Whether for health reasons or personal preferences, many guests don’t enjoy celebrating with liquor-infused cocktails. So, having some New Year’s Eve mocktails on the menu is a must! Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious options that will keep spirits high, with no actual spirits necessary.
There’s so much more to mocktails than just leaving out the liquor. You can really get creative with your concoctions and explore new flavors and aromas that are unattainable with traditional cocktail recipes.
Even if your whole guest list loves sipping on traditional cocktails, it’s nice to have non-alcoholic options on hand. Some people prefer drinking slowly. A mocktail lets them keep up with the crowd without pushing their limits.
Non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve should be festive! In this guide, we only cover the most decadent and delectable booze-free drinks that’ll make the evening memorable. After all, New Year’s Eve only comes around once a year!
Recipe Tips
All these recipes are for one cocktail. For larger batches, simply multiply the portions by the amount of guests who will drink them. You can always make more as you go.
For example, if a cocktail recipe calls for ½ oz of lemon juice, and you want to make enough for ten guests, use 5 oz of lemon juice.
Many of these non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve can also be used as a base for boozy beverages. You may want to make twice the amount, then portion the drink in halves—one to keep as-is and one for adding spirits.
Finally, make sure you clearly label which drinks do and don’t contain alcohol. Now, let’s go over ten delightful mocktail recipes to ring in the New Year!
1. Mock Champagne
Clinking glasses full of bubbly is a classic New Year’s Eve tradition, so mock Champagne should be first on your list. This easy-to-make drink lets everyone enjoy the fun—even the kids if you let them stay up late for the ball drop.
Mixing up faux Champagne is a breeze. Just add equal parts ginger ale and white grape juice to a pitcher, stir, and garnish with raspberries if desired. Serve these non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve in a Champagne flute.
2. French 75
Once you have your mock Champagne, you can serve it alone or use it as an ingredient in your New Year’s Eve mocktails. The French 75 is a beloved Champagne cocktail that takes the concept of a Tom Collins and replaces the club soda with Champagne.
This recipe is great because you can mix up a virgin batch and a boozy batch at the same time. Simply substitute the tonic water for gin and the mock Champagne for real Champagne.
Recipe:
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 3 oz mock Champagne
- 2 oz tonic water
- Ice
- Lemon rind twist
Combine ½ oz simple syrup and ½ oz lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake well, strain into a glass with more ice, then top with 3 oz mock Champagne and 2 oz tonic water. Garnish with a lemon rind twist. Enjoy your refreshing French 75 mocktail!
3. Blueberry Moscow Mule
This is one of those non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve that you may want to start enjoying all year round. The ginger beer adds just the right amount of tartness and bite, while the blueberries bring sweetness and earthiness.
Recipe:
- Ginger beer (as needed)
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Crushed ice
Cut the lime half into quarters. Muddle the lime, blueberries, and sugar together. Add the mixture and crushed ice to a glass (preferably a copper glass). Fill the glass the rest of the way with ginger beer. Stir, and enjoy!
4. Shirley Temple
The iconic Shirley Temple was the quintessential mocktail long before mocktails were popular. If you’re looking for kid-friendly, non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve, you can’t go wrong with this beloved classic.
Recipe:
- 1 oz grenadine
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1 maraschino cherry
- 4-6 oz ginger ale
- Orange slice garnish
Pour 1 oz grenadine and 1 oz lime juice into a glass. Add ice, then top with 4-6 oz ginger ale. Stir gently. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice. Voila, your classic Shirley Temple mocktail is ready to delight!
5. Virgin Bloody Mary
The best Virgin Bloody Mary recipe depends on who you ask. We’re just giving you a basic recipe as a starting point. Feel free to get creative with your portions and ingredients.
If you plan on adding Bloody Marys to your list of non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve, you can get really wild with the garnishes. Sometimes these drinks can double as meals! Make sure you have plenty of toothpicks and skewers to piece the whole thing together.
