Non-alcoholic Cocktails for Summer

Trendy Mocktails Include Non-alcoholic Mojitos, Planter's Punch, Bellinis and More

© Jennifer Walker

Jun 12, 2009

Summer is a time for lying by the pool or strolling around parties with refreshing, fruity drinks. There are many alcoholic cocktails that are perfect for a festive summer, but not everyone can or wants to drink alcohol. While some non-alcoholic cocktails are made simply by leaving out the alcohol from traditional cocktail recipes, there are also a lot of delicious mocktail recipes out there.

Traditional Cocktails Minus the Alcohol

For those who enjoy traditional and popular cocktails, here are some that can be made without the alcohol and still taste great:

Mojito

A mint lover’s delight! This is a drink that has become popular in the past few years, hailing from Cuba. It normally contains rum, but is quite tasty without it.

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 sprigs of fresh mint
• 1 lime
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 6 to 8 oz. soda water

1. Muddle the mint, reserving one sprig for garnish, with the simple syrup in the bottom of a tall glass.
2. Add ice cubes.
3. Cut the lime in half. Squeeze one half into the glass, and cut up the other half into three or four wedges for garnish.
4. Pour in soda water. Stir, add remaining lime wedges, and decorate with the last sprig of mint.

This fruity cocktail is a tropical delight for summer time. Normally it is made with rum (add an extra float of dark rum on top to make it a Mai Tai), but there is so much deliciousness in it, the rum is not needed.

• 60 oz orange juice
• 40 oz pineapple juice
• 5 oz lemon juice
• 3 oz grenadine
• Orange wedge and Maraschino cherry

1. Simply mix juices and grenadine and serve over ice in a big punch bowl.
2. For single servings, garnish with the wedge of orange and cherry or make a skewer with the orange, a pineapple wedge, a lime wedge and the cherry. In the punch bowl, toss in chunks of the fruit and let them float.

This Venician favorite is usually made with champagne and Peach Schnapps or peach puree. However, this is a delicious non-alcoholic Bellini.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz peach nectar, juice or puree
• Sparkling apple cider, chilled

1. For some added fun, coat the rim of a champagne glass with flavored sugar.
2. Pour in the nectar and slowly add the cider until the glass is full.

These mocktails were invented without alcohol.

Shirley Temple

This non-alcoholic cocktail is a favorite among kids, because it was made just for them! This is possibly the original mocktail, and certainly the most famous.

• 6 ounces ginger ale (use caffeine-free cola instead to make it a Roy Rogers)
• 1 ½ teaspoon grenadine
• orange slice and/or maraschino cherry

1. Pour the ginger ale over crushed ice
2. Top with grenadine
3. Garnish with the orange and/or cherry and serve

Named for the golfer who reportedly asks for it on a regular basis, this drink can be made anywhere.

• 1 part iced tea
• 1 part lemonade
• Sugar or other sweetener
• lemon, mint, or a slice of kiwi

1. Pour iced tea and lemonade over ice and sweeten to taste.
2. Stir and add lemon, mint or kiwi as garnish.
3. For a nicer, more cocktail-like presentation: fill a highball glass with ice and pour in the lemonade, then slowly add the iced tea and the garnish. If you do it correctly, the iced tea and lemonade will stay separate until the drinker mixes them.

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds