10 Mocktail Recipes To Serve At Your Next Dinner Party
For great-tasting mocktail recipes, you do not have to be an expert bartender. Just because you’re giving up the alcohol doesn’t mean you have to give up the flavor. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Serving these mocktails will be a hit at your next dinner party and will be drinks that everyone can enjoy.
1. Grapefruit spritzer
The key to a good cocktail is to play with tastes as well as textures. One way to achieve that texture is sparkling or seltzer water. The fizzy nature will have plenty of bubbles once you take that first sip. Mixing this with grapefruit juice makes for a delicious and refreshing combination. Feel free to use bottled grapefruit juice or squeeze one yourself! Plus you can add a slice as a garnish for extra style points. Add in some ice cubes if the water is a little too sparkling for your taste. Not to mention the beautiful pink color this drink has.
2. Sparkling strawberry cucumber
For another delicious mocktail recipe that includes sparkling water, try out this drink with natural fruit flavors. Slice up some strawberries and cucumbers and pour them into a glass. It’s best to remove the seeds and stems beforehand and only use small strawberries. Depending on your taste, keep the amount of each equal unless you have a preference. Pour in the sparkling water and maybe even a dash of lemon juice or ice cubes and your drink will be ready to serve. The sweetness of the strawberries will be kept subtle but will ultimately be a refreshing drink in the summer or any time of the year.
3. Lavender Lemonade
This alliterative name is not only fun to say but makes for a delicious drink to sip on. Incorporating the refreshing taste of lemonade with the pleasant flowery taste of lavender makes for an amazing but simple mocktail recipe. The lemonade is also relatively simple to make with lemons, water, and sugar. The lavender flavor comes in the form of a syrup that is prepared ahead of time. Heat up water, sugar, and lavender flowers and your syrup will be ready. Once you have your syrup, mix it with your lemonade to fuse the two flavors together. This helps reduce the sticky texture syrup tends to have and keeps it from sinking to the bottom of your drink. Include a few lavender flowers as a garnish for a touch of spring that makes this one of the best mocktail recipes to make for a brunch party.
4. Fruit-infused sparkling water
You might take fruit-infused water with you on the go to work or classes. This is definitely a great way to give your water a hint of fruit flavor. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use this method for mocktail recipes. Pour some iced water in glasses and a hint of sparkling water to get that carbonated texture. There doesn’t have to be an exact amount, just eyeball it if you want. Slice up different fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi. This drink is light, healthy, and above all delicious.
5. Watermelon slushies
You may remember slushies from your childhood as a sweet drink to drink on a hot day. While you might get one while you are out and about or from your nearest convenience store, you can also make them on your own as drinks. To make these slushies a bit more sophisticated, substitute the ample amount of sugar and artificial flavors with the natural flavors of fruit. This mocktail recipe includes watermelon, but feel free to use whatever fruit you feel would taste great as a slushie. To make the slushie, you will just have to combine the watermelon and ice in a blender. The total prep time is only 15 minutes but click here for a more detailed explanation. Add in a slice of watermelon in each glass and you’ll have plenty of delicious summertime mocktails.
6. Watermelon lemonade
Sticking with watermelon as the main ingredient, including the sweetness of watermelon into lemonade will definitely be another great drink to make in the summertime. Preparing the lemonade ahead of time is relatively straightforward. When it comes to adding in watermelon, there are a couple of different options. You can extract the watermelon juice and mix it with the lemonade, or you can cut it into cubes and freeze them before serving. Adding in frozen watermelon cubes will not only keep your drink cool but add in the subtle flavors of watermelon. Before serving, you can coat the rim of the glass with sugar like a traditional margarita. This mocktail recipe makes for great beachside drinks.
7. Sangria
This traditional summer cocktail is the staple for any summer gathering. However, this refreshing drink can still be enjoyed without alcohol. Mocktail recipes like these involve getting a bit more creative with removing the alcoholic component. For this one, we are substituting red wine with cranberry juice. Not only are they similar in color, but they both contain more or less similar flavors in terms of sweetness. It’s best to keep the juice chilled rather than iced to preserve the flavor unless you add sparkling water to give the sangria texture. Once you have it prepared, slice up your favorite citrus fruits like oranges or apples and your sangria is ready to serve.
8. Cranberry orange punch
The great thing about these mocktail recipes is their simple ingredients and how combining common ingredients can make delicious drinks. This fruit punch includes orange and cranberry juice and Sprite. The use of sprite adds in a hint of lemon-lime as well as a fizziness to the drink. The ratios of each ingredient are once again up to you. The vibrant pink color is contrasted beautifully with the orange slice garnish.
9. Cuddles on the Beach
This mocktail is a take on the classic cocktail but made more “family-friendly” if you know what I mean. Like the name implies, this drink tastes great and will definitely make you feel good. The main component for this mocktail is the peach flavor which can be included with peach nectar or soda. Once you have this, mix with sparkling water and cranberry and you will have a drink that is reminiscent of a sunset on the beach.
10. Strawberry basil lemonade
For another drink that looks as great as it tastes, try this take on classic lemonade. We have already covered lemonade recipe, but adding in strawberries adds in a different type of sweetness. Plus the basil adds in an additional peppery taste for an extra element of flavor. Definitely a step up on the classic summer drink.