Recipe:
- Tomato juice
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Horseradish
- Hot sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne
Garnishes:
- Celery
- Pickled vegetables
- Olives
- Peppers
- Shrimp
- Parsley
- Fresh herbs
- Cheese cubes
- Bacon
- Deli meats
- Smoked sausage
Combine tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne in a pitcher. Stir well. Pour into an ice-filled glass. Finish off with your choice of garnish.
6. Nojito
Mojitos are incredibly refreshing, and nojitos offer that same goes-down-easy flavor profile, but with no alcohol.
Although mojitos/nojitos are known as summertime staples, they’re a festive choice anytime. And trust us, nobody’s going to complain about having mojitos on the menu!
Mojitos are some of the easiest to make non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve, but the addition of fresh mint gives these New Year’s Eve mocktails a special touch that shows you really put in the effort to cater to the non-drinkers in the crowd.
Recipe:
- 7 oz club soda or lemon-lime soda
- 1 tbsp sugar (or preferred sweetener)
- ½ lime (juiced)
- 10-12 fresh mint leaves
Muddle the sugar, lime juice, and spearmint leaves together. Fill the glass with soda. Garnish with a twist of lime and a few sprigs of mint.
7. Peppermint White Russian
This wintery mocktail would also make a wonderful addition to your holiday spread. You can use regular coffee to make it zippy or decaf if you’re making late-night, non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve.
While you don’t have to rim the glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes, it really elevates the presentation and the flavor.
Recipe:
- 2 oz strongly brewed coffee or espresso
- 1 oz tonic water
- 1 tbsp peppermint-infused simple syrup (or classic simple syrup)
- 1 oz half-and-half
Mix all ingredients. Rim the glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Garnish with a mini candy cane.
8. Lavender Lemon Mocktini
Maybe you already know how to mix the perfect martini, but do you have a solid mocktail in your repertoire? Besides tasting divine, this is one of the non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve that really looks stunning. The light purple hue begs to be sipped!
To concoct these New Year’s Eve mocktails, you’ll need to make some lavender-infused simple syrup. Simply make a classic simple syrup with dried lavender to taste.
Recipe:
- 1 ½ tbsp lavender simple syrup
- 2 oz fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp grenadine
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 3 dashes bitters
Mix all ingredients just like you would when making a traditional martini. Dip the end of a toothpick into purple food coloring and swirl it in the glass to give the drink a light purple color. Garnish with fresh lavender.
9. Spiced Cider
Served hot or cold, this is one of the coziest non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve. Spiced cider and winter go hand-in-hand, and the flavor profile is so bold you won’t even miss the booze.
This recipe is delicious as-is. But if you want to spike it, we recommend rum or bourbon.
Recipe:
- 8 oz apple cider
- ½ lemon (squeezed)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 2 oz brown sugar (more or less depending on desired sweetness)
For best results, allow the mixture to mull over low heat for a few hours before serving. Top with whipped cream if desired.
10. Cranberry Spritzer
Cranberry spritzer is one of the most versatile New Year’s Eve mocktails that’s equally as tasty on a sunny summer’s day.
These non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve go down easy, and the combination of cinnamon and mint delivers a complex, palate-awakening flavor.
Recipe:
- 3 oz cranberry juice
- 4 oz ginger ale
- 1-3 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Ice
Mix all ingredients. Pour over ice. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.
Shop Handcrafted Barware
If you’re hosting this year’s festivities, you’ll need some essential barware. At Mary Jurek Design, we proudly offer a wide variety of handcrafted barware and pitchers that’ll instantly elevate any party.
Of course, drinks aren’t the only treats on the menu. You’ll want to have various appetizers to pair with your non-alcoholic drinks for New Year’s Eve.
Shop our high-quality serveware to give your tablescape a beautiful presentation. We make bowls, trays and platters, and utensils that offer timeless beauty and quality that lasts a lifetime.
Prepare for Your New Year’s Eve Party Today
We hope this collection of New Year’s Eve mocktails is helpful as you plan your celebration. Explore our blog for more expert, entertaining tips. Make this New Year’s Eve unforgettable with exquisite barware, serveware, and flatware by Mary Jurek Design.
