If you’ve been to a trendy restaurant lately, odds are you’ve come across a cocktail-adjacent list of mocktails on the menu, and that the offerings don’t look half-bad. The uptick in popularity of mocktails has been a long time coming to anyone who’s been paying attention, and who likes a good beverage. In a world increasingly focused on wellness—but also on enjoying ourselves—mocktails (faux, alcohol-free cocktail-like drinks) seem like the mother of all solutions: having your drink and staying sober, too.

If you’re home on a cozy night and want a fun social activity, or just something to keep you quenched on the couch while binging Netflix, you might be one of the many who are inclined to create an inventive cocktail. But in this new era, translating this indulgence into mocktails is a just-as-fun project that keeps the booze at bay—and tea is an often-used ingredient for jazzing up the mélange. 

Since we absolutely love the idea of using tea as the base for a delicious beverage, served on ice or even hot during the holidays, we’ve rounded up some amazing creators’ visions for the best mocktail recipes, taking some liberties to adapt them to the use of our gourmet loose-leaf teas. Cheers!

Quick De-stress Mocktail by The Mindful Mocktail

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chilled chamomile
• 1/4 cup tart cherry juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• Splash of ACV (optional, I enjoyed mine without)

Method

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well and serve over ice.

Optional rim: orange rind and salt.

Tip: if you prefer a sparkling mocktail, serve in a taller glass and top with soda water.

Watermelon Iced Tea by GoodRx

Ingredients

• Cold-brewed black tea
• Juiced fresh watermelon
• Fresh mint, washed
• Fresh lemon

Method

To a base of standard brewed black iced tea, add watermelon juice, fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon. Sweeten as desired or leave au naturel!

White Tea Paloma by Liz Moody

Ingredients

• Cold-brewed white tea
• 1 Grapefruit
• Salt
• Honey
• 1 Lime

Method

• Cold-brew white tea overnight and stir in some warm honey to sweeten
• Zest half the grapefruit onto a plate and mix the zest with some salt. Really rub it together to distribute those zesty oils.
• Drizzle honey on a plate and roll the rim of your glass in it and use your finger to spread a thin layer and roll it into the grapefruit-salt mixture. ⁣
• Finally, you’ll juice the grapefruit and mix it with lime juice, tea, and ice. Shake it up, add them to glasses, top with sparkling water, and enjoy!

Blueberry Lavender Iced Tea by Melissa Traub

Ingredients

• Cold-brewed blueberry tea, lavender black tea
• Lemon-lime sparkling water
• Fresh lime juice
• Fresh lemon
• Fresh blueberries

Method

Cold brew your two teas separately. Once brewed, mix 1:1. To your cup, add the sparkling water, lime, and lemon juices. Add a few ice cubes to the mug. Place a knife in your glass and fill it with ice. Pour in the tea mixture and remove the knife. Or just wait until the tea cools and then pour it over ice. Garnish with blueberries and lemon and lime slices.

Tea-Tini by Trisha Yearwood

Ingredients

• Black tea
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest
• Sugar

Lemon Simple Syrup Method

Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Let cool, then stir in the lemon juice. Use immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator.      

Drink Method

Brew standard black iced tea. Fill a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice. Add the tea and the Lemon Simple Syrup, and shake what your mama gave you. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the lemon strip.

Tea Hot Toddy by The Kitchn

Ingredients

• Hot-brewed ginger tea
• 1/2 small lemon
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Method

Hot or cold, tart or timid, each of these recipes has an identity of its own, and truly satisfies that undeniable hankering. Enjoy any or all of these picks to get the holiday season underway with some real flavor!