Mocktails
"Boujee, not Boozie"

Spicy Prickly Pear Mock Margarita in a rocks glass on top of a white counter, garnished with a lime wedge and salted rim. Since I just finished cleaning and juicing a bunch of prickly pears yesterday, I figured I might as well put them to good use for Mocktail Monday, and a non-alcoholic margarita riff just felt right. Recipe: Spicy Prickly Pear Mock Margarita (Aye! Mockarita!) Ingredients: 2–3 fresh jalapeño slices, adjusted based on your spice preference and the heat of the

A great non-alcoholic sipper to welcome the fall weather.

Pomegranate Black Tea Collins, simple and flavorful. We forwent a garnish on this one because the beauty is the simplicity Simple yet flavorful, this week's Mocktail Monday is light and tart, with just a hint of spice from the ginger beer and a touch of bitterness from the tannins in the tea on the back of the palate. Built in the glass we're going to serve it in, it doesn't get much simpler than this. Don't be fooled, though. While it might be low on effort, it's high on fla

The finished Strawberry Balsamic Spritz, Garnished with some (definitely not frozen) strawberries. Admittedly I would have rather used a single fresh strawberry, but you make do with what you have some times. It's so crazy, it just might work... is what I thought when this popped into my head, and what do ya know? It did! I know it might sound like I went off the deep end, but you gotta try this one. I have been meaning to start tinkering with shrubs for a while, but hadn't g

It's another mocktail Monday! We are back from our break, and with the weather warming up we wanted to bring on the summer vibes. Its light, its bright, its summer in a glass, and best of all its 100% alcohol free. Recipe: Strawberry Coconut Collins (N/A) Ingredients: 2 medium strawberries* 2 oz coconut water 0.5 oz cream of coconut 1 oz lemon juice ~3 oz club soda Optional (but highly recommended): 1/8 oz imitation rum flavor 4 dashes El Guapo Polynesian Kiss bitters 4 dashe

With spring in the air and St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, we wanted something light, refreshing, and of course… green. Enter the Emerald Tonic. Subtle cucumber is offset by bright kiwi and citrus, with just a splash of bitterness from the tonic to add a little complexity. It checks all the boxes and is perfect for celebrating the warmer days ahead. Recipe: Emerald Tonic (N/A) Ingredients: 4 cucumber slices (~¼" thick) Juice of 1 lime (~1 oz) Juice of ½ kiwi 2 oz p

Today’s Mocktail Monday is an early nod to spring, because if we can’t control the weather, we can at least control what’s in the glass. Lemon brings the vibrant sour, lavender adds those soft floral notes, and the egg white gives it that silky, cocktail-bar foam moment. It’s light, refreshing, and a just a little bougie(without the booze). Recipe: Lavender Sour(N/A) Ingredients: 1 oz lavender syrup 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3 oz cold water 1 egg white 4 dashes lavender bitters(

Today’s Mocktail is inspired by a cocktail I had on my first trip to Colombia with my wife, a trip that definitely holds a special place in my heart. The passion fruit brings bright, tropical acidity and that unmistakable tang, while the orgeat rounds everything out with a smooth, nutty sweetness. It’s vibrant, refreshing, and balanced, the kind of drink that instantly transports you somewhere warm. (Which with the cold front that just rolled through is definitely a plus) Rec

Happy (Belated) Mocktail Monday This week’s mocktail is perfect for hosting. It’s completely batchable, ready to pour, and keeps really well for a couple of days, so you’re not stuck behind a shaker while everyone else is having fun. Recipe: King Cake Nitro Coffee Mocktini Yields: 1 quart (about 4–5 martini servings) Special Equipment: 1 Liter iSi whipping canister N₂ cartridge(s) nitro tip (optional but recommended) Ingredients: 2 tablespoons freeze-dried coffee** ¾ cup half

