A good party has something great in every glass, not just for the people drinking alcohol. Drivers, kids, people who are pregnant, sober or sober-curious guests, and anyone who simply doesn’t feel like a drink tonight all deserve more than a can of soda and a glass of tap water.
The 18 non-alcoholic party drinks below are built for hosting. Each one has a single-serve recipe so you can test it first, plus pitcher amounts for 8 servings so you can make it ahead and let guests pour their own. Most batches come to 6 to 8 cups, so a 2½- to 3-quart pitcher leaves room to stir in the bubbles. Most use ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Pick a drink
Pick one to jump to its recipe. Fizzy drinks get their bubbles just before serving; still ones can be fully made ahead.
Before you start: how these recipes work
- Single serve vs pitcher. Single-serve amounts are in ounces (oz) with milliliters (ml) in brackets. Pitcher amounts make 8 servings and are given in cups (1 cup = 8 oz = about 240 ml).
- Ice goes in the glass, not the pitcher. Ice in the pitcher melts and waters the whole batch down. Fill each glass with ice and pour over it. For a punch bowl, use one large block of ice instead.
- Add the bubbles last. Soda water, ginger ale, ginger beer and other sparkling mixers go in right before serving. Make the still part (juices, syrups, tea) ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
- Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, warmed and stirred until the sugar dissolves, then cooled. One cup of sugar and one cup of water makes about 1½ cups, enough for two or three pitchers. Keep it covered in the fridge.
- Taste and adjust. Fruit varies. If a batch tastes flat, add a squeeze of lime or lemon; if it’s too tart, add a little syrup.
How much should you make?
If the non-alcoholic drinks are the main event, plan for the same pace most hosts use for any party: about 2 drinks per guest in the first hour and 1 drink per guest for each hour after, plus around 10% extra. That’s the default in our Party Drinks Calculator, which also works out how much ice to buy (we plan 1 lb per guest for drinks in glasses).
As a quick example at that pace, 20 guests over 3 hours is about 80 drinks, or 88 with the 10% buffer. That’s 11 pitchers of 8 servings. Few parties pour only one drink, so split that across two or three recipes and count water and soft drinks as part of the mix.
Want a number other than 8 servings? Type any recipe on this page into the Cocktail Batch Calculator as a custom recipe, set the servings, and it will scale every ingredient in oz and ml. Its dilution water is meant for shaken and stirred cocktails, so choose the “No added water” method for drinks served over ice.
The recipes
1. Sparkling Cranberry Rosemary Punch
Tart, bright red and easy to make in a punch bowl. A strong pick for holiday parties.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) cranberry juice cocktail
- 1 oz (30 ml) orange juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 3 oz (90 ml) soda water
- A rosemary sprig
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups cranberry juice cocktail, 1 cup orange juice and ½ cup lime juice, chilled. Add 3 cups soda water just before serving. For a punch bowl, double it and float orange slices and a few rosemary sprigs on top.
Method: Stir the cranberry, orange and lime juice in an ice-filled glass. Top with soda water and tuck in the rosemary sprig.
2. Big-Batch Mint Lime Fizz (a virgin mojito)
All the fresh mint and lime of a mojito, made in one go instead of muddling glass by glass.
Single serve
- 8 to 10 mint leaves
- 1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.75 oz (22 ml) simple syrup
- 4 oz (120 ml) soda water
Pitcher · 8 servings
A large handful of mint (about 70 leaves), 1 cup lime juice and ¾ cup simple syrup, pressed together in the pitcher. Add 4 cups soda water at serving time and stir once.
Method: Press the mint gently with the syrup in the bottom of a glass to release the oils (don’t shred it). Add lime juice and ice, then top with soda water.
3. Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca
Light, pink and just sweet enough. Agua fresca is a Mexican-style fruit drink made by blending fruit with water.
Single serve
- 6 oz (180 ml) strained watermelon juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.25 to 0.5 oz (7 to 15 ml) simple syrup to taste
- A splash of cold water
Pitcher · 8 servings
6 cups strained watermelon juice (from about 11 to 12 cups of cubed melon, depending on how juicy it is), ½ cup lime juice, ¼ to ½ cup simple syrup and 1 cup cold water. Stir again before pouring, as it settles.
Method: Blend cubed seedless watermelon until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve. Stir in lime and syrup and pour over ice.
