Three easy non-alcoholic cocktails for summer..
You can make these three easy non-alcoholic cocktails at home to add some buzz to your barbecue, pizzazz to your party or simply sip and savour in the sunshine.
There’s something rather lovely about having a proper drink in your hand when the sun is shining, but it doesn’t have to contain alcohol to feel like a treat. Whether you’re taking a break from alcohol, driving, entertaining guests or simply fancy something refreshing, a good non-alcoholic cocktail can feel every bit as special as the real thing. I have a number of sober-curious friends, and count myself in their ranks on many social occasions – especially when I am leaning over a hot barbecue grill in my back garden! As barbecue parties at my home tend to start in the early afternoon and continue late into the night, having delicious drink options that far exceed the usual cans of pop is important to me, so here are my three favourite non-alcoholic cocktail recipes easy to make at home.
The trick is to combine fresh fruit, citrus, herbs and something fizzy to create layers of flavour, then serve it in a tall glass with plenty of ice. And you really don’t need a cupboard full of fancy ingredients or specialist cocktail equipment. These three easy non-alcoholic cocktails can all be made at home with ingredients you’ll find in most UK supermarkets. My recipes are measured for one glass, which makes it easy to scale up if you’re preparing jugs or using dispensers.
Raspberry & elderflower spritz
Fresh, pretty and very summery
For 1 glass:
6-8 fresh raspberries
25ml elderflower cordial
15ml fresh lemon juice
100ml sparkling water
Ice
A few mint leaves
Raspberries and a lemon slice to garnish
Method:
Muddle the raspberries lightly in the bottom of a glass. Add the elderflower cordial, lemon juice and plenty of ice, then top up with sparkling water. Stir gently and garnish with mint, raspberries and lemon.
Little tip: For a slightly more grown-up flavour, add a splash of tonic water alongside the sparkling water. The gentle bitterness stops it becoming too sweet.
Cucumber, mint & lime cooler
Crisp, fresh and wonderfully refreshing
For 1 glass
4-5 slices of cucumber
6-8 fresh mint leaves
Juice of ½ lime
10-15ml sugar syrup or elderflower cordial
100-150ml sparkling water
Ice
Cucumber ribbon and mint to garnish
Method:
Put the cucumber, mint and lime juice into a glass and gently muddle to release the flavours. Add the syrup or cordial and plenty of ice, then top with sparkling water. Stir and garnish with a cucumber ribbon and sprig of mint.
Little tip: make your own sugar syrup with 300g of caster sugar gently dissolved into 150ml of hot water in a small saucepan. Allow to cool then pour into a sterilised bottle.
Tropical pineapple & ginger fizz
A little more indulgent, with a lovely zing
For 1 glass:
75ml pineapple juice
25ml fresh orange juice
10ml lime juice
50-75ml ginger beer
Ice
Lime wedge and orange slice to garnish
Method:
Fill a glass with ice and pour in the pineapple, orange and lime juices. Stir, then top with ginger beer. Give it another gentle stir and garnish with a wedge of lime and slice of orange.
Little tip: Choose a fiery ginger beer rather than ginger ale if you like a proper ginger kick. The heat works brilliantly with the sweetness of the pineapple.
Something special without the alcohol
I think we sometimes forget that a drink can be part of the occasion without the alcohol. There’s the ritual of choosing your glass, adding plenty of ice, squeezing in fresh citrus and finishing it with something colourful to garnish. It makes even an ordinary Friday evening feel a little more special.
And these recipes are really just a starting point. Try swapping raspberries for strawberries, adding fresh basil instead of mint or using grapefruit and rosemary for something a little more grown-up. Once you have a few bottles of cordial, sugar syrup, some fresh fruit and sparkling water in the fridge, you can get rather creative.
So next time you’re entertaining, firing up the barbecue or simply fancy a refreshing drink in the garden, skip the alcohol but keep the cocktail glass.
Cheers!
Easy non-alcoholic cocktails: your questions answered:
What is the easiest non-alcoholic cocktail to make at home?
A raspberry and elderflower spritz is one of the easiest. Simply muddle fresh raspberries with elderflower cordial and lemon juice, add ice and top with sparkling water.
What can I use instead of alcohol in a cocktail?
Sparkling water, tonic water, ginger beer, fruit juices and cordials can all provide flavour, fizz and complexity without alcohol. If you love a gin, try Tanqueray 0.0%, it’s an excellent trad G&T alternative.
Can I make non-alcoholic cocktails ahead of time?
You can prepare the fruit, citrus and other ingredients in advance, but add sparkling water, tonic or ginger beer, and any ice, just before serving so the drinks stay fresh and fizzy.
What are good non-alcoholic drinks for a summer party?
Fruit-based spritzes, cucumber and mint coolers and tropical drinks with pineapple, citrus and ginger are all refreshing options that can easily be made in batches for summer entertaining.
Eddie – Friday 28th August 2026.