10 Mocktail Recipes So Good You Won't Believe They're Booze-Free

Ditching alcohol has never been so delicious thanks to these healthful registered dietitian–approved mocktail ideas.

With nutritious ingredients such as kombucha, ginger, and mint, mocktails can be tasty and healthy.

Quitting alcohol for a month may seem like a drag, but considering the number of perks that can come along with Dry January, it might be worth reconsidering.

“For many of us, the overimbibing started in November and continued through the month of December, so I think it’s a fantastic idea to participate in Dry January,” says Christine Palumbo, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in Naperville, Illinois.

There are many ways to do Dry January, but trading your typical alcoholic beverage for one sans booze, whether it's a mocktail or soda water, can be an easy solution.

If you need motivation to start Dry January yourself, consider your own health. 

The Health Benefits of Taking a Break From Drinking Alcohol

There's scientific proof that pressing pause on alcohol for a month can help you look and feel better. Take the effect of alcohol on sleep. "Alcohol prior to bedtime allows you to fall asleep faster, but your quality of sleep is impaired, so you’ll wake up feeling less well rested than if you had didn’t have alcohol or if you had just one drink,” says Palumbo. 

Plus, forgoing alcohol will give your liver a break. "Your liver detoxifies your body, and alcohol is a toxin, so if you stop drinking and eat a nutrient-rich diet, you can give your liver a chance to recover," explains Palumbo. “There’s no need to go on a ‘detoxifying’ juice fast — by quitting alcohol, you’re doing it in a more natural way, and you’ll feel physically better,” she adds.

Going alcohol-free may even help you discover if you have an alcohol dependence issue. Perhaps you’ve been coming home from work after battling traffic and you’re exhausted, so you pour yourself a stiff drink; then it turns into a second and maybe even a third, says Palumbo. “Often we don’t realize those drinks accumulate over the week,” she adds. “If you regularly drink, and then go without and struggle — for example, if you find it’s too difficult to get through the evening without wine — it’s a sign you’ve been hitting the bottle of wine too much," says Karen Ansel, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in Long Island, New York. Thus, going cold turkey may be the wake-up call you need, to help you realize you may have a problem — or are heading in that direction.

Now, you might think that quitting alcohol will make you want it even more, come February. But preliminary research, which hasn’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal, shows that's not the case. Instead, it supports Dry January's perks: Eighty percent of study participants who took part in Dry January 2018 felt more in control of their drinking afterward, 76 percent learned more about when and why they drink, and 71 percent realized they don’t need a drink to enjoy themselves.

Researchers also learned that eight months later, the study participants’ drinking days fell on average from 4.3 to 3.3 per week, and their frequency of being drunk dropped from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month on average.

And fewer drinks over the course of the year is likely a good thing, from a disease-prevention standpoint. “Alcohol increases the risk of several cancers, including colon and breast cancer, per the American Cancer Society. And even just one drink a day can increase your breast cancer risk,” says Ansel. “People forget that alcohol is a known carcinogen,” adds Palumbo. One study published in May 2018 in the journal BMJ Open found that abstaining from alcohol for one month improved markers associated with cancer.

Why You Should Consider Trading Your Cocktail for a Mocktail

What’s making it easier than ever to do Dry January is the emerging mocktail trend. More bartenders are having fun creating innovative alcohol-free drinks, says Ansel, and experts in the health sector, including registered dietitians, have begun mixing up delicious takes on mocktails — that aren't full of sugar and artificial ingredient-packed syrups. "Mocktails are definitely a wellness trend," says Palumbo. “So many us are trying to minimize the toxins in our body, whether that’s with the makeup we put on, the cleaners we use around the house, or the food we eat — so avoiding alcohol is another piece of this low-toxin environment we’re creating,” Palumbo adds.

The rise of mocktails, of course, appeals to people who need to avoid alcohol for disease management, as well as women who are pregnant, but also to the general public because of a growing awareness of the potential health harms of drinking too much booze. While a moderate amount of drinking may potentially benefit your heart health, according to a study published in March 2017 in the journal BMJ, a much talked-about study published in September 2018 in the journal The Lancet found that overall, no amount of alcohol is safe.

