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The 17 Best Mocktail Recipes To Make in 2022

Mark Stock
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The stress of 2022 has probably caused some of us to drink a bit too much (no judgment). So if you’re looking to lay off the sauce and switch things up a little bit — while still indulging in some creative cocktail recipes — a mocktail is a fine choice. After all, many of us are in the midst of a dry year and running out of inventive ideas to keep the zero-proof sauce flowing.

Sure, a mocktail won’t give you the buzz that a cocktail would, but these non-alcoholic drink recipes also won’t make you feel as bad if you have too many of them (both in terms of a hangover and on the scale, if you’re watching your weight). Below, you’ll find different mocktail recipes that range in flavor from sweet and a little spicy to fresh like a spring garden. Bottoms up!

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Berry Burlesque

Berry Burlesque Cocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 1 oz  black currant puree
  • .5 oz lime juice
  • .5 oz honey syrup
  • 4-6 mint leaves
  • Q Ginger Beer

Method:

  1. Shake all ingredients except Q Ginger Beer and strain over fresh ice.
  2. Top with Q Ginger Beer.

Cardi Tea

Cardi Tea Cocktail Sen Sakana
Sen Sakana

(Created by Zachary Gross, Sen Sakana, New York City)

Ingredient:

  • 1.5 oz steeped green tea
  • .5 oz agave syrup
  • .5 oz bergamot orange
  • .5 oz lime juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg white

Method:

  1. Dry shake all ingredients, then shake with ice.
  2. Double strain into a coupe.
  3. Garnish with a seasoned lemon slice.

Kama’s Arrow

Kamas Arrow Cocktail Death and Co
Death and Co.

(Created by Tyson Buhler, Death & Co, Denver)

Ingredient:

Method:

  1. Shake ingredients together with ice, then strain into a glass.
  2. Garnish with crushed pistachio.

Halcyon Days

Halcyon Days Cocktail
Joanna Carpenter

(Created by Joanna Carpenter, Town Stages, New York City)

Ingredient:

  • 1.5 oz homemade pineapple shrub
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger
  • Pinch of ground allspice
  • Pinch of honey
  • Q Ginger Ale to top

Method:

  1. Muddle 2 tsp of fresh diced ginger with a pinch of allspice and honey.
  2. Spoon into the bottom of a chalice or tulip glass.
  3. Add 1.5 oz of pineapple shrub.
  4. Top with pebbled ice and Q Ginger Ale.
  5. Add enough pebbled ice to make a dome.
  6. Drizzle with honey and a sprinkle of allspice, and garnish with a pineapple leaf.

On the Hudson

On the Hudson Cocktail Boqueria
Boqueria

(Created by Kieran Chavez, Boqueria, New York City)

Ingredient:

  • 2 oz Seedlip Spice
  • 2 oz Fuji apple juice
  • .3 oz fresh lemon juice
  • .4 oz black pepper syrup
  • pinch of Maldon sea salt

Method:

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients.
  2. Shake for at least 15 seconds to incorporate.
  3. Strain into a glass.
  4. Top w/a heavy splash of tonic (around 1 ounce).
  5. Fill glass with ice.
  6. Garnish with 2 apple slices laid flat across the top of the cocktail.
  7. Top with a turn of freshly cracked pepper.

Cucumber Quencher

Cucumber Quencher Hotel Hugo
Hotel Hugo

Ingredient:

  • 2 oz club soda
  • .75 oz agave thyme syrup
  • .25 oz cucumber juice
  • .25 oz lemon Juice
  • 6-8 mint sprigs
  • Oval cucumber slice for garnish
  • Thyme sprig for garnish

Method: 

  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker.
  2. Shake well then double strain into a highball and top it off with club soda.
  3. Garnish with an oval cucumber slice and a thyme sprig.

Classic Bubbly

Classic Bubbly Cocktail
Effie Gurmeza

(Created by Marnie Rae, National Mocktail Week)

Ingredient:

  • 5 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries
  • 4 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 5 drops lemon extract
  • 5 drops orange extract
  • 2 pomegranates worth of pips

Method:

  1. In a large saucepan, add all ingredients but the pomegranate seeds.
  2. Bring to a light simmer over medium-low heat.
  3. Simmer for approximately 25 minutes.
  4. Let cool.
  5. Blend well in a blender to incorporate all ingredients.
  6. Add soda/sparkling water to taste.
  7. Garnish with pom seeds.

Verbena Virgin Mary

Lemon Verbena Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 8 oz United Sodas lemon verbena
  • 3 oz tomato juice
  • several shakes of hot sauce
  • pepper and celery stick for garnish

Method:

  1. Mix the soda with the tomato juice and hot sauce in a Collins glass and mix with a bar spoon.
  2. Replace the celery stick with a dill pickle if you’d like.

Matcha Margarita

Tenzo Margarita Mocktail
Amanda Boyd

Ingredient:

  • 6 oz tonic water
  • 2 oz lime juice
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1 oz orange juice
  • 1 tbsp agave syrup
  • .5 tsp Tenzo matcha
  • kosher salt
  • extra lime for garnish. Add in 6 oz seltzer into the cocktail shaker.