Bright, bubbly, and booze-free. This week’s Mocktail Monday is an antioxidant powerhouse that’s sure to be a hit. Recipe: Hibiscus Bliss Yields: ~1 quart Special Equipment: 1-quart soda siphon or 1-quart iSi whipper 8-gram CO₂ cartridge Ingredients: 2¼ cups strong hibiscus tea, chilled ¾ cup pineapple juice, chilled ¾ cup pomegranate juice, chilled Build: Add all ingredients to your soda siphon or iSi canister. Secure the top and charge with one CO₂ cartridge. Shake gently to

Recipe: Crimson Sangría Single Serve: 2 oz beet juice 2 oz cranberry juice 2 oz hibiscus tea 10 drops (≈1/8 tsp) saline solution Ginger beer, to top Chopped fruit, for garnish Pitcher Batch: 1 cup beet juice 1 cup cranberry juice 1 cup hibiscus tea 1/2 tsp saline solution (or a pinch of salt) Ginger beer, added to each glass when serving Chopped fruit, for garnish Build In a glass (or pitcher), add the beet juice, cranberry juice, hibiscus tea, and saline over ice. Stir to ch

In honor of the upcoming reboot of Scrubs premiering in less than 10 days, we made a non-alcoholic version of JD’s signature order: the “Appletini – Easy on the Tini.” This mocktail delivers that bright, tart green-apple punch that defined the appletinis of the early 2000s. Recipe: “Appletini - Hold the Tini” (Non-Alcoholic) Ingredients: 2 oz acid-adjusted apple juice 2 oz green-apple flavored, and green colored drink (I used green apple Powerade) Build: Add both ingredients

It's a busy Mocktail Monday, so we are uncomplicating things and drawing some inspiration from that acronym so many of us probably remember from the '90s and early 2000s, K.I.S.S., or "Keep It Simple, Stupid," to make what I am calling the Cucumber K.I.S.S. and Tonic. It's refreshing, delicious, complex in flavor but not in build, and a reminder that a good mocktail doesn't have to be complicated. Recipe: Cucumber K.I.S.S. Ingredients: 4-5 cucumber slices Tonic water Optional

We are missing the beach, so today's mocktail is an N/A take on a classic, the Painkiller. What is effectively a more complex piña colada, we're following the OG recipe pretty closely, but since we're not using dark rum, we're going to add back some of that funk and depth that the rum brings with a couple of different bitters. Recipe: N/A Painkiller Ingredients: 4 oz pineapple juice 1 oz orange juice 1 oz cream of coconut 4 dashes Molasses Bitters* 2 dashes N/A Aromatic Bitte

Getting back into our Mocktail Monday series with another one of my go-tos, and for lack of a better name, we're just going to go with "Cherry (Diet) Coke, All Grown Up." This one keeps it simple. It's getting built right in the glass, and we're not even going to measure anything, but I'll give you some rough measurements in the recipe below. Recipe: Cherry (Diet) Coke, All Grown Up! Ingredients: 3–4 dashes of N/A or low-ABV bitters (I really like Spiced Cherry bitters in thi

Yes, it's another Mocktail Monday, and since you can't make a mocktail without breaking a few eggs... or something like that. Today we were going to make a pineapple sour, but in the interest of sticking with the long drink format that we love for summer, we are going to add a little club soda and make a pineapple fizz instead. Recipe: Pineapple Fizz Ingredients: 3 oz pineapple ginger juice* 0.5 oz lemon juice 0.75 oz hot honey simple syrup 2 dashes N/A aromatic bitters 1 egg

It's another Mocktail Monday, and we are back from our short little hiatus thanks to gallbladder surgery. This week we are making what we're calling the Triple C Tonic, because supposedly carrot juice, coconut water, and cucumber juice are all good for recovery, and conveniently they also go really well together. The freshness of the cucumber, a little salinity from the coconut water, and a touch of earthiness and sweetness from the carrot all play nicely against the slight b

Finally starting to get some ripe blueberries on our plant, the basil is growing nicely, and I do love an alliterative name, so the Blueberry Basil Buck is the star of this week's Mocktail Monday. Refreshing, light, and perfect for a summer day by the pool! Recipe: Blueberry Basil Buck Ingredients: 2 Tbsp blueberries 3–4 large basil leaves 0.75 oz lemon juice 4 dashes N/A herb bitters ~4 oz ginger beer Build: In a shaker tin muddle the blueberries and basil. Add lemon juice,