4. Pineapple Ginger Cooler
Sweet pineapple with a ginger kick. Good for a summer party or barbecue.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) pineapple juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 4 oz (120 ml) non-alcoholic ginger beer
- A pineapple wedge
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups pineapple juice and ½ cup lime juice, chilled. Add 4 cups ginger beer just before serving. Check the label: most ginger beer is a soft drink, but alcoholic versions are sold too.
Method: Add pineapple and lime juice to an ice-filled glass, top with ginger beer and garnish with the wedge.
5. Grapefruit Lime Fizz (a faux paloma)
A salty rim and pink grapefruit make this taste grown-up without any tequila.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) pink grapefruit juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) agave syrup or simple syrup
- 3 oz (90 ml) soda water
- Flaky salt for the rim (optional)
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups grapefruit juice, ½ cup lime juice and ½ cup agave syrup. Add 3 cups soda water at serving. Set out a small dish of salt and lime wedges so guests can rim their own glasses.
Method: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip it in salt. Add ice, juices and syrup, stir, then top with soda.
6. Cherry Lime Ginger Ale (a Shirley Temple twist)
The classic kids' party drink with a squeeze of lime to keep it from being too sweet.
Single serve
- 6 oz (180 ml) ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) grenadine
- A squeeze of lime
- A maraschino cherry or two
Pitcher · 8 servings
Chill 6 cups ginger ale and cut 2 limes into wedges. Pour into ice-filled glasses and add ½ oz grenadine to each glass (½ cup in total), so every drink gets the layered look.
Method: Fill a glass with ice, pour in the ginger ale, then add grenadine so it sinks for a sunrise look. Squeeze in the lime and drop in the cherries.
7. Peach Iced Tea Lemonade
A half-and-half tea lemonade with a little peach to round it out.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) chilled brewed black tea
- 3 oz (90 ml) lemonade
- 1 oz (30 ml) peach nectar
- A lemon wheel
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups cold brewed tea, 3 cups lemonade and 1 cup peach nectar. This one has no bubbles, so the whole pitcher can be made up to a day ahead. Black tea contains caffeine. For a caffeine-free pitcher, use rooibos or another herbal tea. Decaf black tea still has a little caffeine.
Method: Stir everything together over ice and garnish with the lemon wheel.
8. Strawberry Basil Lemonade
Lemonade dressed up for a shower, brunch or garden party.
Single serve
- 2 ripe strawberries (hulled and sliced)
- 2 basil leaves
- 4 oz (120 ml) lemonade
- 2 oz (60 ml) soda water
Pitcher · 8 servings
16 strawberries and about 16 basil leaves, lightly crushed in the pitcher, with 4 cups lemonade. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes so the fruit flavors the lemonade, then add 2 cups soda water at serving.
Method: Gently crush the strawberries and basil in the bottom of a glass. Add ice and lemonade, then top with soda.
9. Cucumber Mint Spritz
Cool and crisp, with a tonic option if your guests like a drier, slightly bitter drink.
Single serve
- 3 thin cucumber slices
- 4 mint leaves
- 0.75 oz (22 ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) simple syrup
- 4 oz (120 ml) soda water or tonic water
Pitcher · 8 servings
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced, about 32 mint leaves, ¾ cup lime juice and ½ cup simple syrup, pressed together in the pitcher. Add 4 cups soda or tonic at serving.
Method: Press the cucumber and mint with the syrup. Add lime juice and ice, then top with soda or tonic.
10. Warm Spiced Apple Cider Punch
The one warm drink on the list, made for fall and winter gatherings.
Single serve
- 5 oz (150 ml) non-alcoholic apple cider or cloudy apple juice
- 1 oz (30 ml) orange juice
- A cinnamon stick
Pitcher · 8 servings
5 cups cider, 1 cup orange juice, 2 cinnamon sticks and 4 whole cloves in a saucepan. Warm gently for about 15 minutes, then strain out the cloves. For a long party, keep it in a slow cooker on the low or warm setting with a ladle.
Method: Warm the cider and orange juice in a small saucepan until steaming (don’t boil). Pour into a mug and add the cinnamon stick.
11. Blackberry Lemon Sparkler
Deep purple, tart and a little jammy.
