Lenten Mocktails

Anyone who's read my blog more than a few times knows how much I enjoy my cocktails. I love my old favorites, I love trying new ones, I love finding creative variations on tried and true drinks. So when I was thinking of what I could give up for Lent, alcohol seemed like a reasonable choice: It's something I enjoy but don't need, something that I probably indulge in more than I should, something I'll really miss, and something that I'll consciously be aware of going without on a very regular basis.

So instead of the pre-dinner cocktail I enjoy multiple times a week, I'm planning on finding some non-alcoholic substitutes. But here's my problem with the vast majority of mocktails: they nearly always involve ingredients that I either don't like or don't have. I don't like like most fruits and I loathe citrus juice. I don't keep agave syrup or pomegranate puree or the blood of a unicorn on hand. But a little research and a little open-mindedness has led me to collect recipes for a whole list of mocktails that I'm willing to make and think I might even enjoy. Maybe you will, too!

Sleigh Driver

Although I don't like many kinds of fruit, pears and cranberries are good by me, and apple cider is always a winner. This warm cocktail really needs to be made in a large batch, but I think it would be nice to have on hand, and I don't think I'd mind drinking it for 4 or 5 days in a row. I think it might even be good served chilled instead of warm.

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 pears
2 quarts apple cider
1 lemon, sliced
1 tablespoon allspice
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons vanilla

Combine water, sugar, ginger, and one of the pears (chopped into small pieces) in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Strain out solids and return to the pan. Chop up the remaining 2 pears and add to pan along with the cider, lemon, and allspice. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Add cranberries and vanilla, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat in saucepan or microwave before serving.

Ginger Lime Mocktail

This martini-like mocktail gets added zip from seltzer. Doesn't a fizzy drink always feel more special? Feel free to adjust the amounts of all the ingredients to suit your personal preference, and experiment with different flavors of seltzer.

2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon zested fresh ginger
Generous splash of simple syrup (or a spoonful of confectioner's sugar)
8 oz. seltzer (lime or unflavored)

Combine all ingredients over ice and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Pumpkin Pie Shooters

I love pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, never mind marshmallow fluff and graham crackers, so this one's a sure winner for me. And if you drink enough of them, it counts as a serving of vegetables, right?

3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/4 cup pumpkin spice flavored coffee creamer
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
marshmallow fluff and graham cracker crumbs (optional)

Dip the tops of 4 shot glasses into fluff and then into crumbs. Add remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker over ice and shake HARD (or use an immersion blender). Strain into prepared glasses.

Milk Punch

Almost a brandy-less Brandy Alexander, this one sounds like a perfect relaxing treat right before bedtime. I'd try it with a pinch of cocoa for an even closer approximation.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cool, then add vanilla and milk and stir vigorously until blended. Pour into 4 shot glasses and garnish with a dusting of nutmeg.

Not Toddy

There's nothing like a hot toddy on a night that's cold or that you have a cold. But a Not Toddy comes pretty close! Use your favorite kind of tea, herbal or not, and substitute any kind of sweetener from maple syrup to agave to stevia to plain old-fashioned white sugar.

8 teabags, any kind
4 quarts water
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cinnamon sticks
1/3 cup honey (or other sweetener)
2 lemons, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for several hours. Strain into a mug and serve with a thin lemon or ginger slice floating on top.

Virgin Mule

The key ingredient to a good Moscow Mule, whether it's alcoholic or not, is real ginger beer. Don't try to substitute ginger ale for this one. Try it with a shot of cranberry juice (or cranberry-lime seltzer) and a rosemary garnish for an extra-special feel.

1 oz. lime juice
1/2 cup ginger beer
1 tablespoon simple syrup
2 oz. seltzer (plain or lime) or club soda

Pour all ingredients into a glass (or a copper mug, if you're a traditionalist) with ice and stir well. Garnish with a thin slice of fresh ginger and a lime wedge.

Mock Champagne

You can substitute plain gingerale for champagne in any champagne cocktail recipe (mimosa, poinsettia, etc.), but if you add a spoonful or two of white grape juice concentrate, you can drink it straight up and hardly know the difference. Serve in a champagne flute and garnish with fresh raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, or apple or pear wedges. Or you can really splurge and drop a stick of rock candy into the glass.

Blue Shoe

This one is just fun, partly because of the name and partly because it's vivid electric blue. I suppose you could use different flavors of Hawaiian Punch to get different colors, but I don't think you'll find any as visually appealing as the Blue Shoe.

3 oz. Polar Blast Hawaiian Punch (or other brightly colored fruit drink)
2 oz. white cranberry juice
7-Up (or Sprite, or other lemon-lime soda)

Combine Punch and juice over ice in a cocktail shaker and shaker until well-chilled. Pour into a martini glass and top with 7-Up. Garnish with a cherry (or fresh cranberry!) or two, if desired.


Don't forget that presentation is half the fun, so be sure to serve these mocktails in a pretty glass and don't skimp on the garnish. A bit of fresh herbs, a bright red cherry, a twist of lemon or lime, a thin slice of pear or orange or ginger - be creative! And sip slowly to prolong the enjoyment. Slainte!