I have been really enjoying playing with black tea as the base for mocktails lately, so this week I figured I'd make a Passionfruit Mar-tea-ni for Mocktail Monday. It's refreshing, just a little bitter, and perfect for these warm summer evenings. Recipe: Passionfruit Mar-tea-ni Ingredients: 2 oz strong-brewed black tea 3/4 oz passionfruit puree syrup 1 oz 100% passionfruit juice 2-3 dashes N/A aromatic bitters Build: Add the tea, syrup, and juice to a shaker with ice and shak

With the summer sun in full effect, it's time we switch to longer drinks for the season. Highballs are perfect for this time of year and make a great base for a mocktail. They’re also super simple and quick to throw together when you want something fun and refreshing without a lot of effort. Recipe: Tropical Teaball (A black tea highball) Ingredients: 2 oz concentrated black tea, cooled 4-8 dashes N/A tropical/passionfruit bitters (I go heavy because I like the bitters, but t

This Mocktail Monday I am finally getting around to making one of my favorites, Nitro Hibiscus Tea. I had held off on doing this for some time because it is such a simple recipe and, to me, borders on just being a mocktail, but with summer in full swing this is a great easy option to beat the heat while still feeling like more than just “fancy tea.” Recipe: Nitro Hibiscus Tea Special equipment needed: ISI whipping canister (1 liter or half liter. If using the half liter, halv

Warmer days are here, so perfect weather for a long drink, and since we just cracked open our first watermelon of the season, we might as well put it to good use. Recipe: Sandia Spritz N/A Ingredients: 4 mint leaves 0.5 oz lime (or just the juice of half a lime) 3 oz cucumber watermelon juice* 4 dashes of a herby, non-alcoholic bitter. ~4 oz ginger beer Garnish: Mint and/or thin lengthwise sliced cucumbers Build: Add mint and lime juice to a Collins or highball glass and ligh

It's Mocktail Monday, and we are making a bright, vibrant cranberry sour that is perfect for these warm spring days. This one uses the same cranberry juice from our N/A Cosmopolitan to give you another fun option for repurposing that leftover juice. Side note, I love Sours, especially for Mocktails because the egg white gives the drink a great texture and the foam you get is just so eye catching that it really helps it not feel like a Mocktail in my opinion. Recipe: N/A Cranb

An N/A take on the Dirt Road Martini from Dolly Parton's cookbook For the past week or so, I have been hunting for a drink that was tied to Dolly Parton that we could riff into a mocktail. The only drink I could find that is actually associated with Dolly, and not just a tribute, was the "Dirt Road Martini," which is from her cookbook Good Lookin’ Cookin’, co-authored with her sister, Rachel Parton George. Given that Dolly was reportedly not a big drinker, turning this into a

May the Fourth be with your mocktail. Since it’s Star Wars Day, we figured we might as well make a Bantha Milk Mocktail to celebrate. Recipe: N/A Bantha (Blue) Milk Mocktail Ingredients: 1.5 oz pineapple juice 0.75 oz N/A blue curaçao (or N/A triple sec with 2 drops blue food coloring) 0.5 oz lime juice 3 oz full-fat coconut milk* Build: Add pineapple juice, blue curaçao, and lime juice to a shaker tin with ice. Add coconut milk and shake aggressively to combine and chill. St

It’s Monday, and the Kentucky Derby is less than a week away, which can only mean one thing. We’re making a non-alcoholic version of the classic Mint Julep for Mocktail Monday. Recipe: N/A Mint Julep Ingredients: 6–8 large mint leaves 0.5 oz simple syrup 3 oz strong black tea, cooled 2 dashes Fee Brothers Old Fashioned or Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters* (optional, see note) Mint sprigs for garnish (optional) Build: Add mint and simple syrup to a julep cup or rocks glass, and mud