Single serve
- 4 blackberries
- 0.75 oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) simple syrup
- 4 oz (120 ml) soda water
Pitcher · 8 servings
About 32 blackberries, ¾ cup lemon juice and ½ cup simple syrup, crushed and strained into the pitcher. Add 4 cups soda water at serving.
Method: Crush the blackberries with the syrup. Strain into a glass if you don’t want seeds, then add lemon juice and ice and top with soda.
12. Mango Orange Sunrise
A layered tropical drink with no blender needed.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) mango nectar
- 2 oz (60 ml) orange juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) grenadine
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups mango nectar and 2 cups orange juice, chilled. Add ½ oz grenadine to each glass as you serve (½ cup in total).
Method: Stir the mango nectar and orange juice over ice. Slowly pour the grenadine down the inside of the glass so it settles at the bottom.
13. Frozen Piña Colada (no rum)
Pineapple and coconut, blended thick. Your blender sets the batch size, not the pitcher.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) pineapple juice
- 2 oz (60 ml) cream of coconut
- 1 cup ice
- A squeeze of lime (optional)
Batch · 8 servings
Blend in two rounds of 4 servings: each round is 1½ cups pineapple juice, 1 cup cream of coconut and 4 cups ice. Frozen drinks melt fast, so blend each round right before you pour. Some guests avoid coconut, so name it on the label at a self-serve table.
Method: Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled glass. Cream of coconut is the thick, sweetened kind sold for drinks, not coconut milk or coconut cream.
14. Hibiscus Lime Iced Tea
Inspired by agua de jamaica. It's ruby red, tart and floral.
Single serve
- 4 oz (120 ml) chilled
- Sweetened hibiscus tea
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 oz (60 ml) soda water or cold water
Pitcher · 8 servings
Steep ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers in 4 cups just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Strain, stir in ½ cup sugar while it’s warm, then chill. At serving, add ½ cup lime juice and 2 cups soda or cold water. Dried hibiscus is sold in Latin and Caribbean grocery aisles and with the loose-leaf teas.
Method: Pour the tea and lime over ice and top with soda or water.
15. Orange Vanilla Fizz
It tastes like an orange-and-vanilla ice pop and goes down well at kids' parties.
Single serve
- 4 oz (120 ml) orange juice
- 3 oz (90 ml) vanilla cream soda
- An orange slice
Pitcher · 8 servings
4 cups chilled orange juice. Add 3 cups cream soda just before serving. For a dessert version, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to each glass.
Method: Pour the orange juice over ice, top with cream soda and stir gently.
16. Pomegranate Ginger Fizz
Jewel-toned and festive, with pomegranate seeds sinking and floating in the glass.
Single serve
- 2 oz (60 ml) pomegranate juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 4 oz (120 ml) ginger ale
- A spoonful of pomegranate seeds
Pitcher · 8 servings
2 cups pomegranate juice and ½ cup lime juice, chilled. Add 4 cups ginger ale at serving and set out a bowl of seeds with a spoon.
Method: Add the pomegranate and lime juice to an ice-filled glass, top with ginger ale and spoon in the seeds.
17. Coconut Lime Cooler
Light and not too sweet. Good for a beach or pool party.
Single serve
- 4 oz (120 ml) coconut water
- 1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz (15 ml) simple syrup
- 2 oz (60 ml) soda water
- A lime wheel
Pitcher · 8 servings
4 cups coconut water, 1 cup lime juice and ½ cup simple syrup. Add 2 cups soda water just before serving.
Method: Stir the coconut water, lime and syrup over ice, then top with soda.
18. Sparkling White Grape and Rosemary Toast
A pale, bubbly drink that looks right in a flute, so nobody is left out of the toast at a wedding, engagement or New Year's party.
Single serve
- 3 oz (90 ml) white grape juice
- 2.5 oz (75 ml) chilled sparkling water
- 0.25 oz (7 ml) fresh lemon juice
- A small rosemary sprig
Pitcher · 8 servings
3 cups white grape juice and ¼ cup lemon juice, chilled, plus about 2½ cups sparkling water for topping each flute as you pour. Non-alcoholic sparkling wine works too, but most contain a trace of alcohol (under 0.5%), so keep it out of anything labelled alcohol-free.
Method: Pour the grape and lemon juice into a flute, top with sparkling water and add the rosemary.
