Non-Alcoholic Thirst Quenchers
By Mikiel Peratino
Just because a drink is non-alcoholic doesn’t mean it’s going to be dull. Thoughtfully crafted mocktails are gaining in popularity and offer invigorating, fun drink options for everyone. From classic favorites like Piña Colada and Mudslides, to the more exotic like Butterfly Margarita, mixed drinks with no alcohol can be just as gorgeous and complex as any cocktail. Mocktails are perfect for sharing with guests of all ages, designated drivers, folks who chose not to imbibe for any number of reasons, or baby shower guests. You won’t even miss the booze!
Strawberry Fauxjito
(Serves 1)
2 sprigs fresh mint, divided
3 slices lime
3 strawberries
1/4 ounce light agave syrup or simple syrup
Sparkling water (such as Saratoga)
Ice
In a rocks glass, muddle 1 sprig of mint, lime, 2 strawberries, and agave with muddler or spoon. Add sparkling water and ice to glass. Garnish with remaining sprig of mint and slice halfway into a strawberry to place on rim of the glass.
| Total calories per serving: 59 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 15 grams | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: 1 milligram | Fiber: 1 gram |
Virgin Piña Colada
(Serves 1)
1.5 ounces light agave syrup, or simple syrup
1 Tablespoon shredded coconut flakes (unsweetened or sweetened, your choice)
5 or 6 ice cubes
3 frozen pineapple chunks
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup plain coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract (such as Rodelle brand)
1 cherry (for garnish)
1 slice of fresh pineapple (for garnish)
Frozen option: Replace ice with 1/2 cup vanilla vegan ice cream (such as So Delicious).
On a small plate, add 1 ounce of agave or simple syrup. On a second plate add shredded coconut flakes. Rim a collins glass with agave and then shredded coconut. Fill glass with ice and top with frozen pineapple chunks. In a cocktail shaker, add 1/2 ounce agave, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and vanilla. Shake and pour over ice; add cherry on top. Cut slit into fresh pineapple slice and place on rim of glass.
Frozen option: Omit ice and vanilla, replace with 1/2 cup vanilla vegan ice cream, and combine all ingredients together in a blender. Garnish with cherry and pineapple.
| Total calories per serving: 276 | Fat: 6 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 56 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 4 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Frozen option:
| Total calories per serving: 396 | Fat: 13 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 70 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 49 milligrams | Fiber: 4 grams |
Warm Golden Pumpkin
(Serves 2)
Golden Mix:
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash (about 1/8 teaspoon) black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups unsweetened, unflavored vegan milk
3 Tablespoons canned organic pumpkin
Mix all ingredients for Golden Mix and set aside.
Warm milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin and whisk until dissolved. Add Golden Mix and stir for 1 minute. Pour into mug and enjoy on a cool evening!
| Total calories per serving: 97 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 7 grams | Protein: 7 grams |
| Sodium: 71 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Black Rose Mule
(Serves 1 or 8)
Ice
4 blackberries
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces pear juice
1 bottle ginger beer (such as Reed’s), to taste
Fill a collins glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker muddle blackberries and fresh rosemary with muddler or spoon. Add 1 scoop of ice, lime juice, and pear juice to shaker. Shake and strain over ice into a glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a sprig of rosemary and fresh blackberries.
Hint: Use muddler or spoon to push stuck liquid through strainer.
| Total calories per serving: 209 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 50 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 9 milligrams | Fiber: 4 grams |
Or make this for 8 in a pitcher/punch bowl.
1 pint blackberries
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh lime juice, divided
Ice
2 cups (16 ounces) pear juice, divided
4 bottles ginger beer (such as Reed’s), to taste
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the blackberries, half of the fresh rosemary, and half of the lime juice. When muddled, add remaining lime juice and top with ice. This will create a blackberry lime syrup. Shake and strain into the pitcher. Next, add half of the pear juice on top of the remaining muddled compote and strain again into the pitcher. Pour remaining pear juice into the pitcher. Top with ice and ginger beer to taste. Serve in ice-filled glasses, each garnished with half sprig of rosemary.
| Total calories per serving: 131 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 31 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 9 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Watermelon Cooler
(Serves 1 or 8)
1 quarter medium, seedless watermelon
Juice of 1 lime
3/4 ounce light agave syrup (or simple syrup)
5 mint leaves
Ice
Cut watermelon in half and then into quarters. Remove rind of one quarter and cube melon so it fits into a blender. Add lime juice, agave syrup, and mint to blender and blend until watermelon has become juice. Fill a collins glass with ice. Pour contents of blender into glass. Garnish with mint sprig and a lime slice on the rim.
| Total calories per serving: 412 | Fat: 2 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 104 grams | Protein: 7 grams |
| Sodium: 12 milligrams | Fiber: 5 grams |
Or make this drink in a batch to fill a pitcher or punch bowl. These portions serve 8.
