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Mocktails · Easy & Everyday

What Is a Mocktail? Meaning, Examples, and How It Differs From a Cocktail

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic mixed drink made to taste and look like a cocktail. Learn what is in one, how it differs from a cocktail and how to make your own.

5 min read3 drinks ⇄ 3 twins ↓

Four mocktails: a Virgin Mary, a sparkling flute, a limeade smash and a hot citrus mug.Save

✦ On the menu ✦

With spirit · strength shown as ABVZero-proof twins · alcohol shown as ABV

  1. 01Bloody MaryVirgin Mary9%0.0%
  2. 02MimosaVirgin Mimosa5%0.0%
  3. 03CaipirinhaLimeade Smash26%0.0%

A mocktail is a mixed drink with no alcohol, built from juice, tea, citrus, syrup, herbs and sparkling water so it tastes as layered as a cocktail. The word combines “mock” and “cocktail”, and a “virgin” cocktail simply means a cocktail made without its spirit.

This guide explains what a mocktail is, how it differs from a cocktail, what goes into one and how to order one at a bar. It finishes with three easy mocktails to try first, each with the spirited version for comparison.

What Is a Mocktail?

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic mixed drink that is made with the same care as a cocktail: balanced flavors, a proper glass, ice and a garnish. The point is that it is a real drink, not just juice or soda.

Two tall glasses of pale pink mocktails with a lime wheel and a strawberry, side by side.Save
Fig. 08A good mocktail looks like a cocktail: the glass and garnish do half the work.

Mocktails are for anyone who is not drinking: designated drivers, expectant parents, people who do not drink alcohol and anyone who wants a night off. The best ones do not try to imitate a particular cocktail. They just taste good.

Mocktail vs Cocktail vs Virgin Cocktail

Cocktail Mocktail Virgin cocktail
Contains alcohol? Yes No No
Built from Spirit, mixer, citrus Juice, tea, citrus, herbs, soda A cocktail with the spirit removed
Example Mojito Cucumber mint cooler Virgin mojito
Goal Balance alcohol with other flavors Taste layered and complete Match a classic cocktail

In practice the terms overlap. “Virgin” suggests a specific cocktail without alcohol (a Virgin Mary), while “mocktail” usually means any non-alcoholic mixed drink, original or not. Our guide to making mocktails explains how to rebuild a cocktail so it tastes complete.

What Is in a Mocktail? The Five Building Blocks

Almost every good mocktail is built from five parts. Think of them as a checklist: if a drink tastes flat, one of them is missing.

Overhead view of black tea, citrus, simple syrup, fresh herbs and sparkling water on white marble.Save
Fig. 07Every mocktail is built from the same five parts: base, acid, sweet, aroma and fizz.
  1. Base: tea, juice, coconut water or cold brew, which gives body and depth.
  2. Acid: lemon, lime or vinegar, which makes the drink taste bright.
  3. Sweet: simple syrup, honey, maple or fruit, just enough to balance the acid.
  4. Aroma: herbs, spices, citrus peel and bitters, which supply the complexity alcohol usually adds.
  5. Fizz: sparkling water, tonic or ginger beer, added last for lift.

Types of Mocktails: Savory, Sparkling, Muddled, Hot and Frozen

Savory mocktails

The Virgin Mary is the best-known savory mocktail: tomato juice, lemon, hot sauce and spice. It tastes the same without vodka, which is why it is one of the easiest to order.

A Virgin Mary in a tall glass with a celery stalk, olive skewer and lemon wedge.Save
Fig. 01Virgin Mary: tomato, lemon, hot sauce and spice, the savory mocktail.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

HighballBuilt4 minLight · 9%

HighballBuilt4 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 6⅛ oz

The pour · 5⅛ oz

Bloody Mary

Virgin Mary

Tomato juice, lemon and spice. The virgin version is the savory mocktail.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishCelery stalk, olives and a lemon wedge

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishCelery stalk, olives and a lemon wedge

Method

  1. 1Add everything to a tall glass and stir well.
  2. 2Fill with ice and stir again.
  3. 3Garnish with celery, olives and a lemon wedge.

Method

  1. 1Add everything to a tall glass and stir well.
  2. 2Fill with ice and stir again.
  3. 3Garnish with celery, olives and a lemon wedge.

How the swap works

A splash of olive brine and plenty of spice bring the bite vodka gives, which is why the Virgin Mary needs no other changes.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin ·

Sparkling mocktails

Add bubbles last and the drink feels like a cocktail. Orange juice and sparkling water is the simplest start, and a Virgin Mimosa is the brunch classic.

Sparkling water being poured into a glass of orange juice.Save
Fig. 04Add bubbles last: sparkling water or tonic makes juice feel like a cocktail.

Pour the sparkling water down the side of the glass to keep the fizz.

A sparkling orange mocktail in a flute with an orange twist, on a brunch table.Save
Fig. 03Virgin Mimosa: orange juice and something sparkling is the brunch classic.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

FluteBuilt2 minLight · 5%

FluteBuilt2 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 6 oz

The pour · 6¼ oz

Mimosa

Virgin Mimosa

Orange juice topped with sparkling wine. The brunch classic.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishOrange twist

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishOrange twist

Method

  1. 1Pour the orange juice into a flute.
  2. 2Top slowly with prosecco and add an orange twist.

Method

  1. 1Pour the orange and lemon juice into a flute.
  2. 2Top slowly with very cold club soda and add an orange twist.