Setting up a self-serve drinks station
A self-serve table frees you from playing bartender all night. A few things make it work:
- Label every pitcher. A small card with the drink name and “alcohol-free” stops mix-ups, especially if there’s a cocktail station nearby. Only use that label if nothing in the pitcher contains alcohol, including non-alcoholic wine or beer. List key ingredients such as coconut, or dairy if you add ice cream, so guests can check.
- Keep sparkling mixers in a cooler. Set out chilled bottles of soda water and ginger ale next to each pitcher with a note like “top with 3 oz soda”.
- Put out garnishes in small bowls. Citrus wheels, mint, berries and rosemary let guests finish their own glass.
- Have a plan for drips. Pitchers sweat and garnishes drip. A bar mat under the pitchers and glassware helps catch drips and spills before they reach the tabletop. Knot & Style bar mats are 18 x 12 in. Browse our bar mats for your home if you need one.
- Stock more ice than you think. Plan on about 1 lb of ice per guest for drinks, and more on a hot day.
For a full drinks setup, our bar cart checklist covers glassware and tools, and the tiki bar setup guide has ideas for a tropical theme.
Ideas by occasion
- Weddings and engagements: Sparkling White Grape and Rosemary Toast, Strawberry Basil Lemonade, Cucumber Mint Spritz.
- Kids’ birthday parties: Cherry Lime Ginger Ale, Orange Vanilla Fizz, Mango Orange Sunrise.
- Summer barbecues and picnics: Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca, Pineapple Ginger Cooler, Peach Iced Tea Lemonade.
- Holiday parties: Sparkling Cranberry Rosemary Punch, Pomegranate Ginger Fizz, Warm Spiced Apple Cider Punch.
- Game day and tailgates: Big-Batch Mint Lime Fizz, Grapefruit Lime Fizz, Hibiscus Lime Iced Tea.
Frequently asked questions
How many non-alcoholic drinks do I need per guest?
A common planning pace is about 2 drinks per guest in the first hour and 1 drink per guest for each hour after, plus around 10% extra. Our Party Drinks Calculator uses those defaults. If you’re also serving alcohol, split the total across your alcohol-free and alcoholic options based on who’s coming.
How far ahead can I make a pitcher of mocktails?
Make the still part, such as juices, syrups and brewed tea, earlier in the day or the night before, and keep it covered in the fridge. Add soda water, ginger ale and other sparkling mixers right before serving so they stay fizzy.
How do I stop party drinks from going flat or watery?
Chill every ingredient before you start, add sparkling mixers at the last minute, and put ice in each glass instead of in the pitcher. For punch bowls, a large block of ice melts more slowly than cubes.
What can non-drinkers toast with at a wedding?
A sparkling drink served in the same flute as everyone else’s works best. Try white grape juice topped with sparkling water and a squeeze of lemon. Non-alcoholic sparkling wine also works, but most contain up to 0.5% alcohol, so check the label if a guest needs zero.
Is apple cider alcoholic?
It depends on where you are. In the US and Canada, “apple cider” usually means unfiltered, non-alcoholic apple juice, and the alcoholic version is called hard cider. In Australia, the UK and many other countries, “cider” usually means an alcoholic drink. Check the label, or use cloudy apple juice.
Can I use the Cocktail Batch Calculator for mocktails?
Yes. Enter any single-serve recipe as a custom recipe, set the number of servings, and it scales each ingredient in oz and ml. Choose the “No added water” method for drinks served over ice.
Related reading
- Party Drinks Calculator
- Cocktail Batch Calculator
- Bar cart checklist
- Tiki bar setup guide
- Best bar mats for your home
Photos from Unsplash: Header photo by Anastase Maragos; Cranberry punch by Elena Leya; Mint lime fizz by ABHISHEK HAJARE; Watermelon agua fresca by Yulia Khlebnikova; Pineapple ginger cooler by Serhii Kalyn; Grapefruit lime fizz by Lorena Bôsso; Peach iced tea lemonade by Thomas Park; Strawberry basil lemonade by Richard Brutyo; Cucumber mint spritz by Leighann Blackwood; Warm apple cider by Anita Jankovic; Blackberry lemon sparkler by Julia Kitolovskaya; Mango orange sunrise by Julia Zyablova; Frozen piña colada by Kike Salazar N; Hibiscus iced tea by Eiliv Aceron; Orange vanilla fizz by Sandie Peters; Pomegranate ginger fizz by Sahand Babali; Coconut lime cooler by Datingscout.