10 Refreshing Summer Mocktails for Your Next Gathering
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The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and there is a palpable sense of YAY in the air. You know what this means—it’s time to shake up some summer mocktails and head outside to soak up the sun. The happiest season has arrived, so let’s celebrate in style! Here is a selection of our best summer mocktails to set you up for hosting success.
The best mocktail recipes for summer occasions
1. Picnic mocktail: Faux Mimosas
Heading off on a picnic, and keen to clink some Virgin Mimosas while you are out and about? Try this fun trick! Get a bottle of orange juice (we recommend pulp-free), pour out half and lay the bottle with the remainder of the juice in the freezer, placing it on its side.
When you are ready to leave for your picnic, take along the frozen juice and a bottle of sparkling, alcohol-free wine. When you get there, pour the zero-alc bubbly into the bottle of frozen juice, give it a moment to mingle, and get ready to pour perfectly frosty Faux Mimosas wherever you are.
2. Garden party mocktail: Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri Spritz
This zesty pink drink is always a hit at any garden party shindig. To make one, blitz a handful of hulled strawberries and 2 oz alcohol-free gin in a blender. Strain the mixture into a tall glass filled with ice, top it off with 6 oz ice-cold lemonade, and garnish with a slice of fresh lime.
3. Summer brunch mocktail: Virgin Cranberry Mojito
In the mood for something tall, cool, and refreshing? Try our Virgin Cranberry Mojito brunch mocktail recipe. Muddle 4-5 mint leaves and 0.5 oz fresh lime juice in the bottom of a tall glass. Add 1.5 oz cranberry simple syrup and ice. Fill the remainder of the glass with club soda and stir. Garnish with mint leaves and cranberries. For a sweeter drink, use equal parts club soda and lemon-lime soda.
Read next: 11 Refreshing Mocktails to Serve at Brunch
4. BBQ mocktail: Southern Sweet Tea
Planning to grill some burgers or smoke some ribs? Then you need to whip up a batch of Southern Sweet Tea, darling. This easy sipper is synonymous with the American South and goes perfectly with barbecued foods. Almost always made in big batches to serve a thirsty crowd, our recipe yields a gallon, which will give you up to 16 glasses of Sweet Tea.
Read next: 35 BBQ Cocktail and Food Pairings
Healthy and refreshing summer mocktails
5. Super hydrating: Sparkling Pomegranate Kombucha
For a summery clinker with a hydrating, gut-healthy twist, try Sparkly Pomegranate Kombucha. To make a batch for four friends, muddle a slice or two of fresh ginger in the bottom of your pitcher. Then add half a cup of pomegranate juice and 24 oz of your go-to kombucha. Give it a stir, pour it into serving glasses, and garnish with a few pomegranate arils.
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6. Low-calorie: Watermelon & Mint Mocktail
To make this low-calorie Watermelon & Mint Mocktail, start by making a fresh batch of watermelon juice by blitzing 3 cups of cubed watermelon (seeds removed) in a blender. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve. Muddle a few fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a glass, fill it with ice, add 4 oz watermelon juice, and top it off with club soda. Stir gently, garnish with a thin slice of watermelon and a sprig of mint, and serve.
How low can you go? 10 Low-Sugar Mocktails to Sip Smartly
7. Nutrient-dense: Green Goddess Smoothie
If you want to go the health-boosting route, then we highly recommend our Green Goddess Smoothie. Blitz 1 cup of baby spinach, 1 banana, half a cup of pineapple chunks, half a cup of mango chunks, and 1 cup of plant-based milk in a blender. Adjust the sweetness to taste. You can also add some celery and a piece of ginger if you want to up the mood-boosting qualities of this green smoothie.
Go green: 10 St. Patrick’s Day Mocktails to Celebrate in 2024
Fun and creative mocktail ideas for summer
8. Beach-themed: Virgin Piña Colada
Take your taste buds on a tropical holiday with this picture-perfect drink. Essentially a pineapple and coconut smoothie, a Virgin Piña Colada can be made using coconut milk, pineapple juice, and ice, or you can dare to dream and use ice cream for an extra creamy serve. Simply divine!
Also see: 8 Easy Mocktails for Simple and Clean Sipping
9. Tropical-inspired: Blue Hawaiian Mocktail
The classic Blue Hawaiian is one of those drinks that instantly transports you to a sandy shore. To make the mocktail version, add a handful of ice, 1 oz blue curaçao syrup, 1 oz cream of coconut, 0.5 oz lemon juice, and 2.5 oz pineapple juice to a cocktail shaker, and shake until frosty. Strain into a glass over fresh ice, and garnish with a cherry and a wedge of pineapple.
More this way: 11 Best Blue Mocktails (Non-alcoholic) to Try in 2024
10. Très fancy: Orangina
Orangina is a well-known French refreshment, widely enjoyed at social gatherings and picnics. To make one of these easy drinks at home, combine 4 oz fresh orange juice, a sprinkling of lemon zest, and 6 oz sparkling water in a tall glass over ice. You can add a little sugar to taste, but we think this sophisticated mocktail is best enjoyed without it.
Also see: 7 Best Non-Alcoholic French Drinks to Try at Home
There you have it—10 delightful summer mocktails that will set the scene for sunny celebrations. Which one will you try first? Tag us on Instagram when you share pics and remember to sign up for our newsletter to get the freshest seasonal inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