How the swap works

Lemon adds the dryness of sparkling wine and club soda keeps the bubbles without the extra sugar of sparkling juice.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin ·

Muddled mocktails

Pressing citrus with a little sugar is the base of a whole family of drinks, from limeade smashes to mojitos. A limeade smash is a cousin of the Brazilian caipirinha.

Hands muddling limes and sugar in a rocks glass.Save
Fig. 02Muddled citrus and sugar is the base of a whole family of mocktails.

Use a wooden muddler and press the limes firmly to release their oils, which is where most of the flavor is.

A cloudy limeade smash in a rocks glass with crushed ice and a lime wheel.Save
Fig. 05Limeade Smash: crushed limes, a little sugar and plenty of ice.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

Rocks glassBuilt4 minStrong · 26%

Rocks glassBuilt4 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 2¾ oz

The pour · 3¾ oz

Caipirinha

Limeade Smash

Muddled lime, sugar and cachaça. The twin is a limeade smash.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishLime wheel

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishLime wheel

Method

  1. 1Muddle the lime wedges with the syrup in a rocks glass.
  2. 2Add the cachaça and fill the glass with crushed ice.
  3. 3Stir and garnish with a lime wheel.

Method

  1. 1Muddle the lime wedges with the syrup and salt in a rocks glass.
  2. 2Fill the glass with crushed ice and top with club soda.
  3. 3Stir and garnish with a lime wheel.

How the swap works

The muddled lime does the work, since its oils carry the flavor; soda and a pinch of salt fill in for the cachaça.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin ·

Hot mocktails

Mocktails can be hot too. Spiced citrus tea with cloves, cinnamon and honey in a glass mug is cozy, and it is the zero-proof equivalent of a hot toddy.

A steaming glass mug of hot spiced citrus with a clove-studded lemon wheel and cinnamon stick.Save
Fig. 06Mocktails can be hot too: spiced citrus tea in a mug.

Shaken and frozen mocktails

Shaking chills and dilutes the drink, and gives it the texture and froth of a cocktail. Frozen mocktails are blended with ice, and work well with fruit.

Hands shaking a metal shaker over a kitchen counter with citrus halves.Save
Fig. 09Shaking chills and dilutes, and gives mocktails the texture of a cocktail.

Where Does the Word Mocktail Come From?

“Mocktail” is a blend of “mock” and “cocktail”, and has been in use since at least the 1930s. “Virgin” has been used for cocktails made without alcohol for decades as well. Today bars and brands often use “zero-proof” or “spirit-free” because those terms sound less like a lesser version of a cocktail.

Are Mocktails Really 0.0% Alcohol?

A mocktail made at home from juice, tea, herbs and soda has no added alcohol, so it is effectively 0.0%. A few things can add traces: some vanilla and other extracts contain alcohol, and non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers can contain up to 0.5% ABV. In the US, drinks up to 0.5% can be labeled “non-alcoholic”; in the UK, “alcohol-free” means 0.05% or less.

If you need a drink that is truly 0.0%, such as during pregnancy, check labels, use alcohol-free extracts and ask your doctor. Our pregnancy mocktails follow stricter rules.

Bubbles rising in a glass of sparkling pink mocktail with a citrus wheel.Save
Fig. 12Bubbles, color and aroma are what make a mocktail feel special.

How to Order a Mocktail at a Bar or Restaurant

Ask for a “zero-proof” or “non-alcoholic” drink, and tell the bartender what you like: “something tart and not too sweet”, “something sparkling” or “something like a mojito without the rum”. Most bars can make a good one if you give them a direction. Skipping the question and asking for “a soda” wastes the chance to get a proper drink.

Hands clinking tall glasses of colorful mocktails above a candlelit dining table.Save
Fig. 10Everyone gets a proper drink: designated drivers, expectant parents and anyone not drinking tonight.

Three Mocktails to Try First

The three above are good starting points: the Virgin Mary (savory), the Virgin Mimosa (sparkling) and the Limeade Smash (muddled). Keep a few garnishes on hand, since garnish turns juice into a drink.

Small bowls of citrus wheels, mint, rosemary, edible flowers and cranberries on a marble counter.Save
Fig. 11Garnish turns juice into a drink; keep a few herbs and citrus on hand.

When you are ready to go further, browse the mocktail recipes, the full list of non-alcoholic drinks, the kids’ mocktails and the mojito recipe with its virgin version.

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Last call

Questions from the bar

Q1What does mocktail mean?

"Mocktail" combines "mock" and "cocktail" and means a mixed drink made without alcohol. It is built from juice, tea, citrus, herbs and sparkling water instead of spirits.

Q2What is the difference between a mocktail and a cocktail?

A cocktail contains alcohol. A mocktail does not, and is usually built from juice, tea, citrus and herbs. A good mocktail has the same balance of sweet, sour, bitter and aroma as a cocktail.

How to make mocktails ↗
Q3What is a virgin cocktail?

A virgin cocktail is a classic cocktail made without its alcohol, such as a Virgin Mary or a virgin mojito.

Mojito recipe ↗
Q4Is a mocktail the same as a virgin drink?

Usually, yes, but "virgin" suggests a specific cocktail without the spirit, while "mocktail" can mean any non-alcoholic mixed drink, including original recipes.

Q5What do mocktails taste like?

A good mocktail tastes bright, balanced and layered. It can be tart, sweet, herbal, spicy or sparkling, depending on the recipe. It should not just taste like juice.

Mocktail recipes ↗
Q6Do mocktails contain any alcohol?

Homemade mocktails contain no added alcohol, so they are effectively 0.0%. Some extracts and non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers can contain up to 0.5% ABV, so check labels if you need a drink with no alcohol at all.

Pregnancy mocktails ↗

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