies, thanks to the use of natural sweeteners such as honey, fresh seasonal (and local) fruits or unique superfood additions like kombucha to elevate the mocktail. This new take on zero-proof beverages ensures a guilt-free and mindful infusion that’s less of an indulgence and more of a health-giver.

Looking to impress your guests? Here’s how to knock up deliciously tasty mocktails to complement all cuisines and all sorts of social occasions. When you present your fruit-infused signature mocktail, your guests won’t ever want to leave. 

First created in the 1930s, the famous Shirley Temple mocktail has finally grown up; it’s no longer a saccharine pink concoction topped by a maraschino cherry, but an easily made, refreshing drink with a squeeze of lime juice or ginger ale added to prevent it becoming too sickly sweet.
 

What you’ll need for one mocktail

• Crushed ice
• 150 ml ginger ale
• 25 ml lime juice
• 15 ml grenadine
• 1 maraschino cherry for garnish

Method

• Fill a highball glass with the ice.
• Pour in the ginger ale and lime juice.
• Add the grenadine.
• Garnish with the maraschino cherry.
• Taste and top up with more ginger ale or lime juice if needed.

Drink yourself healthy, not hungover! Blend anti-inflammatory ingredients with vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins to aid your immune system, vision and skin health. Add freshly squeezed citrus juices packed with vitamin C, and you’ve got a mocktail doubling up as a powerful wellness boost.
 

What you’ll need for one serving

• Grated fresh ginger
• Grated fresh turmeric
• A grated carrot
• Freshly squeezed orange, lemon or lime

Method

• Place the ginger, turmeric and carrot in a kitchen blender and mix well. 
• Pour into a glass, add the citrus juice, stir and drink. 

Strawberries are readily available in Europe during the summer months, so take advantage of their plump juiciness to conjure up a seasonal mocktail full of goodness. Up the nutritional value by using honey with a low glycemic index (which doesn't make your blood sugar levels spike) in place of sugar. 
 

What you’ll need for 8 glasses

• 8 fresh strawberries
• 1 lemon or lime
• Handful of fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Crushed ice
• 400 ml soda water
• Mint leaves and extra strawberries for garnish

Method

• Place the strawberries, lime juice, mint and honey in a jug (or blender) and mix well. 
• Add crushed ice to the glassware and strain the strawberry mixture over it.
• Top up with the sparkling soda water, garnish and serve.

Swerve the tequila by mixing a margarita mocktail bursting with flavours. The combination of the citrus juices in this recipe helps to recreate the tangy, warm taste of the tequila – or you can replace them with spirit-free tequila for a similar zestiness – and this refreshing drink is a sublime choice for picnics or pre-dinner drinks on warm days. 
 

What you’ll need for one person

• Crushed ice 
• 60 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 30 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Olive brine
• Teaspoon of agave nectar or maple syrup
• Lime wedge
• Sea salt for the glass rim
• 60 ml soda water
• Slice of lime for garnish

Method

• Half fill a cocktail shaker or jug with ice.
• Add the juices, brine and agave/maple syrup, and shake for 15 seconds to chill.
• Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip it into the salt. Tap off any excess.
• Pour the mix into the glass, top up with soda to taste and garnish with the lime slice.

Although mocktails are not generally the preserve of children, here’s a non-alcoholic punch you can prepare ahead of time to share with kids – and any drivers – at Halloween parties. You’ll be voted parent of the year! 
 

What you’ll need for 12 drinks

• 2 litres cherry juice
• Pared peel of 3 oranges
• 1 whole red chilli, pierced several times
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cloves
• 6 slices of fresh ginger
• Plastic spiders and eyeballs or sweets like wine-gum fangs, skeletons and liquorice strings for garnish

Method

• Tip all the ingredients into a large saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, leave to cool and chill for at least 4 hours (it can be left for up to 2 days in the fridge) to intensify the flavours.
• Take the chilli out after a few hours if young children are going to be drinking the punch.
• Pour the punch into each glass, add a paper straw and the garnish, and serve.

Spiced, zero-proof mulled wine goes down a festive treat; it takes minutes to make and it’s just as warming and comforting as its alcoholic cousin. Here’s a foolproof mocktail recipe that will see big smiles around the Christmas table. 
 

What you’ll need to serve 6

• 500 ml pomegranate juice
• 250 ml apple juice
• Handful of blackberries or other seasonal berries
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1 quartered orange 

Method

• Place the pomegranate juice, apple juice and berries into a saucepan. Add the spices and orange. 
• Simmer gently for 20 minutes and strain into heatproof glasses.
• Add a cinnamon stick or star anise for garnish and serve. Happy Christmas! 

When it comes to mocktails, there’s only one rule – alcohol is absolutely not allowed. Other than that, anything goes, so have fun – and feel great – discovering your favourite zero-alcohol drink! For more healthy ideas, why not whip up a vegan burger to pair with your delicious mocktail?