18 Zero-Proof Christmas Mocktails That Are 100% Delicious
It's never been easier to get in the holiday spirit (without the spirits).
When the holidays roll around, no one should be left empty-handed at your festive get-togethers. And that's especially true if you're opting for a non-alcoholic mocktail over the boozy stuff. Thankfully, it's never been easier to get into the Christmas spirit (without all the, ya know, spirits). These Christmas mocktails are not only super-easy to shake up, they're undeniably delicious. You'll be your group's go-to mocktail mixologist in no time! So sit back and enjoy the virgin cranberry basil sangria all season long.
The best part of all these drinks? They don't require any fancy additions; you likely have all the ingredients in your pantry right this moment! We like to keep it simple by offering all of the standard holiday favorites, like hot chocolate, eggnog, or fresh homemade apple cider. And it wouldn't be the holidays without a good amount of wassail-ing, so be sure to check out our recipe for the traditional spicy punch.
If you do want to really put your mixology hat on, we've sample plenty of non-alcoholic spirits to add a bit of dimension to your virgin piña coladas too. A bit of non-alcoholic whisky is perfect in our apple cider slushies, while we opt for non-alcoholic rum in our blackberry virgin mojitos. Pinky promise, these drinks taste leagues better than a hangover.
Want to stock up your fridge ahead of party season? Check out all of our favorite canned mocktails, non-alcoholic wines, and all of our best mocktail recipes.
Virgin Cranberry Basil Sangria
Sangria without the wine? Yes, please. The fruit is the real star here—use whatever’s in season and get creative with the combination (think cranberries, orange slices, and rosemary for the holidays and mixed berries and mint for summer).
Get the Virgin Cranberry Basil Sangria recipe.
Wassail
Wassail is a warm, spiced punch that’s traditionally served when celebrating the ancient English Yuletide tradition of the same name. The combination of warm spices, like cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom, infuse a heady, pleasing essence into each steaming mug.
Get the Wassail recipe.
Best Hot Chocolate
Homemade hot chocolate is infinitely better than boxed mix. And our recipe is extra decadent, thanks to the cup of actual chocolate (not just cocoa powder).
Get the Best Hot Chocolate recipe.
Affogato
Calling all coffee lovers: This is the dessert for you. An affogato is a simple Italian dessert-y nightcap—just espresso poured over a scoop of gelato. If you don't own an at-home espresso machine, brew some extra-strong coffee and measure out 2 tablespoons to pour over.
Get the Affogato 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're obsessed with this slightly richer and creamier take. It definitely makes you wonder why piña coladas never had ice cream in the first place!
Get the Virgin Piña Colada recipe.
Whipped Lemonade
Blending your favorite lemonade with some sweetened condensed milk turns it into a creamy frozen drink that's super-delicious: sweet and tart and as refreshing as can be.
Get the Whipped Lemonade recipe.
Horchata
Horchata is a popular and refreshing drink that takes on different forms across many cultures, but it always starts with a soaked nut, seed, or grain. This classic Mexican version, horchata de arroz, is made by soaking rice and almonds with cinnamon and blending everything together with milk and sweetener.
Get the Horchata recipe.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
When it's bone-chillingly cold, nothing warms us up faster than a mug of hot chocolate. We love the addition of cinnamon and cayenne in this Mexican version, meant for true spice lovers. If you prefer your drinks on the milder side, feel free to forgo the cayenne in favor of a spice that adds less heat, like chili powder.
Get the Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe.
Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino
Starbucks Frappuccinos® have been around since the mid-'90s, though it wasn’t until 1999 that the Caramel Frappuccino hit the scene. Prior to then, the drinks were just blended coffee and milk, so the addition of caramel and whipped cream was a HUGE deal, and it shows in this recipe!
Chai Latte
If we had it our way, chai lattes would be trending over pumpkin spice lattes. The warm, cozy tea is full of spices and steamed milk for the coziest drink of all time. Very similar to a Masala Chai, except here we will be frothing our warmed milk to make that foamy top we love about lattes.
Get the Chai Latte recipe.
Homemade Apple Cider
One of the greatest things about fall is homemade apple cider. Not only is it super-easy to make, it’s also the perfect way to use up all those extra apples you planned to bake into apple pie after going apple picking. Warm, full of spice, and just sweet enough, it’s the perfect drink to have on the back burner when you’re hosting guests—it will make your home smell like fall!
Get the Homemade Apple Cider recipe.
Eggnog
Eggnog is the type of drink that people either love or really, really hate. It's rich, creamy, and, well, egg-y. We fall into the camp of people who love it (like, really really love it); it's one of our go-to holiday drinks.
Get the Eggnog recipe.
Triple Berry Sparklers
The secret to this super-patriotic refresher? The berry ice cubes. For this drink, we froze blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries in coconut water, but use this technique to improve everything from lemonade to cold brew (chocolate milk ice cubes maybe?).
Get the Triple Berry Sparklers recipe.
Apple Cider Slushies
Apple cider slushies are the perfect thing to keep in your freezer for an icy-cold anytime treat. We borrow the technique of scraping it with a fork to create the slushie consistency from granitas. The trick is to make sure you don't let the mixture freeze completely before scraping it!
Get the Apple Cider Slushies recipe.
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.
Thai Iced Tea
We love this drink made of black tea, spices, and sweetened condensed milk a great alternative to our morning cold brew, or as a way to cool off our mouths after eating spicy Thai noodles. Sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk is the most common milks to add to the tea, but coconut milk would also be a great dairy-free option!
Get the Thai Iced Tea recipe.
Shirley Temple
Transport back to your childhood with this refreshing classic made of maraschino cherries and lemon-lime soda.
Get the Shirley Temple recipe.
Vegan Eggnog
You either love eggnog or loathe it—there is no in between. This version of the classic holiday cocktail has a similar flavor and texture of the original but is dairy-free and vegan-friendly! The richness, thickness, and luscious creamy texture that usually comes from eggs and heavy cream is achieved with both cashews and full-fat coconut milk in this recipe. This eggnog is also naturally sweetened with Medjool dates and maple syrup, bringing an original taste to each frosty glass.
Get the Vegan Eggnog recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine and if wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