Method:

  1. Pour ice into a cocktail shaker and add 6 oz tonic water to cocktail shaker.
  2. Add in all of the juice, 1 tbsp agave and ½ tsp Tenzo matcha into the cocktail shaker.
  3. Shake well until everything has been combined. 
  4. Prepare the salted rim of the cocktail glass by squeezing a lime wedge over the rim of the cocktail class.
  5. Next, place the rim of the cocktail glass on a plate of kosher salt.
  6. Pour the margarita mixture into the salted cocktail glass, garnish with a lime, and enjoy.

Agrodolce

Ghia Agrodolce Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 2 oz Ghia
  • .5 oz date syrup
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 3 dashes of orange bitters
  • 1 small sprig of thyme
  • orange zest

Method:

  1. Pour Ghia into a shaker.
  2. Add date syrup, 3 thyme sprigs, and orange bitters.
  3. Shake and strain into a lowball glass with a large ice cube.
  4. Garnish with small sprig of thyme and a dusting of orange zest for a kick of citrus.

Chill Warm Nighttime Tonic

Chill Nighttime Tonic Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 1/3 cup Health-Ade Plus Chill
  • .75 cup coconut milk (or non dairy milk of choice)
  • .5 tsp dried lavender
  • 2 dashes cinnamon
  • .5 tsp vanilla extract
  • sweetener of your choice (optional but recommended)

Method:

  1. In a small pot add all of the ingredients except the kombucha.
  2. Bring the heat to low, stirring, letting the flavors merge, you’ll begin to smell the aromatics from the lavender and vanilla.
  3. At this point, froth the warm liquid and slowly add the kombucha.
  4. Froth one more time and pour into your favorite mug.

Mock Mint Julep

Mock Mint Julep
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

Method:

  1. Pour ingredients over crushed ice and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

Flower Power

Flower Power Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 1.5 oz Ghia
  • 2 oz elderflower tonic
  • grapefruit or lemon zest for garnish

Method:

  1. Pour Ghia and mix with elderflower tonic.
  2. Serve in lowball glass on the rocks.
  3. Garnish with the zest of fresh grapefruit and lemon.

Sweet Tea to Die For

Sweet Tea To Die For Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

Method:

  1. In a shaker, add two slices of either peach or nectarine, add crushed ice, and muddle.
  2. Fill the shaker half-way with sweet tea and shake until mixed.
  3. Dump into a tall glass and add more ice if needed.
  4. Top with chilled DRY Blood Orange Botanical Bubbly.
  5. Garnish with a lemon wedge and fruit slices.

Cacao Cherry Mint Julep-ish

Free Rain Cacao Cherry Mint Julep-ish Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

(Created by Rachelle Robinette of Free Rain)

Ingredient:

  • 1 can of Free Rain (Energy, for color though any function works)
  • .5 cup of cherries (fresh, frozen and/or maraschino) with juice
  • 1 fresh peppermint sprig
  • 1 tsp cacao nibs
  • maple syrup, food-grade peppermint essential oil, dried cherries (optional for garnishing)

Method:

  1. Add a splash of Free Rain, mint and cherries (with some syrup) into a shaker or rocks glass.
  2. Muddle well (for a sweeter drink, add more juice or some maple syrup).
  3. Add peppermint oil, ice, and fill remainder of glass with Free Rain.
  4. Garnish with mint, cherry and a sprinkle of cacao nibs.

Ginger and Lemon Mint Reset Mocktail

Belly Reset Kombucha Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 1 bottle of Health-Ade Plus Belly Reset
  • 1 whole juiced lemon
  • 8 lemon slices (4 for muddling, 4 for garnish)
  • 4 slices of fresh ginger (1/2″ thick)
  • 3 sprigs of fresh mint

Method:

  1. Slice your lemons and juice your 1 lemon.
  2. Slice your ginger and remove the skin.
  3. Add your 4 lemon slices, ginger, and mint in your glass and muddle for about 2 minutes until the leaves are squished and the lemons are broken apart.
  4. Pour kombucha into your muddled mixture.
  5. Stir to combine and pour into a coupe glass.

Matcha Peach Daiquiri

Tenzo Matcha Peach Daiquiri Mocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredient:

  • 1 cup frozen peaches
  • 1-2 tbsp agave (depending on how much sweetness is desired)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • .5 cup water
  • .5 tsp Tenzo matcha
  • 5 ice cubes

Method:

  1. In a blender, combine frozen peaches, agave (or simple syrup), lime juice, water, and ice cubes.
  2. Blend on high until a thick, frozen mixture has formed.
  3. If the mixture is too thin, add in a few extra ice cubes and blend again. 
  4. Pour the peach mixture into a cocktail glass. 
  5. Prepare a matcha shot by whisking ½ tsp Tenzo matcha in a little bit of water. 
  6. Pour the matcha shot over the peach mixture.
  7. Using a straw or spoon, stir until the matcha has blended into the cup.

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Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
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