Enjoy the bold, slightly sweet and sour taste of a margarita all without the alcohol in this margarita mocktail recipe. With lots of flavor variations and easy instructions on making a pitcher, you'll want to hold onto this fun drink recipe all year long.
Are you looking for a fun beverage to sip on that's non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated, and fancier than plain juice or sparkling water? This easy margarita mocktail checks all the boxes.
A margarita is one of my favorite drinks for its punchy, tart flavor, but there are plenty of times I'd prefer something in the same vein that's alcohol-free instead. After tinkering around in the kitchen to make a seriously tasty mojito mocktail and party-ready batch of non-alcoholic sangria, I knew a non-alcoholic margarita would not be far behind.
On first sip this really brings that classic margarita flavor, sans bite. It's not too sweet (though adjust this to taste) and the blend of citrus flavors hits just right. Simply add a salt rim and garnish with a lime wedge to cap it off.
Why This Recipe Works
- With its agave sweetener and lime and orange notes, this mocktail margarita features a slightly sweet and sour flavor punch reminiscent of a real margarita.
- Transforming agave nectar into simple syrup in liquid form means that it mixes even easier into a drink than regular agave nectar. Plus it takes just one quick stir to mix into an already-poured mocktail if you'd like more sweetness later on.
- It's so easy to switch up the flavors: spicy, fruity, etc.
Mocktail Ingredients
- Agave simple syrup: Sweetness is necessary in a mocktail margarita because it doesn't use a sweetened liqueur. I love making one with agave nectar in place of granulated sugar to give a slight flavor nod to tequila and provide color.
- Orange juice: Freshly-squeezed provides the best flavor for a beverage.
- Lime juice: Again, go for freshly-squeezed.
- Club soda: Any kind of club soda, seltzer, or sparkling water works to provide a slightly effervescent base.
Easy Steps
- Salt the rim. This is optional. Rub a lime wedge along the outer rim of a glass, or dip it in water. Roll the moistened edge in coarse salt. Do this first before pouring the drink!
- Shake and pour. Add ice to a cocktail shaker (or lidded jar) and add the agave simple syrup, orange juice, and lime juice. Do not add the club soda. Shake well and strain over ice into the glass.
- Serve. Pour in sparkling water and stir to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge or round for serving.
Variations
- Fruity: Substitute your favorite flavored sparkling water in for unflavored for a slightly fruity twist. My favorite bold flavors for pepping up non-alcoholic drinks are LaCroix coconut, Waterloo pineapple, and Bubly grapefruit.
- Spicy margarita mocktail: Add a small, thin slice of jalapeño pepper to the cocktail shaker, muddling it a bit if you like first. Rim the glass with Tajín seasoning in place of salt.
- Frozen margarita mocktail: Blend the agave syrup, lime juice, and orange juice with plenty of ice. Don't blend the carbonated water, rather stir it into the glasses individually.
- Pitcher: Scale up the ingredients eight-fold, as follows. Stir together everything but the soda water in a pitcher, adding ice and club soda just prior to serving.
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lime juice
- 8 ounces (1 cup) orange juice
- 8 ounces (1 cup) agave simple syrup (up to 12 ounces if desired)
- 40 ounces (5 cups) club soda
Tips and Tricks
- Switch the sweetener: While the flavor would change, you can make a syrup with granulated sugar for convenience. Keep in mind the syrup in this margarita mocktail is written with a 1:1 ratio of agave nectar and water. Some pre-made syrups are twice as sweet (2:1) so adjust accordingly.
- Prep ahead: The agave simple syrup can be prepared a week (or even longer) in advance when kept refrigerated. The orange and lime juices can be squeezed and refrigerated hours in advance.
- Don't fall flat: If preparing a batch of margarita mocktails ahead of time, hold off on pouring the soda water and adding ice until just prior to serving. The bubbles will lose their effervescence and the ice will dilute the flavor the longer it sits.
More Mocktail Recipes
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Margarita Mocktail
Enjoy the slightly sweet and sour taste of a margarita all without the alcohol in this simple margarita mocktail recipe. The bold margarita flavor really shines through!
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Servings: 1 mocktail
Calories: 74kcal
Ingredients
Agave Simple Syrup
- ½ cup agave nectar
- ½ cup water
Margarita Mocktail (one drink)
- 1 ½ ounces (3 Tablespoons) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) agave simple syrup (or 2-3 teaspoons agave nectar), more to taste
- 5 ounces club soda or sparkling water
Instructions
Prepare the Syrup
- Add agave nectar and water to a saucepan set over medium-low heat. Whisk/stir as it heats until the agave nectar fully thins and liquifies. Remove from the heat and let cool, then transfer to an air-tight jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Mocktail
- Rub a lime wedge around the outer rim of a glass, or dip it in water. Roll the edge in coarse salt and set glass aside.
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker along with the lime juice, orange juice, and agave simple syrup. Shake well to combine, then strain over ice into the cocktail glass.
- Pour the club soda into the glass and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge or round.
Notes
- Adjust to taste. As written this margarita mocktail has a bold citrus burst to make up for the lack of alcohol, which needs sufficient sweetness to temper it into a balanced sipper. That said, you can start with less agave syrup, taste, and then see if you'd like more.
- Agave syrup: Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. This can be made up to a week in advance, likely even longer. This quantity will yield enough for approximately 6-8 drinks.
- Club soda: Replace this with fruit-flavored sparkling water for a fun flavor twist. Pineapple, grapefruit, and coconut are especially good. Don't shake this as it's carbonated and pressure will build up and make a mess.
- Spicy variation: Add a small jalapeño round to the shaker and rim the glass with Tajín seasoning.
- Frozen variation: Blend simple syrup and citrus juices with ice until frosty, then stir in club soda to serve.
- Pitcher: This will serve 8. Stir together the citrus juices and syrup in a pitcher, adding soda water just prior to serving. Pour into glasses over ice.
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lime juice
- 8 ounces (1 cup) orange juice
- 8 ounces (1 cup) agave simple syrup (up to 12 ounces if you like it sweeter)
- 40 ounces (5 cups) club soda
Nutrition
Serving: 1mocktail | Calories: 74kcal
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Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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