Lokenstein's

My Mocktails Recipes

Created: 10/01/2023 - Last updated: 23/02/2023

I've been learning a bit about how to make mocktails recently, so I wanted to write down a few recipes here. They are roughly organized from easiest to hardest to make.

Practical tips

Measurements

1 lime juice = 2tbsp = 30ml
1 orange juice = 1/4 cup = 4tbsp = 60ml

Tool substitutions

You don't need much to make mocktails, except from the basic knives, pots and glasses. Here are a few item substitutions you can use to avoid spending money especially if you're just starting out.

  • Shaker = glass jar
  • Muddler = end of a rolling pin

Basic ingredients recipes

A lot of ingredients used in mocktails, especially sugar syrups, are quick and easy to make at home. Here are a few simple recipes I've used for my mocktails.
You can also buy most of those in stores if you don't have the time or energy to make them.

Sugar syrup

Ingredients:

  • 1dl of caster sugar
  • 1dl of water

Steps:

  1. Heat up sugar and water in a pot on medium heat
  2. When it starts boiling, remove immediately for a very liquid syrup, or keep boiling for about a minute for a thicker one
  3. Pour in a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge

Chili syrup

Ingredients:

  • 1dl of caster sugar
  • 1dl of water
  • 1 serrano pepper (or other chili pepper)

Steps:

  1. Slice up the chili. I would recommend wearing gloves if you're not familiar with handling chili because it can burn your hands. Remove the seeds for less heat.
  2. Heat up sugar, water and chili in a pot on medium heat
  3. When it starts boiling, remove immediately for a very liquid syrup, or keep boiling for about a minute for a thicker one
  4. Strain and pour in a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge

Ginger syrup

Ingredients:

  • 1dl of caster sugar
  • 1dl of water
  • a thumb of ginger

Steps:

  1. Peel the ginger if you want to have a light-colored syrup
  2. Slice the ginger
  3. Heat up sugar, water and ginger in a pot on medium heat
  4. When it starts boiling, remove immediately for a very liquid syrup, or keep boiling for about a minute for a thicker one
  5. Strain and pour in a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge

Club soda

Ingredients:

  • 1L water
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • Tools: carbonating machine (Mysoda, Soda Stream, etc.)

Steps:

  1. Add the water, salt and baking soda in the bottle and shake well
  2. Carbonate the water

My mocktail recipes

Lapsang Collins

Inspired by the "0% Collins" mocktail from the Liberty or Death bar in Helsinki, Finland.

Notes: smokey, slightly sour, bubbly

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 1/2tbsp of Lapsang souchong tea leaves
  • 1dl of water
  • 37ml lemon juice
  • 25ml sugar syrup
  • 2dl club soda
  • Ice cubes
  • Glass: highball
  • Tools: shaker, strainer
  • Garnish ideas: lemon peel or slice

Steps:

  1. Heat up the water to 95°C / 200°F
  2. Steep the tea for 5 minutes
  3. In a shaker, add the tea (without the leaves), lemon juice, sugar syrup and ice cubes, and shake well
  4. Strain in a glass filled with ice cubes
  5. Top with the club soda
  6. Add garnishes

Gyokuro Cucumber Mojito

Inspired by the "Gyokuro Cucumber Mojito" cocktail from the Yamamotoyama blog.

Notes: very refreshing, herbal

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 1/2tbsp of Gyokuro tea leaves
  • 1dl of water
  • 10 mint leaves
  • 1/2 lime, cut in slices
  • 5 slices of cucumber
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1.5dl club soda
  • Ice cubes
  • Glass: highball
  • Tools: muddler
  • Garnish ideas: mint leaves, lime slices

Steps:

  1. Heat up the water to 50°C / 125°F
  2. Steep the tea for 5 minutes
  3. In the serving glass, muddle the mint leaves, lime, cucumber and sugar together with just a little of club soda
  4. Add ice, tea and top with club soda
  5. Add garnishes

Sparkling Jasmine

Inspired by the "Jasmine Fizz" mocktail from the Palais des Thés blog.

Notes: very fresh, sour & ginger-y

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 5g Jasmine tea leaves
  • 25cl water
  • Sparkling water
  • 1cl ginger syrup
  • 1cl lime juice
  • Ice cubes
  • Glass: champagne flute
  • Tools: shaker

Steps:

  1. Heat up the water to 80°C / 175°F
  2. Steep the tea for 30 minutes
  3. In a shaker, add the tea, ginger syrup, lime and ice and shake well
  4. Strain in a glass until it reached 2/3 and top with sparkling water

Sour Lemon

Adapted from the "Nimbopani" recipe from Clare Liardet's book Dry.

Notes: super sour, fresh

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 1.5 large lemons
  • 2.5 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp smokey salt crystals (or 0.5 tsp sea salt)
  • 3 mint leaves
  • 1 large ice cube
  • Glass: tumbler
  • Tools: blender
  • Garnish ideas: mint sprig, lemon peel

Steps:

  1. Juice the lemons
  2. Prepare the garnishes and keep on the side
  3. Blend the lemon juice, sugar and salt together until frothy
  4. Add the mint leaves and blend for ~15 seconds more, until the leaf bits are quite small but still visible
  5. Add the ice cubes to the glasses
  6. Pour the liquid in the glass and add the garnishes

Lime & Lemongrass

Adapted from the "Total Citrus Fizz" recipe from Clare Liardet's book Dry.

Notes: refreshing, fizzy, juice-like

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 0.5 stalk lemongrass
  • 30ml lime juice (1-2 limes)
  • 15ml sugar syrup
  • Sparkling water
  • Glass: tumbler
  • Tools: muddler, strainer
  • Garnish ideas: half a stalk of lemongrass, half lime slices

Steps:

  1. Juice the limes
  2. Cut the lemongrass in half length-wise and chop it in ~1cm long sections
  3. Put the lemongrass in a jar and muddle it to release its oils
  4. Add the lime juice and sugar syrup to the jar, and leave to rest for about 30min
  5. Add ice to the glasses, then strain the jar liquid in the glasses, and top with sparkling water. Finish by adding the garnishes.

Chili & Lime Mock-garita

Adapted from the "Chili & Lime Margarita" recipe from Clare Liardet's book Dry.

Notes: sour, salty, spicy

Ingredients, for 1 glass:

  • 5 limes + 1 wedge of lime
  • 50ml chili syrup
  • 25ml fresh orange juice (~1/3 orange)
  • Sea salt
  • Crushed ice
  • Glass: margarita glass
  • Garnish ideas: slice or wedge of lime

Steps:

  1. Juice the limes (good luck, there's quite a few!) and keep some of the lime skins
  2. Add about 150ml lime juice, some of the lime skins and the orange juice to a large jar. Mix well and start to add some chili syrup to taste until you reach the desired level of heat.
  3. Put some salt on a plate, run the extra wedge of lime around the rim of the glass, then dip the glass upside down in the salt.
  4. Prepare the crushed ice and fill the glasses with it.
  5. Add the filtered juice mixture to the glasses, as well as the garnishes.