16 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 all ingredients except soda water to a shaker tin with ice. Shake.
Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Top with soda water.
Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Rise's Mango Splash mocktail recipe
This refreshing sipper made with Rise kombucha will transport you straight to the tropics with juicy flavours of mango and papaya.
Makes 1
Preparation time 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 mango
2-3 fresh basil leaves
7 oz (207ml) RISE 1g Mango & Papaya
Method
Blend the mango with 2 Tbsp of water and some ice.
Pour into a cocktail glass.
Slowly add the kombucha and the basil leaves. Stir with a bar spoon and serve.
Ceder's Pink Rose & Tonic mocktail recipe
The star of this mocktail recipe is Ceder's Pink Rose, a non-alcoholic spirit with a soft and sweet take on classic gin flavours.
1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 part Ceder's Pink Rose
2 parts tonic water
Raspberries, to garnish
Mint, to garnish
Method
Combine Ceder's Pink Rose and tonic water in a highball or wine glass over ice. Stir.
Garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.
Moment of Zen mocktail from EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace
Chill out with this vegan-friendly, refreshing alcohol-free tipple that will get you in the mood for warmer weather.
1
Preparation time 15 minutes
Ingredients
Moment of Zen ingredients
1 ¼ oz FLUÈRE Non-Alcoholic Smoked Agave
1 ½ oz matcha simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz pineapple juice
A splash of Ms. Better’s Bitters Foamer
1 mint sprig
Matcha simple syrup ingredients
2 tsp matcha powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Method
Matcha simple syrup method
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.
Rus Yessenov
Serves 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 oz Seedlip Garden 108
2 oz chamomile tea
¼ oz verjus
½ oz simple syrup
3 oz soda
Mint sprig, to garnish
Cucumber ribbon, to garnish
Dehydrated lime wheel, to garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients in a wine glass over ice. Stir.
Garnish with a mint sprig, cucumber ribbon and a wheel of dehydrated lime.
Rise's The Surfer mocktail recipe
Surf on a wave of juicy watermelon with a hit of fresh mint in this mocktail from Rise.
Makes 1
Preparation time 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 watermelon slice
1 tsp maple syrup
7 oz (207ml) RISE 1g Watermelon & Mint
3 fresh mint leaves
Method
Blend the watermelon slice to make juice.
Strain the watermelon juice and pour it into a glass.
Add the kombucha and maple syrup. Stir with a bar spoon and serve.
Lyre’s Negroni mocktail recipe
Lyre's range of non-alcoholic spirits come together in this mocktail recipe for a booze-less take on a classic negroni.
Serves 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 oz Lyre's Dry London Spirit
1 oz Lyre's Apéritif Rosso
1 oz Lyre's Italian Orange
Orange slice, to garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients in an old fashioned glass with fresh cubed ice. Stir.
Garnish with an orange slice.
Barbet's Grove Waves
This refreshing mocktail is a walk on the beach in a glass with Barbet Light Wave's flavours of cucumber, pineapple and lavender mixed with mango.
Stefano Greco
Makes 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
3 oz Barbet Light Wave
1 ½ oz Seedlip Grove 42
½ oz mango mint cordial
¾ oz fresh pressed lemon
Dehydrated lemon wheel, to garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to a rocks glass over ice.
Stir.
Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.
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.
Serves 1
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 oz chai syrup
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.
Makes 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 slice lemon
2 slices kiwi
1 tsp passion fruit syrup (optional)
7 oz (207ml) RISE 1g Kiwi & Pineapple
Method
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.
Barbet's Wild Spice
The warming flavours of blood orange, calamansi and jalapeño in Barbet's Wild Card mix with honey and lemon for a mocktail with a kick.
Stefano Greco
Makes 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
3 oz Barbet Wild Card
1 ½ oz Seedlip Spice 94
1 oz black pepper honey cordial
½ oz fresh pressed lemon
Dried Thai chili pepper, to garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
Stir.
Strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with dried Thai chili pepper.
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.
Serves 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
¾ parts Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
¼ part Lyre’s Apéritif Dry
3 lemon wedges
Thyme sprig, to garnish
Method
Pour Lyre’s Apéritif Dry into a highball glass filled with ice cubes.
Squeeze the lemon wedges over top, then drop them in.
Top up with the Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. Garnish with a thyme sprig.
Barbet's Garden Love
Lime, basil and raspberry combine with the flavours of pink grapefruit, ginger and juniper found in Barbet Love Bite for a rollercoaster of tastes on your tongue.
Stefano Greco
Makes 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
3 oz Barbet Love Bite
1 ½ oz Seedlip Garden 108
¾ oz fresh pressed lime juice
½ oz raspberry basil cordial
Dehydrated lime wheel, to garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to a glass over ice.
Stir.
Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.
Fever-Tree's Gunner mocktail recipe
A few dashes of Angostura Bitters add complexity to this mocktail recipe from Fever-Tree’s cocktail recipe book, Easy Mixing.
Serves 1
Preparation time 5 minutes
Ingredients
¾ parts Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Ale
¼ part Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lime wedge, to garnish
Method
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add the bitters.
Pour over the Premium Fever-Tree Ginger Ale, then top up with Premium Fever-Tree Ginger Beer.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Peach Plus Ginger mocktail recipe
This peachy mocktail recipe doubles as a pick-me-up with a hit of adaptogens from Daydream's hemp-infused peach ginger sparkling water.
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 2 hours
Ingredients
Ginger sugar
1 lemon
3 oz Premium Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
6 oz Daydream Peach Ginger
1 ½ oz Seedlip Grove 42
Ginger Sugar
3 Tbsp ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cups organic sugar
Method
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.
