3 Satisfying Mocktail Recipes - Creamy, Tangy, & Sweet
Mocktails are for more than Dry January. They have a place in almost everyone’s lifestyle. What would your next day be like if you substituted that nightcap with a mocktail? Might you feel better the next day? Maybe you want to be more present and keep a clear head at social gatherings. Or, maybe you just don’t love booze! Ultimately, you get to choose what you put in your body. Why not choose something fun and yummy?
These recipes are from a Galentine’s event I co-hosted with Sara’s Boxes and Boards (she offers a variety of charcuterie boards and experience boxes for individuals and corporations, with shipping options available). We wanted to create a “night out” event where women got to enjoy themselves a little bit outside the typical “dinner and drinks” vibe.
I was in charge of mocktail creation. I chose to offer different taste sensations with each one. Sweet, tangy, and creamy just about covers the mocktail/cocktail flavor spectrum! Cheers [to no more hangovers]!
Creamy: No-Cow Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened extra creamy oat milk
1 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk (regular or light) or 1/2 can of coconut cream - unsweetened
½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips - enjoy life brand is one of the cleanest
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons sugar (or maple syrup)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of cardamom or cinnamon (optional)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine.
Heat over medium heat and whisk until the chocolate chips are melted. Continue to hear until it is as hot as you like. Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat before serving.
Tangy: Raspberry Lime Spritz
A good mocktail starts with quality ingredients. Spindrift sparkling waters have real squeezed fruit juice, offering a fresh, real food taste. I love fresh pressed juice, but I am not going to make it myself! Sourcing from your local health food store is a good option. A little fresh citrus goes a long way! Making the choice to use quality ingredients increases your chances of mocktail magic!
Ingredients
½ can (6 oz) Spindrift Raspberry Lime
1 oz. fresh pressed juice ( I chose beet + carrot juice for the bright, fun color)
1 large lime wedge (cut an average size lime in to 6 wedges)
1 hardy splash of lime juice
1-2 oz. Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit
1 large ice spear or ice cube (optional, freeze fruit into the ice cube, cuz it is pretty!)
Instructions
Pour sparkling water into a glass.
Sweep lime wedge around the rim of the glass to add a bit of tang when the drink is consumed.
Squeeze lime wedge into the drink, and drop lime into the glass. Stir and add a jumbo ice cube.
Sweet: For Apple Lovers Only
I love using seasonal ingredients whenever possible. Fresh Produce is usually more affordable when in the season because of its abundance. This apple mocktail recipe takes advantage of the fall/winter apple crop.
Ingredients
4-6 oz. of homemade apple juice cooked with cinnamon or substitute fresh apple cider (recipe below)
2-3 oz. of club soda
1 lemon wedge
1 drop of lemon doTERRA essential oil (only use high-quality therapeutic essential oils for consumption)
1 to 3 bruised sage leaves
Instructions
Fill the glass about half full with ice. Pour in apple juice. Sweep lemon wedge around the rim of the glass to add a bit of tang when the drink is consumed. Squeeze lemon wedge into mocktail and drop in, add a drop of doTERRA lemon essential oil, bruised sage leaves, and stir drink.
OPTIONAL: Garnish with a cinnamon stick no taller than 1” over the rim of your glass- it will get in the way of you drinking it!
This drink is not the same as store-bought apple juice. Most store-bought juice has been filtered and pasteurized. The depth of flavor from this drink comes from using various apples to make your juice. You can substitute apple cider for homemade juice.
A quick note about essential oils in mocktails:
“Are essential oils safe to eat?”
This question comes up frequently. You must use high-quality, rigorously tested essential oils if/when you plan to consume them. Many oil companies add fillers and do not follow the supply chain of their products so they often end up contaminated. I choose to use doTERRA essential oils for consumption, on my body, and in my home.
If you can’t trust a product inside your body, why would you trust it on the outside? I strive to make almost all my home and body products edible grade/quality. Please don’t use the oil you picked up at TjMaxx, even if the label says “pure,” it almost certainly isn't. If you’re looking for some oil options send me a message or check out my favorites for mocktails here.
Homemade Apple Juice — No Sugar Added
Ingredients
18 apples, we suggest to mix & match for added flavor
3 cinnamon sticks
2-3 fresh oranges or dried orange peel (3 T.)
Spruce up: Add whole mulling spices tied up in a sachet. Mulling spices are any variation of cinnamon, clove, star anise, allspice, nutmeg, peppercorn, or cardamom
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serves 8
Instructions
1. Start by washing and then coring the apple to remove seeds. Cut the apples into slices. There is no need to peel the apples. The skin will add color, too. Pro tip - use an apple slicer!
2. Add the apples to the pot and add enough water to just cover them. Too much water and you’ll have diluted juice. This juice may come out a bit strong, but it’s a lot easier to dilute the juice with extra water rather than trying to make the flavor stronger.
3. Slowly boil the apples for about 30-45 minutes or until the apples are quite soft. Place a coffee filter or piece of cheesecloth in your fine mesh strainer and place over a bowl.
4. Slowly ladle the hot juice/apple mixture into a fine mesh strainer and gently mash the apples. The juice will be filtered through the bottom into your bowl while the apple mush will be left behind. Place the mush in a separate bowl for later. Repeat this process until all your juice is in the bowl.
5. Taste the juice after it’s cooled for a bit. You can add additional sugar or cinnamon depending on your preferences. Again, if the flavor is too strong, you can add water a little bit at a time to weaken the flavor.
6. The apple mush you collected can easily be turned into applesauce by pureeing and adding a smidgen of sugar and cinnamon to taste.
7. Keep in mind your homemade apple juice doesn’t have any preservatives so be sure to keep it refrigerated and use it within a week!
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