Recipe: Spicy Cranberry Mock-Margarita Ingredients: 3–5 fresh jalapeño slices (adjust to spice tolerance and the heat of the pepper) ½ oz lemon juice ½ oz lime juice 1½ oz non-alcoholic triple sec 4 oz cranberry juice Build Add jalapeño slices to a shaker and gently muddle to release their juices and oils. Add lemon juice, lime juice, non-alcoholic triple sec, cranberry juice, and ice. Shake to chill. Strain into a salt-rimmed margarita or rocks glass filled with fresh ice. E

A fall inspired, non-alcoholic version of a whiskey sour. Recipe: Spiced Apple Sour Ingredients: 1 oz lemon juice 4 oz spiced apple cider (Preferably RW Knudsen's) 1/2 oz aquafaba or ~1/2 oz egg white (about half an egg white) Freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon Build: Add the lemon juice, spiced apple cider, and aquafaba or egg white to a shaker tin. Add ice and shake vigorously to chill and develop foam. Strain into a coupe glass, or into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

Herby, slightly bitter, and full of complexity, with no booze or "boos" thanks to the Sage. Recipe: Sage of Enlightenment Ingredients: 8 large sage leaves 0.25 oz simple syrup 4 cucumber slices (¼-inch thick) 0.5 oz fresh lime juice 3 oz strong mint tea, chilled Sprig of sage & thin sliced cucumber for garnish Build: Add sage leaves and simple syrup to a shaker and muddle thoroughly. Add cucumber slices and muddle again to release their juices. Add lime juice, mint tea, and i

Creamy, spicy, and just a hint of sweet thanks to the pineapple juice. Recipe: Jala-Piña Colada Fizz Ingredients: 4 slices fresh jalapeño* 2 oz coconut milk 3 oz pineapple juice Splash soda water Build: Add jalapeños to a shaker and muddle lightly to release the juice and oils. Add coconut milk, pineapple juice, and ice, then shake to chill. Strain into a coupe glass and top with soda water. Serve and enjoy! Note: *Adjust jalapeños depending on heat tolerance and the spice le

Inspired by the Trinidad Sour, this mocktail is bright and bitter, with a touch of richness from the orgeat that rounds everything out beautifully. Recipe: The Holly Ingredients: 1 oz lemon juice 1 oz orgeat 3 oz strong black tea 1/8 oz Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters* Lemon twist, for garnish Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake well to chill. Strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy. * Note: While Fee Brothers Aromat

Balanced and Refreshing - The Club Soda and Simple Syrup Knock Just Enough Edge Off the Tonic Water for those who want complexity without the bitter. Recipe: Firekeeper’s Tonic Water Ingredients: 1.5 oz tonic water 1.5 oz club soda 0.5 oz lime juice 0.5 oz simple syrup (we used a butterfly pea blossom simple for the vibrant pink/purple color, but regular simple works just fine) 3 dashes orange bitters Fresh herbs for garnish (rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, etc.) Build: In a ro

A non-alcoholic mojito, made with a butterfly pea infused simple syrup, mint, lime, and soda. Recipe: The Fauxjito (N/A Mojito) Ingredients: 6 large mint leaves 0.5 oz simple syrup (we used butterfly pea blossom simple for color) 1/8 lime wedge (optional) 1 oz lime juice 4 dashes El Guapo Cuban bitters ~4 oz club soda Build: Add mint, simple syrup, and lime wedge to a Collins glass. Gently muddle to release the oils. Add lime juice, bitters, and club soda. Fill with ice and g

Finished Egg Nog topped with Whipped Cream and Fresh Grated Nutmeg A Holiday Classic sans Alcohol: Egg Nog by the Glass or by the Pitcher Recipe: Egg Nog (Single Serve) Ingredients: 1 whole egg 3 oz milk 1 oz heavy cream 0.75 oz simple syrup 1/4 tsp rum extract 1/8 tsp vanilla extract Dash of nutmeg Dash of allspice Garnish: Whipped cream Nutmeg Build: In a shaker, combine all ingredients with ice and shake vigorously to aerate, emulsify, and chill. Strain into a rocks glass

