When our family gets together, we like to serve some kind of cocktail. In fact, since our kids have become adults, we’ve started to feature a “signature” cocktail for our special celebrations. But when our youngest daughter, Allison, who was the mastermind and mixologist behind our signature cocktails announced that she was pregnant, we had to come up with another plan. Hence, the search for the perfect “mocktail” – something that she can enjoy but that was easy to turn into a cocktail for the rest of us, just by adding a shot of the “good stuff”.

And if you think about it, having some good mocktail recipes on hand is just a good idea for guests who may not drink alcohol for whatever reason – pregnancy, reactions to medication, they’re the designated driver, or they just don’t drink. And if the kids in your family are like our 8-year-old grandson, Parker, they like to have a little something special in their glass to say “cheers” with!

So, I searched Pinterest and asked some of my blogging friends for their mocktail recipes and found 4 winners. Allison and I taste-tested them all!

[bctt tweet=”Mocktails to Cocktails. Just add a shot of the good stuff. Something for everybody” username=”MySideof50″]

4 Delicious Cocktails To Mocktails

Cranberry Coconut Lime Rickey Mocktail

Cranberry Coconut Lime Rickey Mocktail from juiceman.com

Here’s the link to the original recipe. I tweaked it a bit by using organic cranberry juice. The red color of the drink is not as dark when you use organic cranberry juice, but it is still a really pretty drink. Check out the video of how to make it here. No, really – check out the video. Allison helped me make it and I am super proud of how it turned out!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut water
• juice of ½ lime
• ½ cup 100% organic cranberry juice
• ½ cup Club Soda

Mix together and pour over ice cubes. To make a cocktail, add 1 oz. of gin.

Makes 1 serving

Blood Orange Basil Mocktail

Blood Orange Basil Cocktail from Babble.com

If you like a less sweet mocktail, this one is for you. Because it was less sweet that the Rickey, Allison felt like she was really having a cocktail with “a little something” in it!

Ingredients:

• 3 large basil leaves
• ¼ cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
• ½ cup Blood Orange Italian Soda
• ¼ cup tonic water

Place basil in the bottom of a shaker or large sturdy glass. Add grapefruit juice and muddle until basil is fragrant. Add Italian soda and tonic and pour over ice. To make a cocktail, add 2 oz. gin.

Sparkling Apple Pie Mocktail

Photo credit: The Kitchen is My Playground

This drink seriously tastes just like apple pie. It is delicious! To make this mocktail, I tweaked the original Sparkling Apple Pie Cocktail from The Kitchen is My Playground. You can find the original cocktail recipe here. It calls for champagne and cinnamon schnapps in it and is to die for!

Ingredients:

• ½ TBS. Honey
• ½ TBS. Hot Water
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 3 oz. apple juice
• 3 oz. sparkling apple cider
• cinnamon and sugar for rim
• apple slice for garnish

Wet a glass all the way around with water and dip in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Set aside.

Combine honey & hot water in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Stir until combined and let cool. Add cinnamon and apple juice. Shake for 20 or 30 seconds and strain into prepared glass. Add sparkling apple cider and garnish with apple slice.

Makes 1 serving

Mango Libre for a Crowd

Photo credit: BreadBoozeBacon.com

This recipe from Julie at Bread Booze Bacon is a great drink to make for a crowd. This would be my “go to” if I just wanted to have a pitcher of something that people could serve themselves instead of mixing individual drinks. Here is her recipe for the “mocktail version” called Mango Lime Punch. You can find the cocktail version with rum here. Both recipes serve 6.

Ingredients:

• 2 – 9.6 oz. cans mango nectar*
• 4 cups cold water
• 6 oz. limeade concentrate
• 1-2 cups lemon-lime soda
• 2 large limes cut into slices to make lime wheels
• Ice

In large pitcher, stir together limeade concentrate and water until combined. Add mango nectar and lemon lime soda and stir. Add lime slices to pitcher and store in refrigerator until ready to stir. To serve, pour over ice.

*If using mango juice blend, use 2 ½ cups juice.

Do these sound good to you? Share the joy by sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest.

If you try one post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag me – MySideof50!

4 Delicious Mocktails to Cocktails

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