Three Herbal Mocktail Recipes Everyone Should Try

These three simple herbal mocktails are the perfect way to brighten up all of your celebrations this holiday season. They’re actually great for any time of year. 

And it’s nice to have a few really tasty non-alcoholic drinks at social gatherings, for those who find that alcohol is an unwelcome guest in their lives.

They are full of herbal goodness, made with natural ingredients, and the citrus in them is a real mood booster. 

They are a hit at dinner parties. They are a very refreshing drink to serve lakeside on hot summer days.

And they’re particularly suited for brunches. I find their citrus theme really calls to me during the winter holiday season.

I am just old enough to remember a time when it was common to get oranges in your Christmas stocking. Fresh Florida oranges, in the winter, were a pretty big deal back in those days.

They were ever-so-slightly pricey. And getting one or two of them on Christmas morning was considered quite a treat.

This tradition was starting to fade by the time I arrived on the scene. But, Christmas mornings, when I was very young, still involved oranges. And I LOVED IT!

So, when I was decided to create beverage recipes for the holidays, my mind went straight to delicious herbal mocktails with a citrus twist. 

Why Mocktails Instead Of Cocktails?

I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t enjoy a really special beverage. But I can think of many who maintain an alcohol free lifestyle.

And, these two things make mocktails the perfect fit for absolutely all social settings. They are 100 percent alcohol-free. Yet, they can be easily turned from an herbal mocktail to an herbal cocktail in minutes.

Both versions are very tasty beverages. And the best part is that every single person at the gathering is able to enjoy them, even the children. 

Personally, I adore mocktails. I rarely drink alcohol anymore. But, I do like to treat myself to an indulgent beverage on occassion. Mocktails fit the bill.

Ingredients Needed For These Recipes

I intentionally kept the mocktail recipes for this post very simple. I wanted to give you a recipe that you could easily make whenever the mood struck you.

All three of the recipes I’ve created are very similar. They each have an herbal component; dried hibsicus, dried elderberry, or fresh ginger root. 

And a citrus element; fresh squeezed orange, lemon, or lime juice. And all of them call for honey, water, and club soda.

I designed them this way so that you would be able to mix and match the herbal and citrus flavors to suit your own personal preferences. Or even just to align with them with the ingredients that you happen to have on hand in the kitchen.

How To Make Herbal Mocktails

These simple mocktails are all made with a honey based simple syrup. The great thing about this model is that you can make this syrup and keep it on hand in the refrigerator.

It is the only part of the beverage that requires any preparation time. So, once you have it on hand you can make a mocktail at a moments notice.

To make the syrup you will simply steep it’s herbal component in hot water for 24 hours.

Then you’ll strain the herbs out of the water, mix the water with some fresh squeezed citrus juice, and melt honey into the blend.

This blend will then be served in club soda over ice. And garnished with a bit of citrus peel. 

If you prefer to have more than a citrus twist, just toss a few lime wedges, a couple of orange slices, or a slice of lemon or two into the glass.

Adding Fresh Herbs To These Recipes

Fresh kitchen herbs make a great addition to these recipes. So, if you have them on hand go ahead and put them in your beverages.

A nice sprig of fresh rosemary, a bit of lemon balm, or a sprig of fresh basil add a very festive touch to these herby mocktails. They add a nice flavor to them as well.

You can also go with mint, thyme, lavender, and sage. Or if you want to use an aromatic herb with a warmer profile than try some cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars, or cardamom pods in your recipe.

How To Serve Herbal Mocktails

Often, when I’m making herbal mocktails for myself, I simply fill a glass with ice, pour in a few shots of the prepared simple syrup, top it off with club soda, and enjoy.

It’s quick and easy. And I hate to admit it, but it’s pretty easy to neglect the effort it takes to go the ‘extra step’ to make something special when we’re just doing it for ourselves.

However, sometimes, maybe the best times, I do go that extra step. Even just for myself. And it’s a great way to encourage self-love, so I highly recommend it.

Here’s a list of things you can do to make your beverage extra special …

• Use some edible flowers, like calendula, lavender, rose petals, nasturtiums, or peonies to make floral ice cubes to put in your beverages.
• Add a berry garnish, like raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, or pomegranate seeds to your beverage.
• Use a mortar and pestle to muddle some of the berries you add to your beverage. This will lend some additional flavor to it, and a few antioxidants too.
• As mentioned above … add some fresh herbs to your beverage. Things like basil, rosemary, mint, thyme, lavender, and sage all work really well.
• Or if fresh herbs are unavailable add things like cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars, or cardamom pods to your beverage.
• Make your beverage even more flavorful by substituting ginger ale, ginger beer, coconut water, or herbal tea for the club soda.

How To Store The Simple Syrup For Herbal Mocktails

The simple syrup for these herbal mocktails will store for quite some time in the refrigerator. If you put it in an airtight container, it will last 7-10 days without a problem.

If you make a batch of simple syrup without the citrus juice in it, then it will last much longer; anywhere from 2 weeks to a month.

This is a great option if you plan to enjoy these beverages regularly throughout the winter. This is the way that I most often store my syrup.

The citrus can be added to the syrup later. Or you can just add it to the beverage itself when you make it.

It’s actually nice to do it this way because then you always have some citrus slices or peel to garnish your beverages with.

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If you try this recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars! It supports my work more than you may realize, and I appreciate that a great deal!

You can also show your support by tagging me on Facebook @sustainableslowliving and/or Instagram @slowlivingbydianegail when you post a pic of your finished beverage.