The absolute best margarita mocktail recipe so you can enjoy this classic without the alcohol! This drink is the perfect balance of tart and sweet featuring fresh lime and lemon juice.
Of all of the recipes in my mocktail series I must say, THIS is the the one that really shines. If you love a classic margarita, you’ll love the flavors in this one. How are margaritas so perfect?
This drink is perfectly tart due to plenty of fresh citrus. Simple syrup adds a little sweetness and tonic water helps cut everything just enough to make it super drinkable. It even looks just like a margarita you would get at a restaurant.
Here’s what you need to make it:
Margarita Mocktail Ingredients
- limes (2)
- lemon (1)
- jalapeño simple syrup (I love this so much and always have a jar in my fridge!)
- tonic water
- salt for the rim of the glass (if you like it)
- garnish: limes
The ingredients are really simple. It’s a small drink made for sipping just like the real thing.
How to Juice a Lime (the best way)
I need to give a special shout-out to one of my most-used kitchen tools here: the citrus juicer. For less than 20 bucks, this is one tool that is so worth the money. I use mine almost daily. We cook with a lot of citrus in our house and this sturdy juicer makes it simple to extract as much juice as possible. If you’re currently using your hands, this will be a game-changer for you.
Once you have all of the juice ready to go, you’ll just shake it up with the simple syrup and a few ice cubes to get it nice and cold. I recommend a cocktail shaker if you have one, but a mason jar works in a pinch too!
Pour it over ice and top with just a splash of tonic water. While I realize that a classic margarita isn’t fizzy (nor does it contain tonic water) this is actually a really important ingredient here because it helps balance out the sweet/tart flavors. It sounds weird, but trust me here.
Margarita Mocktail FAQs
I’ve found that one lime yields about an ounce of juice. If you feel like your limes are on the dry side, I would use 3-4 instead of the recommended two.
I wouldn’t recommend it. Tonic water contains sweetener and an ingredient called quinine (which is what gives it a bitter flavor). Seltzer is just carbonated water so the flavor isn’t the same.
The jalapeño syrup works really well here but you do have other options. Use plain simple syrup if you have sugar but no jalapeños. You can also use agave nectar, which is the liquid sweetener in most traditional margaritas.
Keep this recipe in your back pocket in case you ever want margarita vibes sans the booze! It’s one of my new favorites for sure.
You might also like these margaritas:
PrintClassic Margarita Mocktail
A classic margarita mocktail so you can enjoy this favorite without the alcohol! This drink is the perfect balance of tart and sweet featuring fresh lime and lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drinks, Cocktails
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ ounce jalapeño simple syrup
- 2 ounces tonic water
- Garnish: limes
Instructions
- Run a lime wedge around a glass and dip in kosher salt (if using). Fill halfway with ice.
- Add lime juice, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes and shake well. Pour through a strainer into the glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish with lime.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
- Just like a real margarita, this yields a small amount that you’ll want to sip on. You’ll only need about 1-2 ounces of tonic water to top it off.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces
- Calories: 60 calories
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 16 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
Keywords: cocktails, mocktails, mixed drinks
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Julie says
Adding this to the menu for later this week…probably with sheet pan nachos of some sort. These mocktails have been fun to try as we have been enjoying “dry January”, Thanks Leanne!
Leanne says
Can’t wait to see what you think of this one!!!