The best mocktail recipes to try when avoiding alcohol

Looking to find ways to cut back on the booze? You might want to avoid alcohol because you’re counting calories, acting as a designated driver or maybe even expecting a baby. No matter the reason, the best mocktail recipes guarantee you won’t have to sacrifice the fun and flavor of a refreshing drink just because you’re passing on the alcohol.

As the summer get-togethers continue to roll on, we wanted to find a collection of the best mocktail recipes that would make anyone feel like celebrating.

Here are nine of the best mocktail recipes we could find that you’ll want to mix up for your next party or just while relaxing at home.

Easy Sunrise Mocktail

Move over mimosas and tequila sunrises! This Easy Sunrise Mocktail, shared by Boozehive on Reddit, uses a combination of lemon juice, pineapple juice, orange juice and a few other sweet syrups to create this beautiful drink.

Watermelon Mojito

Few things are more refreshing in summer than watermelon, but this watermelon mojito summer cooler recipe just might be more quenching than the fruit itself. Posted originally on Reddit by BharatsKitchen, we found a YouTube video showing exactly how to make this mojito. All you need is watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh mint leaves and ice. Check out the video from Zaika of Spices for an easy tutorial:

Punch And Plain

The 62nd Cocktails YouTube channel is usually dedicated to the best of boozy drinks. However, once in a while, some mocktails wind up in the mix. One of 62nd Cocktails’ fabulous YouTube posts brings together three of the best mocktail recipes we’ve seen in a single video (below).

One of the three, the Punch and Plain, is similar to the Sunrise Mocktail above (using flavors of orange juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, and simple syrup), but adds bubbles to lift the drink into the stratosphere.

Mister Oxford

The Mister Oxford is a four-ingredient drink that citrus-lovers won’t be able to get enough of once they get a taste. You will need lemon juice, pineapple juice, Orgeat syrup and some nutmeg. Make sure you have a shaker to mix your drink.

Blueberry Julep

Finally, 62nd Cocktails makes a twist on a traditional mint julep. The blueberry julep mocktail makes the most of in-season blueberries and transforms them into a sweet, fizzy and refreshing drink. Gather together some blueberries, mint leaves, sugar, lime and some ginger beer. (Ginger beer is not the same as ginger ale. Ginger ale is milder, while the fermented ginger beer has a spicier flavor. Both are non-alcoholic.)

Directions on how to make all three these recipes are in 62nd Cocktails’ instructional video:

Hugeau Mocktail

This unusual mocktail shared by CrixuAMG on Reddit uses alcohol-free prosecco, lime juice, elderflower syrup, sparkling water, ice and fresh mint leaves. Yes, alcohol-free prosecco exists, and a quick Google search brought us to Gruvi “dry secco” on Amazon. When looking for elderflower syrup, Reddit users recommend either trying Ikea or Amazon.

Strawberry Shrub For Mocktails

A “shrub” in the world of mixology is a syrup made of fresh fruit, sugar and some type of vinegar. It typically gets added to alcoholic drinks, but The Wee Pearl recommends it for both mocktails and cocktails. This Strawberry Shrub recipe can be added to club soda, juices and other non-alcoholic beverages. The YouTube video shows the process, which is a bit longer than others on this list. But, some good things are worth waiting for, right?

Summer Acai Refresher

Summer and fresh strawberries are a seasonal match made in heaven. This Summer Acai Refresher shared by MocktailNet on Reddit adds a trendy twist by using acai powder. You’ll also need sugar, water, white grape juice and ice to mix up this refresher.

Seed Starter

Recipe creator Raffe1911 on Reddit shared an original drink creation called Seed Starter. It blends kiwi, mint, fresh lime juice and ice. It’s a simple mocktail that looks special and has a nice blend of tart and sweet.

It might be fun to plan a mocktail party with friends where you get together, mix up a few of these recipes, sip and enjoy! Which ones would make the cut at your celebration?