You think you know the margarita and everything the margarita world offers until you open the door to the virgin margarita. All the flavor, all the citrus, and none of the buzz or ibuprofen the next day, the margarita mocktail is just the start of the next margarita frontier.
Virgin Margarita
There are only four ingredients between you and a basic virgin margarita. Enjoy this mocktail morning, noon, or night without any worry. Bonus: your entire family from ages 6 to 106 can down a glass of this classic nonalcoholic margarita.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and rock salt for rim
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce orange syrup
- ½ ounce agave syrup
- 2 ounces lemon-lime soda
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lime juice, orange syrup, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a prepared glass.
- Top off with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Virgin Margarita Pitcher
If you're getting ready for a big party or you want to meal-prep your weekly happy hour, whip up a batch of margarita mocktail mix. This recipe yields about fifteen individual servings.
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime zest plus 1 teaspoon lime zest, divided,
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1½ cups freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 4 cups freshly-squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup agave syrup
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Lime slices for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix water and sugar together.
- Add two tablespoons of lime zest and the lemon zest.
- Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
- After sugar dissolves, remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool.
- After the citrus syrup reaches room temperature, add lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, and agave syrup.
- Mix well and chill for at least two hours, preferably overnight, to amplify the flavors.
- Mix one teaspoon of lime zest with the salt in a large saucer or shallow pie pan.
- Rim edges of the margarita glasses with lime wedge and dip into lime and salt mix.
- Pour into prepared glasses and garnish with lime slice.
Frozen Margarita Mocktail
Although there are hundreds of variations on which ingredients you can include in a traditional nonalcoholic margarita mocktail recipe, this combination is easy to mix and keeps its ingredients list to readily available items. Think of it as your pantry margarita mocktail, as much a staple as a box of shaped macaroni and cheese. If you want to bring this to the next level, add two ounces of nonalcoholic tequila.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt for rim
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila, optional
- 4 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- 2 cups crushed ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a blender, combine the limeade concentrate, lime juice, agave syrup, ice, and nonalcoholic tequila if desired.
- Blend until desired thickness.
- Pour into prepared glass.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Frozen Strawberry Margarita Mocktail
Some people like their margaritas to be a little fruitier, and strawberry is a popular margarita flavor for a reason. There are several recipes for frozen virgin strawberry margaritas you can try, but this recipe might possibly reign supreme.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hulled and sliced strawberries
- 2½ ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Strawberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add ice, nonalcoholic silver tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup.
- Blend until desired consistency.
- Pour into a margarita glass.
- Garnish with a strawberry.
Mango Lime Margarita Mocktail
For a tropical twist on the fruity varieties of margarita mocktails, mango is an instant vacation in a glass with a juicy flavor that you'll enjoy 'til the last drop.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila
- 3 ounces mango juice
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce nonalcoholic orange liqueur
- ½ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic tequila, mango juice, lime juice, nonalcoholic orange liqueur, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.
Spicy Margarita Mocktail
Lean into the spicy flavor that goes so well in a margarita with this nonalcoholic version. If you want a stronger kick, muddle an extra jalapeño coin or two.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt for rim
- 1-3 fresh jalapeño coins
- 2 ounces freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounce agave syrup
- 1-3 dashes orange bitters
- Ice
- Lime club soda to top off
- Jalapeño coin for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle jalapeño coins with lemon juice.
- Add ice, lime juice, agave syrup, and orange bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Top off with lime club soda.
- Garnish with a jalapeño coin.
Nonalcoholic Tequila Margarita
Reach into your stock of nonalcoholic ingredients to make a margarita that will absolutely leave you wondering if this might just be better than the classic marg.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and sugar or salt for rim
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce nonalcoholic orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Lime slice for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt or sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic tequila, lime juice, nonalcoholic orange liqueur, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with a lime slice.
Pineapple Margarita Mocktail
With or without nonalcoholic tequila, this virgin pineapple margarita is the ideal beverage for a Wednesday afternoon in June. Or when you need a bit of sunshine in the winter. It's a year-round cocktail. If pineapple juice just doesn't do it for you, substitute orange juice for an orange margarita mocktail.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt or sugar for rim
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila, optional
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lime wheel and pineapple wedge for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt or sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and pineapple wedge.
Nonalcoholic Watermelon Margarita
You know the watermelon juice you've been eyeing on the shelf at the grocery store? Wondering if you could happily drink all of it? Good news, not only can you now enjoy a glass of simple watermelon juice with breakfast, but you can transform it into a watermelon margarita mocktail for lunch.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila
- 4 ounces watermelon juice
- 1½ ounces freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Watermelon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic silver tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a prepared glass.
- Garnish with a watermelon wedge.
Virgin Coconut Margarita
If you find yourself caught between wanting to make a mocktail piña colada or a mocktail margarita, there's no need to debate another minute.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila, optional
- 2 ounces cream of coconut
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce orange simple syrup
- Ice
- Coconut water to top off
- Pineapple wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, cream of coconut, lime juice, and orange simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with coconut water.
- Garnish with pineapple wedge.
Margarita Mocktails: A Drink for Seven Days a Week
Omitting the alcohol in a margarita doesn't mark the end of your go-to chips and salsa beverage; rather, it's the beginning of your mocktail margarita journey. Whether you like it frozen or prefer it on the rocks, each of these virgin margaritas will quench your thirst on the first sip.
