Best Margarita Mocktail
You are going to LOVE this margarita mocktail recipe! Whether you are taking a break from alcohol, pregnant, or just cutting back, this virgin margarita will give you allllllll of the flavor and satisfaction, without the side effects you’re trying to avoid. But this isn’t a drink for kids, it tastes like the real thing.
Set yourself up with a few non-alcoholic margaritas, tortilla chips, a bowl of Chipotle corn salsa, shrimp ceviche, or cowboy caviar for a perfect afternoon.
What makes these the best virgin margarita? Two things:
- FRESH ingredients – this is key to bright and high-quality flavor.
- DEPTH – The Ritual tequila alternative gives tequila flavor without the booze and this is often missing in many NA margaritas that feel like they are missing something. (Same with my mojito mocktail!)
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
What You’ll Love About this Margarita Mocktail Recipe
- Actually tastes like the real thing, so it’s not for kids
- Delicious and refreshing
- Made with fresh citrus
- Takes just a few minutes to make
- Easy to double or triple the recipe
Ingredients
- Tequila alternative – Yes, we’re using FAKE tequila like zero-proof (non-alcoholic) Ritual Tequila Alternative. There are a number of tequila alternatives so use your favorite.
- Lime juice – Fresh lime juice is a must. Get yourself a citrus squeezer to make it easier.
- Orange juice – A classic margarita is made with an orange liqueur like Cointreau, so we’re using fresh orange juice instead of the liqueur. It’s sort of a secret ingredient that you don’t typically see in margaritas but it adds a nice touch of sweetness and citrus flavor.
- Agave nectar – This sweetens the non-alcoholic margarita, and it’s a classic in margaritas. You could also use honey or simple syrup, but agave is preferred.
- Soda water – I prefer to use plain soda water, but sparkling water (seltzer, club soda, or topo chico) or tonic water can also be used. Use a splash as desired, or skip it if you prefer a stronger flavor.
- Margarita salt – If you like a coarse salt rim, margarita salt is best as it’s nice and chunky. Some also like a sugar rim or a tajin rim.
- Other flavors – While this is a classic NA margarita, you can also easily add some other flavors, see below for ideas.
How to Make Virgin Margaritas
This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
- Prep your glass. Run a fresh lime wedge on rim of the glass and dunk in margarita salt.
- Shake up your margarita mocktails! Add tequila alternative, lime juice, orange juice, and agave to a cocktail shaker. Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously until the shaker is frosty. Strain into prepared glass over ice and top with soda water (stir it in) if desired.
- Garnish. Garnish with lime slices or a pineapple leaf if you are really fancy. 🙂
Spicy Margarita Mocktail
Want to add some spice to your mocktail? Add 1-2 slices of fresh jalapeño (more or less depending on how much spice you like) and muddle in cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients. There are more flavor additions listed below!
FAQs
A tequila alternative is a zero-proof tequila or a non-alcoholic version of tequila. So it’s not quite the same (obviously!) but it helps add depth and realistic flavor to mocktail margaritas like this one.
I love the Ritual tequila alternative (and I like their gin!) to give extra oomph to this mocktail recipe. Ritual describes the tequila as, “grassy flavor, smoky aroma and bright fire of tequila without the alcohol.” (Not sponsored, it’s just what I use and love!)
It’s not overly sweet like some margaritas, but has enough sweetness to balance out the lime juice. Feel free to adjust agave according to your personal preferences. I personally don’t love a really sweet drink (and it’s one of my most common complaints when it comes to mocktails!), and I think this one has a perfect balance.
I would advise against it as it will taste watered down, but if you prefer your margaritas blended, simply make a bit of a stronger drink and then blend with ice.
Storage
This refreshing margarita mocktail is best served and enjoyed immediately.
How to prep ahead
Juice the limes and orange so the fresh juices are ready.
How to make a batch
If you’re serving these to a crowd, making a batch will make making individual drinks really easy! You can adjust the quantity depending on the number of drinks, but you would quadruple the recipe and pour everything into a mason jar or pitcher. Shake well to distribute the agave evenly. When it’s time to make a drink, pour out about 2/3 of a cup into a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into your serving glass over ice. Top with soda water if using and garnish.
Flavored Margarita Mocktail Ideas
Here are some ideas for simple ways you can add some more/different flavors to your mocktail:
- Cucumber – Muddle some fresh cucumber slices in the bottom of your rimmed glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions.
- Strawberry – Muddle some fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries in the bottom of your rimmed glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions.
- Blackberry – Muddle some fresh or frozen (thawed) blackberries in the bottom of your rimmed glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions.
- Watermelon -Muddle some fresh watermelon in the bottom of your rimmed glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions. You could also swap the orange juice for watermelon juice and prepare that way as well.
- Mango – Muddle some fresh and ripe mango in the bottom of your rimmed glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions. You could also swap the orange juice for mango juice.
- Spicy – Muddle some fresh jalapeño slices into the bottom of your glass or cocktail shaker, then prepare according to directions.
More Mocktail Recipes
If you like this virgin margarita recipe, you might also like some of these other mocktail recipes:
- Cranberry Mocktail Spritzer
- Pineapple Ginger Beer Mocktail
- Sleepy Girl Mocktail
- Minty Mojito Mocktail
Want More?
Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.
Virgin Margarita Mocktail
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Drink
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This virgin margarita mocktail delivers all the flavor you love in fresh margaritas (zesty lime and a little sweetness) without the booze!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. tequila alternative (like Ritual)
- 1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. fresh orange juice
- 2 tsp. agave
- splash of soda water or club soda
Instructions
- Salt rims of short glasses and fill with ice.
- Combine tequila alternative, lime juice, orange juice, and agave in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes, shake well until frothy, and pour into glasses. Top with a splash of soda water and stir in.
Notes
Flavored Virgin Margarita Ideas
- Spicy – Muddle fresh jalapeno slices before shaking NA margarita.
- Strawberry – Muddle fresh or frozen (but thawed) strawberries before shaking NA margarita.
- Cucumber – Muddle cucumber slices before shaking NA margarita.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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