What Is a Mocktail? What’s in One, and How It Differs From a Cocktail
What a mocktail is, how it differs from a cocktail, what goes into one, and five easy ones to start with.
A mocktail is a mixed drink made without alcohol: juice, herbs, syrups and soda, put together the way a bartender builds a cocktail. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a nonalcoholic cocktail” and dates the word to 1916. You can make one from scratch, build it on a non-alcoholic spirit, or buy it ready-made in a can. Here’s what goes into one, how it differs from a cocktail, and five easy ones to start with.
Four easy ways to start
- 0.0%
- Never Alcoholized
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- 0.0%
- Never Alcoholized
- United States
- 0.0%
- Never Alcoholized
- United States
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Mocktail, cocktail, or zero-proof?
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cocktail | A mixed drink with alcohol. |
| Mocktail | A mixed drink without alcohol, usually juice, herbs, syrup and soda. |
| Virgin | A classic cocktail with the alcohol left out, like a virgin mojito. |
| Zero-proof | A cocktail built without alcohol, often on a non-alcoholic spirit. |
The words overlap, and many menus use them interchangeably. More on zero-proof cocktails.
What’s in a mocktail
- A base: juice, tea, a non-alcoholic spirit, or non-alcoholic wine.
- Something sour: fresh lemon or lime.
- Something sweet: simple syrup, grenadine, honey or a fruit syrup.
- Bubbles: soda water, tonic or ginger beer; here’s how they differ.
- A finish: herbs, a citrus peel, a pinch of salt or a dash of bitters.
New to recipe terms like muddle and double strain? See what the recipes mean.
Three ways to make one
From scratch
Juice, syrup and soda, nothing to buy but groceries. Start with simple syrup or real grenadine.
On a non-alcoholic spirit
A gin, tequila or aperitif alternative gives the drink the backbone of a cocktail. See what to buy first.
Ready-made
Canned and bottled mocktails are mixed for you: chill and open. Browse mixers and ready-to-drink.
Do mocktails have alcohol?
- Made from juice, syrup and soda: no alcohol.
- Made with a non-alcoholic spirit: most are labeled under 0.5%, so the drink may carry a trace. Here’s what the labels mean.
- With bitters: classic cocktail bitters are made with alcohol; a dash adds a little. Alcohol-free bitters exist.
- Pregnant? Choose ingredients labeled 0.0%, and ask your doctor about anything you’re unsure of. See pregnancy mocktails.
Are mocktails healthier than cocktails?
They have no alcohol, which is the main difference. They can still be sweet: juice, syrups and sodas add sugar quickly. For a lighter drink, use soda water instead of sweet mixers, go easy on the syrup and lean on citrus, herbs and bitterness for flavor.
Five mocktails to start with
- Shirley Temple: ginger ale, grenadine and a cherry.
- Mojito: lime, mint and soda.
- Sangria: fruity and made for a pitcher.
- Pineapple Spritz: pineapple and bubbles.
- Sparkling Tea Spritzer: built on sparkling tea.
Want more? See 25 zero-proof cocktail recipes or every recipe in recipes and mocktails.
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Common questions
What is a mocktail?
A mixed drink made without alcohol, usually from juice, herbs, syrup and soda, made the way a cocktail is.
What's the difference between a mocktail and a cocktail?
A cocktail contains alcohol; a mocktail doesn't. A mocktail uses juice, syrups, soda or a non-alcoholic spirit in its place.
Do mocktails have alcohol?
Not when they're made from juice, syrup and soda. Non-alcoholic spirits are usually labeled under 0.5%, and classic bitters contain alcohol, so a mocktail made with them can carry a trace. For 0.0%, choose 0.0% ingredients.
Is a mocktail the same as a virgin drink?
Close. A virgin drink is a classic cocktail with the alcohol left out, like a virgin mojito. Mocktail is the wider term for any non-alcoholic mixed drink.