For the record, “moderate” means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines define one drink as one 5-ounce (oz) glass of wine, one 12-oz beer, or one cocktail with 1.5 oz of liquor per day.

So if you’re doing Dry January — or just want to cut back on the booze — discover these 10 tasty mocktail recipes, straight from registered dietitians themselves. And fear not if you’ve missed the start of Dry January this year. You can always begin today, and design your own 31-day challenge. Or try "Alcohol-Free February" — or, as Palumbo suggests, create a "Spring-Clean Your Diet" challenge that includes cutting out booze for the month of March or April. It’s never too late to help your health — and enjoy a delicious drink while you’re at it.

1

Sparkling Blood Orange Mocktail

Marisa Moore

There’s a health trend to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, so why not drink what’s in season, too? You can, thanks to this delicious, seasonal mocktail. “Made with freshly squeezed blood orange juice, this mocktail uses of one of the most beautiful citrus fruits available in winter,” says Marisa Moore, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in Atlanta.

And not only does the citrusy drink taste good (it’s also made with vanilla, lime sparkling water, and a little bit of honey), it’s good for you, too. “Blood oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is essential for healthy cells, healing, and immune function,” adds Moore. So you’ve got a great excuse to whip this drink up if you notice a cold coming on.

2

Sangria Mocktail

Dawn Jackson Blatner

You can feel like you’re on a getaway with a sip of this sangria mocktail — whether you’re enjoying it in the heat of summer or the dead of winter. The secret ingredient that gives the drink its bold flavor and bright red color? It’s the hibiscus tea.

Meanwhile, the fruit gives the mocktail that hit of sweetness that you’d expect from a sangria — without any added sugar. Just be sure to eat the apples and oranges after, for some extra fiber and vitamin C.

Want to mix things up? “For a summer variation try hibiscus, berry, or peach tea and fruits like berries, plums, and peaches,” suggests Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in Chicago. And for a warm, winter variation, use orange spice or cran-apple tea, plus fruits like clementines, cranberries, and pomegranate, Blatner advises.

3

Kombucha Mule

Kaleigh McMordie

Moscow Mules are refreshing and easy to whip up, and this mocktail version delivers all the same great flavors, without the day-after hangover. “What makes this mocktail is the ginger kombucha,” says Kaleigh McMordie, RDN, a dietitian based in Lubbock, Texas, and founder of LivelyTable.com. “Not only is kombucha full of gut-healthy probiotics, but it's usually lower in sugar than most mixers, though you still get the bubbles and flavor!”

One of those typical Moscow Mule mixers is ginger beer, an ingredient in traditional recipes that’s a “high in sugar” offender, according to an article published in March 2016 by the BBC. You’ll get to sidestep it in this recipe, and likely won’t even notice the swap.

Do know that kombucha does include trace amounts of alcohol due to the fermentation process, but it is not regulated as an alcoholic beverage by the government as long as it contains less than 0.5 percent alcohol. A glass of wine, for example, has about 12 percent alcohol, so it’s unlikely that kombucha would be of any consequence for someone trying to avoid alcohol.

4

Strawberry Sparkling Mocktail

Tara Rochford

Too-sweet mocktails can give you a sugar rush — but this one offers the perfect amount sweetness thanks to the strawberries, and the tartness of the lemon juice gives it a sweet-meets-tangy taste. Plus, you also get some nice nutritional perks. "Both strawberries and lemons are great sources of vitamin C, which is a nutrient our bodies don't produce, meaning we need to get it from the food we eat,” says Tara Rochford, RDN, a dietitian at Butler University in Indianapolis and founder of Tara Rochford Nutrition.

And there’s more. “Vitamin C helps to keep our skin healthy and glowing, aids in wound healing, and helps keep our immune system strong," she adds. We’ll cheers to that!

