7 No-fuss Virgin Cocktails You Can Easily Make At Home

Being sober is totally having a moment right now, and with that, there’s been a change in the language around what we drink. The word mocktail is no longer a tongue-in-cheek joke for a drink that one friend in the group orders every night out. And so a mocktail and a virgin cocktail have turned into two very different things (although some might use them interchangeably).

So, the basic difference is this: a mocktail builds its own drink, while a virgin cocktail usually borrows from an existing alcoholic template and removes the alcohol from it.

Virgin Cocktails

Now, you might think, where’s the fun in that? And we’ll answer, there’s a lot you can do in a drink without alcohol, and these drinks show how: 

Virgin French 75

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Start with fresh lemon juice shaken with a touch of sugar syrup. Add a few dashes of aromatic bitters for depth, and top it off with chilled sparkling water (or non-alcoholic sparkling wine) to recreate the lift of a classic French 75.

Strawberry Daiquiri Mocktail

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Blend ripe strawberries with lime juice and a small amount of sugar until smooth. Then, pour over crushed ice to achieve a slushy texture that brings out the fruit’s natural sweetness. The lime, meanwhile, adds a touch of acidity, bringing a refreshing tang to the drink. 

Shirley Temple

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Pour chilled ginger ale (you can also use lemon-lime soda) over ice. Stir in a splash of grenadine for that signature rosy hue, and finish with a squeeze of fresh citrus if needed. Et viola! You have the OG virgin cocktail drink made for the child actress after whom it was named.

Virgin Mojito

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Muddle fresh mint leaves, lime juice and sugar at the base of the glass, then fill with ice and top with soda water. Let the mint oils release slowly into the drink so each sip evolves over time. After all, that’s the main fun of sipping a mojito. 

Non-alcoholic Piña Colada 

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Blend pineapple juice with coconut milk or cream until smooth (don’t forget the ice), till you get a pale, creamy drink with the tropical sweetness of pineapple and the rich, dessert-like texture of coconut.

Watermelon Cooler

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Juice fresh watermelon and strain it for a clean base, then mix with lime juice and a hint of sugar before topping with soda water. You’ll be left with a light, pink drink that’s perfect to beat the summer heat.

Cucumber Mint Spritzer

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Mix cucumber slices with mint leaves in your glass and add a dash of lemon juice. Strain lightly if needed, then top with sparkling water to create a pale green drink that feels fresh across seasons, with the cucumber adding a soft, almost spa-like quality.