1 large seedless watermelon
5 fresh limes, juiced
1/2 cup (4 ounces) light agave syrup or simple syrup
Bunch of mint leaves
Ice
Cut watermelon in half and then into quarters. Remove rind and cube melon so it fits into blender. Add lime juice, agave syrup, and mint to blender and blend until watermelon has become juice. Fill a pitcher with ice. Pour contents of blender into pitcher. Garnish with mint sprig and a lime slice on the rim of serving glasses.
| Total calories per serving: 218 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 55 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 6 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
S'ores Mudslide
(Serves 1)
2 ounces vegan chocolate syrup, divided
3 vegan graham crackers (one square, not a whole sheet)
3 vegan marshmallows (such as Dandies)
1 ounce unsweetened, unflavored vegan milk
2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) vegan vanilla ice cream
Vegan whipped cream (such as Soya Too or So Delicious brands)
Pour 1 ounce chocolate syrup onto a small plate. Blend or crush 2 graham crackers and place on a separate small plate. Rim a martini glass with chocolate syrup and then graham cracker crumbs. Dip one side of each marshmallow in chocolate syrup and graham cracker.
Add 1 ounce chocolate syrup into the bottom of the glass. Blend milk and ice cream and pour on top of chocolate syrup in glass. Place remaining graham cracker into the chocolate syrup in the center of the glass so it is sticking straight up. Add whipped cream and marshmallows around cracker.
| Total calories per serving: 539 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 111 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 226 milligrams | Fiber: 4 grams |
Virgin Cucumber Basil Gimlet
(Serves 1)
Ice
4 or 5 slices of cucumber, divided
2 fresh basil leaves, plus more to garnish
1 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
Sparkling water (such as Saratoga)
Add 1 scoop ice and 2 cucumber slices to a collins glass. Muddle 2 slices of cucumber, 2 basil leaves, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and lime juice to cocktail shaker, shake, and pour into collins glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with sprig of basil and cucumber slice.
| Total calories per serving: 109 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 29 grams | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: 1 milligram | Fiber: <1 gram |
Rich Simple Syrup
2 cups organic sugar
1 cup water
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for about one month.
| Total calories per Tablespoon: 65 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 17 grams | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: <1 milligram | Fiber: <1 gram |
Butterfly Margarita
(Serves 1)
This drink is pictured on the cover.
Juice of 2 limes
Salt (optional)
2 Tablespoons water
1 ounce light agave syrup or simple syrup
1/4 teaspoon blue butterfly pea flower powder
Ice
Juice of 1 orange
Sparkling water (such as Saratoga)
Rim a rocks glass with lime juice and optional salt. Add water, agave syrup, and butterfly pea flower to a cocktail shaker and stir until powder dissolves. Add one scoop of ice to shaker, shake, and pour into rocks glass over ice. Add lime and orange juice into shaker and shake. Take a spoon and place on top of ice, convex side up. While holding the spoon, pour the lime-orange juice mixture slowly on the back of the spoon so it flows into the glass. Once the butterfly pea flower mixes with the citrus, it will change to a light purple color. Top with sparkling water and garnish with circle lime slice. Serve with stir stick or spoon.
Note: Blue butterfly pea flower powder is a botanical tea made from flower petals. Many specialty tea shops and gourmet markets as well as online stores carry it.
| Total calories per serving: 143 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 37 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 2 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Mocktail Lingo
Pre-Chilling a Glass: Chill the glass by filling it with ice while preparing the ingredients in the mixing glass. Remove the ice from the glass just before straining.
On the Rocks: When a drink is served over ice.
Sip/Stir/Swizzle Stick: A small straw or stirring spoon.
Methods
Over Ice Build: Using an ice scoop, completely fill the glass with ice. Add the required ingredients, place a sip stick in the drink, and stir gently. Never over-stir, especially drinks containing carbonated beverages. Anytime you make a drink over ice, you should serveit with a sip stick or straw. No ice = no straw, except for hot drinks.
Stir and Strain: Pre-chill the proper glass. Fill the mixing glass half
full with ice and add the recipe ingredients. Stir in a small, circular motion using
the opposite end of the bar spoon; remember, do not
over-stir. After stirring, strain the ingredients into pre-chilled glass.
Shake and Strain: Pre-chill the glass. Fill the mixing glass half full with ice and add the required ingredients. Place the large tin on an angle over the mixing glass and give it a tap using the heel of your hand. Shake 6-8 times.
Muddle: If a drink requires “muddling,” use the flat end of a bar spoon or the flat end of the muddler and crush the required ingredients.
Glasses
Collins: A collins glass is a glass tumbler which typically will contain 10 to 14 ounces. It is cylindrical in shape and narrower and taller than a highball glass.
Martini: A martini glass is a stemmed glass with an inverted cone bowl.
Rocks: The Old Fashioned glass, rocks glass, lowball glass (or simply lowball), is a short tumbler used for serving neat or with ice cubes (“on the rocks”). It is also normally used to serve certain cocktails, such as the Old Fashioned, from which it receives its name.
Mikiel is a former assistant manager and bartender at Great Sage in Maryland. His excitement for mocktails comes from crafting beverages for 10 years and knowing what it’s like to feel like an afterthought holding a boring seltzer and lime.