5

Pomegranate Ginger Sparkler

Lindsey Pine

Opt for this drink if you want to get your antioxidant fix. “The pomegranate juice packs in potent anti-inflammatory phytochemicals called polyphenols that protect bodily cells against damage,” says Lindsey Pine, RDN, a dietitian at University of Southern California Hospitality in Los Angeles, and founder of Tasty Balance Nutrition. “Those polyphenols may have a positive effect on memory and cognition as well as post-exercise muscle recovery,” she adds.

Plus, she says, you’ll get a dash of probiotics from the ginger kombucha, which is useful for gut health. The best part: The garnish. You can top yours with pomegranate arils, blueberries, or both for an extra nutritious punch.

6

Ruby Sparkler Mocktail

Quentin Bacon

What makes this mocktail extra-special is the homemade rhubarb-plum syrup, which combines diced rhubarb, a plum, and agave nectar or honey. And an added perk? You can save the extra syrup you don’t use in the recipe for up to two weeks in the fridge, and then use it to elevate other dishes. (Perhaps even drizzle it atop a simple bowl of vanilla ice cream?)

To make this drink a mocktail versus a cocktail, swap out the St. Germain liqueur and prosecco for 4 oz of chilled sparkling water, advises Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in New York City. Then just be sure, she says, to toast to a lovely occasion!7

Grapefruit Mint Kombucha Mocktail

Sarah Gold Anzlovar

Thirst-quenching: Check. Vitamin C-packed: Check. Gut-friendly: Check. “Made with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and probiotic-rich kombucha, this mocktail is low in calories and sugar, good for your gut, and filled with immune-boosting ingredients,” says Sarah Gold Anzlovar, RDN, a dietitian in private practice in Boston. “It's light and refreshing, and feels like a special drink — you won't even miss the booze!” she adds.

You can save this drink for a summer treat, or enjoy it now that we’re in full-on sick season, to keep your immune system going strong and make your winter days seem not so dark and dreary.

8

Sparkling Cranberry Kombucha Mocktail

Jessica Beacom and Stacie Hassing

Looking for a little something tart and tangy? Then this mocktail just might do the trick. It’s made with 100 percent cranberry juice (for a hit of vitamin C), which would otherwise seriously make your mouth pucker, but the ginger and rosemary help to balance the taste. And like some of the other drinks, it’s also made with that “it” mocktail ingredient: kombucha. “Since it's made with kombucha in place of high-sugar mixers, you get a dose of gut-friendly probiotics as well," says Jessica Beacom, RDN, and Stacie Hassing, RDN, cofounders of Boulder, Colorado-based The Real Food Dietitians.

9

Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

Rebecca Clyde

Everyone loves to toast a celebratory occasion (like weddings, engagements, the start of the new year, just to name a few) with Champagne, but if you’re doing Dry January or are cutting back, it’s probably just some sad sparkling apple cider for you.

But not anymore! Mix this simple and much-more-festive version made with citrus slices and rosemary, so you, too, can feel like you’re properly toasting the occasion. “This sparkling cider mocktail is great because it's really easy and quick,” says Rebecca Clyde, RDN, owner and blogger at Nourish Nutrition Blog, located in Salt Lake City.

And if you’re hosting your friends, here’s an idea: “You can also cut up a bunch of fruit and make a cider mocktail bar and guests can pick and choose any fruit or herb to add to their own drink,” says Clyde. “You can add as many citrus slices or other fruits as you'd like, and get a burst of Vitamin C and antioxidants from the fruit.”

10

Green Tea Virgin Sangria

Amy Gorin

For another take on sangria (this time, it’s a white variety — but don’t worry, no pinot grigio is necessary!), mix up this drink that gives you tons of health benefits but none of the booze.

“Made with a base of green tea, this sangria boasts plenty of heart-healthy flavonoids. Plus, you get antioxidants from the fruit juice and real fruit!” says Amy Gorin, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in Jersey City, New Jersey. In it, you’ll find kiwis, pineapples, oranges, and key limes — plus white grape juice and passion fruit juice for a tropical kick. You’ll likely feel like you’re on vacation after just one sip (just sayin’).