13 Easy and delicious non-alcoholic cocktail and mocktail recipes
Whether you're observing Dry January or just after a tasty non-alcoholic bevvy, these flavourful mocktail recipes will make you forget all about alcohol.
Dry January may get all the hype, but there's no reason to tuck away all our non-alcoholic cocktail and mocktail recipes the rest of the year. A delicious drink made with thought and care is always a welcome addition to any meal, event or outing, but sometimes the alcohol just isn't. Whether you're trying out a more healthy diet and saving your calories for takeout and delivery from the best restaurants in Toronto or just trying to avoid brain fog and bloating, we've got non-alcoholic cocktail and mocktail recipes that will give any alcoholic drink a run for its money.
There are now more low-ABV and non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirit options available than ever, in stores and at Toronto's best bars. Brands like Ceder's, Lyre's and Seedlip are offering all the flavour of a distilled, alcoholic spirit, in a non-alcoholic format. Swap them into your favourite cocktail recipes in place of your usual spirits to make them non-alcoholic, or follow these non-alcoholic cocktail and mocktail recipes — there's no wrong way to do it.
Alcohol or not, cocktail drinkers are looking for more variety and these mocktail recipes deliver. Make them as-is or swap in alcohol if you feel like it. It's a booze your own adventure (sorry).
Brenton Mowforth's Pearl Earrings mocktail recipe
From Brenton Mowforth's swoon-worthy cocktail Insta page (@cheerstohappyhour), this mocktail recipe combines Seedlip Spice, cream of coconut and citrus for a sophisticated sipper.
Add water, sugar and matcha to a saucepan over medium heat.
Gently whisk until all ingredients are blended.
Cool and store in fridge.
Moment of Zen method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until foam is formed.
Add ice to shaker and shake again to chill the ingredients.
Add fresh ice to a rocks glass and pour cocktail over ice.
Add mint sprig as a garnish.
The Fairmont's In the Garden mocktail
From Rus Yessenov, the director of beverage at the Fairmont Royal York, this mocktail recipe gets its delicious herbal notes from Seedlip Garden 108 and chamomile tea.
Combine all ingredients in an old fashioned glass with fresh cubed ice. Stir.
Garnish with an orange slice.
Blackberry Extra Chai mocktail recipe
This mocktail recipe is packed with adaptogens thanks to Daydream's hemp-infused blueberry chai sparkling water and Kickass 89, a non-alcoholic amaro made with immunity-boosting botanicals.
1 tangerine, juiced (reserve a ribbon of rind for garnish)
1 oz non-alcoholic amaro such as Kickass 89
1 can Daydream Blackberry Chai
Tangerine rind ribbon, to garnish
Chai Syrup Ingredients
12 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
½ tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
½ tsp whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 Tbsps fresh ginger, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
To make the chai syrup, combine the cardamom, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for 6 minutes.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the toasted spices, ginger and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Once the syrup turns amber coloured, remove from heat and strain through a sieve. Allow to cool.
To make the Blackberry Extra Chai, combine Kickass 89 (or other non-alcoholic amaro), chai syrup and Blackberry Chai together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.
Strain into a glass.
Float the juice of one tangerine on top. Garnish with a ribbon of tangerine rind.
Rise's The Refresher mocktail recipe
Refresh yourself with this mocktail that sees pineapple, kiwi and Rise kombucha combine for a bright sipper.
Add one slice of lemon, one slice of kiwi and syrup to a glass filled with ice.
Add the kombucha. Stir with a bar spoon.
Garnish with a fresh slice of kiwi and serve.
Sarah Kate's Harmon's Beer Shandy recipe
Founded by Sarah Kate, the blog SomeGoodCleanFun features plenty of tips and recipes for people who are rethinking drinking. Try her beer shandy with Harmon's non-alcoholic craft beer.
Add 1 part Harmon's Lunchbox Lager and 1 part sparkling lemonade to a pint glass.
Enjoy!
Lyre’s Apéritif mocktail recipe
Capturing the style of a dry vermouth, Lyre's Apéritif Dry can be used as a non-alcoholic replacement for the spirit. It shines in this mocktail recipe from Fever-Tree’s cocktail recipe book, Easy Mixing.
Place ginger and sugar into a food processor and pulse for 45 seconds.
Spread the sugar mixture thinly on a baking sheet and leave to dry out overnight.
Once the sugar has dried, it will stick together. To return it to a powdered state, pulse in a food processor. To speed up the process, you can also bake the sugar at 170 F for 2 hours.
To rim the glass, juice a lemon onto a small plate and fill a second small plate with the ginger sugar. Dip a highball glass into the lemon juice, then gently shake off the excess. Dip the glass into the sugar and twist until the rim is entirely coated.
Add ice to the glass, using tongs to avoid smudging the sugar rim.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the ginger beer, Daydream and Seedlip. Stir.
Carefully pour into the glass, making sure not to wet the rim.