Bougie but not Boozie Recipe: Dubai Chocolate Mock-tini Ingredients: 1 oz pistachio syrup ½ tsp instant coffee ⅛ tsp cocoa powder ~⅛ tsp vanilla extract 4 oz water Garnishes: Grated Dubai chocolate bark Coffee beans Crushed pistachios Build: In a shaker tin filled with ice, combine pistachio syrup, instant coffee, cocoa powder, vanilla, and water. Shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with grated chocolate, coffee beans, or crushed pista

Bright, Floral, and a Little Indulgent Pink lemonade with an indulgent, tropical twist. Ingredients: 3 oz fresh brewed hibiscus tea 1 oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz sweetened condensed milk Build: Add hibiscus tea, lemon juice, and condensed milk to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled and lightly frothy. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and a hibiscus flower. Enjoy! Note: we are using fresh brewed tea that is still warm,

Cranberry Mule: Simple, Festive, Refreshing, and Downright Delicious The tartness of cranberry and lime melds with the bite of ginger to create a drink that honestly doesn’t feel like a mocktail at all. Recipe: Cranbery Mock-Mule Ingredients: ~4 oz cranberry juice (100% cranberry if available; we like Knudsen) ½ oz lime juice, or the juice of a small lime ~4 oz ginger beer or ginger ale (the spicier, the better. Fever-Tree or Buffalo Rock recommended) Build: Fill a mule mug (

Recipe: N/A Cosmopolitan Ingredients: 1 oz cranberry juice (100% cranberry if you can)* .75 oz N/A triple sec(we used Daily’s brand) .75 oz lime juice 2 oz water 3 dashes Fee Brother's Orange Bitters(Original or Gin Barrel Aged)** - optional 3 Dashes El Guapo Cuban bitters - optional Build: In a shaker with ice, add cranberry juice, triple sec, lime juice, and water, and bitters(if using). Shake well and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjo

Recipe: Coconut Limeade Ingredients: 2 oz unsweetened coconut milk 2 oz coconut water 1 oz lime juice 0.5 oz simple syrup Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well to chill. Either pour directly into a large glass (like a hurricane) or strain into a coupe or similar glass. Garnish with fresh lime zest — and an umbrella, if you’re feeling festive. Enjoy! Notes: You can use sweetened coconut milk and omit the simple syrup if you prefer. I like the unsweetened

Despite the name (and the hot honey), this drink isn’t overtly spicy. Instead, the heat shows up briefly on the back of the palate, just enough to wake the senses and add a little bite to offset the absence of booze. The optional smoke adds a layer of complexity that isn’t required, but definitely gives the drink an extra oomph. Recipe: Bittersweet Heat Ingredients: 1 oz lime juice ¾ oz hot honey simple syrup (equal parts Melinda’s Hot Honey and water) 4 oz grapefruit juice(1

Recipe: N/A Blueberry Lemon Drop Ingredients: ~1/4 cup blueberries (fresh if possible, frozen if not) 1 oz fresh lemon juice 1 oz N/A triple sec (I used the Daily’s brand) 1 oz water 3 dashes Fee Brothers orange bitters (optional) (I used the gin barrel-aged orange bitters)* ~2–3 oz chilled club soda or sparkling water (I used limoncello LaCroix, but plain works too) Build: Add blueberries to a shaker tin and muddle. Add lemon juice, N/A triple sec, water, and bitters(if usin

Like a slice of fall in a glass, this cozy mocktail brings all the warmth of apple pie. Ingredients: 1 oz apple pie spice syrup 3 oz apple juice 1 whole egg Nutmeg and a cinnamon stick(for garnish) Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin, then fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled and egg is whipped. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bright and Smokey, With Just a Touch of Heat Recipe: Cinder & Citrus Ingredients: 1 oz charred lemon juice ¾ oz hot honey simple syrup (we like Melinda’s Hot Honey) 3 dashes Angostura bitters 3 oz water To Make the Charred Lemon Juice: Cut the lemons in half and reserve one slice from each for garnish. Place the lemon halves (cut-side up) and the reserved slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet on a heat-resistant surface. Char the cut sides with a butane or propane tor