30 Non-Alcoholic Drinks That Are Cooler Than Their Boozy Counterparts
You're better than plain ol' soda.
Here at Delish, we love a fun summer bev. Warm-weather cocktails like frozen drinks or spritzes are often our drinks of choice, but mocktails deserve the love come the summer months, too. They’re perfect when you’re thirsty for a refreshing, special drink without the booze, and are a must-make for a party. They keep everyone refreshed, and will be hugely appreciated by those not wanting to drink, whether they’re abstaining forever or just right now. If you’re looking to shake up your summer, check out these 30 non-alcoholic drink recipes for inspiration—we bet you won’t even miss the alcohol.
Let’s start with the basics. A pitcher of lemonade or iced tea is classic, beloved by all, and above all, easy to throw together. Sure, you could just buy pre-made from the store, but where’s the fun in that? Homemade is always better. Plus, if you make them at home, you have the option to switch up your recipes. You could add fruit, like in our watermelon or strawberry lemonade; sweetened condensed milk, like in our Thai iced tea or whipped lemonade; or simply combine the two into an Arnold Palmer.
If you’re looking for true mocktail vibes, our Nojito, porn star mock-tini, and blackberry virgin mojito will all make your guests (or your afternoon) feel extra special. Planning to serve frozen drinks at your party? Don’t let your guests who aren’t drinking miss out on all the fun: Try adding sorbet to your mocktails, like in our Juneteenth punch, or just blend fruit and ice into a delicious mocktail, like our virgin piña colada or our virgin raspberry mango margarita slushies. More of a Coke fan? Our frozen cherry Coke slushies and dirty coconut Coke are ridiculously refreshing.
For more inspiration, check out our guide to our favorite non-alcoholic spirits and wines, and our expert-approved alcohol alternatives for your bar cart.
Frozen Cherry Coke Slushies
This childhood favorite is peak 7-Eleven nostalgia in the best possible way. Frozen cherries are blended with Coke (both frozen into cubes and straight up) with a splash of lime juice for a surprisingly balanced and totally drinkable frozen drink.
Get the Frozen Cherry Coke Slushies recipe.
Brazilian Lemonade
Don’t get us wrong, a classic lemonade is great, but Brazilian lemonade is extra special. It gives Key lime pie vibes, in the very best way.
Get the Brazilian Lemonade recipe.
NOjito!
NO booze, no problem is the name of the game with this NO-jito! This mojito-inspired mocktail is light and refreshing and has all of the flavor and none of the alcohol. You can have as many as you want without worrying about a headache the next day.
Get the NOjito! recipe.
Strawberry-Lemonade Shrub
Originating in 17th-century England as a method to preserve fruit, shrubs eventually made their way over to colonial America, evolving into fruit- and vinegar-infused syrups used as a mixer for water, seltzer, and cocktails. This strawberry-lemonade version only takes four ingredients to create, and will be the base for the most refreshing mocktails (and more!).
Get the Strawberry-Lemonade Shrub recipe.
Shirley Temple Float
With the Dirty Shirley being the drink of summer 2023, we thought, Why not float-ify it for summer 2024? The result was this foamy, fruity, smooth, and creamy confection that’s 50% drink, 50% dessert, and 100% a sweet tooth satisfier.
Get the Shirley Temple Float recipe.
Porn Star Mock-tini
This mocktail has all the flavors of the original porn star martini but none of the hangover. The star flavor of the passion fruit juice adds a tart zippiness that’s balanced lovingly with a warm vanilla simple syrup and a bright, bubbly sidecar of club soda.
Get the Porn Star Mock-tini recipe.
Bee’s Knees Mocktail Spritz
This Bee’s Knees mocktail spritz, inspired by the gin-based classic drink, has lemon, a sweet honey syrup, and is topped off with club soda. We garnish it with sugared rosemary, but for the summer months, feel free to skip.
Get the Bee’s Knees Mocktail Spritz recipe.
Homemade Lemonade
Does anything scream summer more than an ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade? While we love adding fruity twists to this warm-weather drink, this recipe is our go-to when we’re looking for simple, classic, and ridiculously refreshing.
Get the Homemade Lemonade recipe.
Dirty Coconut Coke
Milk and Coke?? Don't knock it until you've tried it! If you've been wanting to try the viral dirty sodas, then follow this recipe to make one right at home. For this refreshing drink, we are riding “dirty” with our take on a Dirty Soda, where the creaminess from the coconut milk and cream mix effortlessly with lime juice and cola.
Get the Dirty Coconut Coke recipe.
Virgin Raspberry Mango Margarita Slushies
When it's a real scorcher, refresh with these gorgeous virgin frozen margaritas, made zesty with lots of lime. We love layering raspberry and mango for the sweet-tart tropical flavor, but strawberry and pineapple are a solid combo too.
Blackberry Virgin Mojito
This non-alcoholic mojito is still every bit as refreshing with an easy mint simple syrup and fresh blackberries. It makes extra syrup, so you can use it in cold brew or lemonade too!
Get the Blackberry Virgin Mojito recipe.
Arnold Palmer
Half iced tea, half lemonade—100% refreshing. It's no wonder this combo is a classic.
Get the Perfect Arnold Palmer recipe.
Virgin Piña Colada
Sit back and sip those cares away with a non-alcoholic piña colada that's basically a tropical milkshake. The classic version might be a bit more smoothie- or Icee-like in texture, but we are obsessed with this slightly richer and creamier take.
Get the Virgin Piña Colada recipe.
Italian Soda
First introduced in San Francisco in 1925, the original recipe for Italian soda required only flavored syrup and soda water. Soon, adding cream became popular, thus creating the version we know and love today. For this recipe, try out your favorite flavors or mix and match!
Get the Italian Soda recipe.
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Part watermelon juice, part limeade, and 100% refreshing, this just might be the drink of the summer. It's slightly sweet, making it a perfect daytime treat or as a mocktail option at a BBQ.
Get the Watermelon Agua Fresca recipe.
Blushing Arnold Palmer
What makes an Arnold Palmer even better? A splash of grenadine! We call these "Blushing", but really, maybe an "Arnold Palmer Temple" would be just as fitting.
Get the Blushing Arnold Palmer recipe.
Shirley Temples
Transport back to your childhood with this refreshing classic made of grenadine and lemon-lime soda. Not a Sprite fan? Swap it for a Coke (or one of their wild new flavors) and make it a Roy Rogers instead.
Get the Shirley Temple recipe.
Juneteenth Punch
In this punch, Chef Millie Peartree skips ice in favor of strawberry sorbet. Not only does it keep drinks cold, but it adds a delicious creaminess as well. For best results, we recommend starting with cold ingredients and serving the drinks in chilled glasses.
Get the Juneteenth Punch recipe.
Mango Lassi
Like a cross between a milkshake and a smoothie, mango lassi is a simple pleasure: All you need is about equal amounts of sweet mangoes and creamy full-fat yogurt, a little ice, and a high-powered blender to force the two ingredients into one drinkable treat.
Get the Mango Lassi recipe.
Whipped Lemonade
Blending your favorite lemonade with some sweetened condensed milk turns it into a creamy frozen drink that's sweet and tart and as refreshing as can be. We'll be skipping milkshakes for these this summer!
Get the Whipped Lemonade recipe.
