There are a few Margarita Mocktail recipes around, but let me tell you this will be the best one you will find! This virgin margarita tastes pretty darn close the real thing (and maybe even a little better). Whether you’re participating in Dry January, you are trying to cut back on the drinks, you’re pregnant, you’re not quite 21, or you just don’t drink, this is a mocktail recipe you can enjoy ANY time!
This Virgin Margarita is perfectly balanced with fresh citrus flavors including lime and orange, a touch of sweetness from agave, and a pinch of kosher salt. That all gets topped with some tonic water, giving it the perfect margarita tang!
When you are ready for the real thing, check out this Classic Margarita on the Rocks or any of the tequila cocktails on Mom’s Dinner!
Ingredients
Grab these 5 ingredients and shake yourself up a delicious Non Alcoholic Margarita.
Fresh Juices – definitely squeeze fresh juice; lime and orange. It really makes a big difference, giving you a really fresh and tasty mocktail.
Kosher Salt – this is NOT the same as table salt or iodized salt. You will NOT want to rim your mock margarita with table salt. Kosher salt is a courser salt that has a MUCH milder and smoother saltiness.
We really recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt… it is like salt snow! You will LOVE it!
Agave – adds a nice flavor that simple syrup won’t add. Some recipes call for maple syrup, but I really don’t want my margarita to taste like pancakes! Agave is the perfect option here.
I do like to use an agave that is lighter in color. It has a milder flavor.
Tonic Water – tonic water is a carbonated and lightly sweetened water that has quinine added, giving it a little bit of a bitter flavor. See the section below why this is an important addition to your Mocktail Margarita!
The Secret’s in the Tonic
A lot of nonalcoholic margaritas call for club soda. But I am telling you using Tonic Water in your Mock Margarita is the secret ingredient to getting it JUST RIGHT.
The quinine added to tonic water creates the perfect salty-bitterness that mimics a traditional margarita and tequila perfectly!
Even if you think you don’t like tonic, definitely use it in this cocktail. The bitterness of tonic is perfectly balanced by the agave and fresh juices.
How to Make a Virgin Margarita- Step by Step
Start by prepping your drinking glass with a salt rim;
- Place kosher salt on a flat plate.
- Run a wedge of lime around the edge of your glass.
- Dip the rim of your glass in the salt, making sure it sticks.
- Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
Make the Margarita Mocktail in a shaker;
- Fill the cocktail shaker ⅓ full with ice. (you can also use a mason jar if you don’t have a shaker)
- Measure in the lime juice, orange juice, agave syrup and pinch of kosher salt.
- Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
Assemble Your Drink;
- Strain the Zero Proof Margarita into the prepared glass.
- Top with 3 oz. of tonic water.
- Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.
More Non Alcoholic Options
Margaritas (with alcohol this time)
When you are ready to have a Margarita with alcohol, here are some great recipes:
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Margarita Mocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker (in a jam you can use a mason jar with a lid!)
- 10-12 oz glass – see notes*
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- .5 oz orange juice
- .5 oz agave syrup – reduce to .25 oz for a more tart drink (see notes (we like an agave that is lighter in color, it tends to have a milder flavor)
- 3 oz tonic water *see notes
- healthy pinch of kosher salt highly recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt!
Garnish
- kosher salt & lime wedges
Instructions
- Pour some kosher salt on a flat plate. Wet the rim of a glass with a lime wedge or dipping it in juice or agave.
- Dip the rim of the glass in the kosher salt, making sure it sticks. Fill the glass with ice, set aside.
- To make the Margarita Mocktail fill a cocktail shaker ¼ full of ice. Pour in 2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice, .5 oz fresh squeezed orange juice, .5 oz agave syrup (less for a more tart mocktail), and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds.
- Strain into your prepared glass.
- Top with 3 oz tonic water. Give it a little stir.
- Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Whitney
I tried this after a bad experience with non alcoholic tequila, bleh. Don’t buy it! Just buy tonic water for much less $$, 😂. The tonic water really does do the trick, I haven’t liked mock margaritas with just soda water because they are just missing something, and the tonic water addition is definitely the secret ingredient!
Michele
Soooo tasty. I had to use soda, I cannot drink tonic because the quinine triggers my vertigo.
Susie Weinrich
WOW!! I get vertigo too. I didn’t know foods could trigger it. So glad you tried it with soda instead. Cheers!