Easy and Fun Summer Mocktail Recipes to Beat the Heat

You don’t need to be a bartender or mixologist to make delicious drinks for your next gathering, especially with the five easy summer mocktail recipes we break down below. Whether you’re looking to cut alcohol from your life, take a break from it or simply host an event with delicious drinks for guests of all ages, we’ve got the fun summer mocktail ideas to get you started.

A well-stocked bar cart will already have some of the ingredients for these non-alcoholic summer drinks, but you’ll need some fresh ingredients too. Before you head out on your mocktails and mixers run, download the Fetch app so you can earn rewards as you stock up.

How to earn rewards on your mocktail ingredients

If you’re a savvy shopper, you’ve probably already got apps for your grocery and/or liquor store of choice on your phone. And that’s a great start toward earning rewards on your summer mocktail ingredients. The Fetch app is the real secret to rewarding yourself for all of your shopping (online and in-person), and it’s so easy to use:

1. Download the Fetch app.
2. Open the app to snap a picture of your grocery receipt.
3. Earn points for each receipt.
4. Redeem your points for gift cards.
5. Repeat.

Much like a lime and mint cooler, snapping receipts is the simplest way to earn some points on your purchases, but you can max out your points by taking full advantage of the Fetch app:

• Shop personalized offers on brands and retailers for bonus points. Keep an eye out for juices and other mixers, which are key to most mocktails.
• Buy from boosted brands (they have a flame icon in the app) for bonus points.
• Connect eReceipts for online retailers to automatically scan your inbox for possible points.
• Do your online shopping in Fetch Shop to earn points on nearly every dollar at retailers like Target, Walmart and more. 
• Don’t forget to download the Fetch browser extension if you do your shopping on a computer.

Not sure where to get started? Check our recipes below, but know that shelf-stable ingredients like ginger beer, rosemary and agave are essential. For the best flavor, you’ll want to grab fresh ingredients like cucumbers or strawberries at most a day or two before you bust out the drink shaker.

Why summer mocktails are having a moment

If you’re looking for easy summer mocktail recipes, you probably have some idea that these non-alcoholic cocktails are popular. But if you’re asking why, you’re not alone. 

Mocktails and other non-alcoholic summer drinks have always been appropriate for all-ages events and gatherings with guests who might want to avoid alcohol, but the renaissance is coming from a variety of areas:

• Dieters and athletes who are concerned with their daily calorie counts.
• Younger adults looking to save money when going out with friends.
• Mixologists looking to test out drinks and hone skills without needing to refill the bar cart weekly.

There’s also been an increase in beer lovers who are interested in the taste but not the calories or the potential hangover. They’ll likely appreciate your non-alcoholic summer drinks, too. 

Even if you’re a fan of traditional cocktails, you can likely remember a time when you wished you’d had one or two fewer. Mocktails deliver a sophisticated and flavorful alternative that ensures any event, from a brunch to a dinner party to a casual backyard get-together, is welcoming to any guests you might have. 

5 must-try summer mocktail recipes

Can you just take a cocktail recipe, remove the alcohol, and find yourself with an easy summer mocktail recipe? Maybe. Typically you’ll want to replace the alcohol with another beverage of some kind, though. 

If your instinct is something like soda water, that can do in a pinch, but these 5 fun summer mocktail recipes should give you some better ideas. We’ve got the ingredients for you so you can adjust the quantities and craft your mocktail flavors to your taste.

Strawberry basil lemonade

The nice thing about most summer mocktails is that their names are pretty self-explanatory. That said, you won’t need any lemonade for this one: 

• Fresh strawberries (in drink and as a garnish)
• Lemon juice
• Basil
• Honey or agave
• Soda water

If you have some lead time, find some discounted strawberries that don’t have long for this world and turn them into a simple syrup and save for your bar cart.

Cucumber mint sparkler

The cucumber mint sparkler is going to taste like a typical weekend day drink, one that’s perfect for kicking your feet up and relaxing on the porch with your friends. You’ll need:

• Sliced cucumber
• Mint
• Lime
• Tonic water

If you’ve never muddled before, you’ll want to practice for this one (and our next summer mocktail). Rather than crush or shred the mint, gently press and twist the fresh leaves to release their oils for an enhanced flavor. 

You can substitute soda water for tonic water if you need, but tonic will have a different taste to it thanks to the quinine and sugar.

Coconut mojito

This non-alcoholic summer drink is a take on the classic Cuban highball. Here’s what you’ll need for the mojito mocktail:

• Coconut water
• Lime juice
• Mint
• Agave
• Club soda

If you have guests who prefer their mojitos with alcohol, you’ll want a white rum (a coconut flavored one if you’d like to keep the coconut in “coconut mojito”).

Peach ginger fizz

One of the simpler summer mocktails, the peach ginger fizz essentially fancies up a ginger beer, thickening it a bit with a peach puree. You’ll need:

• Ginger beer
• Peach puree
• Lime
• Rosemary

For an extra touch of class and to give the peach ginger fizz a unique look, rim the glass with sugar before pouring your drink.

Watermelon lime cooler

Few flavors cool down a hot summer day better than watermelon, which is why we call this the watermelon lime cooler. You’ll need:

• Watermelon
• Lime juice
• Mint
• Soda water

While there’s nothing wrong with being frugal and slicing up a watermelon yourself, we suggest buying pre-sliced watermelon to save yourself the trouble.

Stock summer mocktail ingredients and reward yourself with Fetch

Whether you’ve got a dedicated bar cart or are just starting on the path toward mocktail mixology, it’s always a good time to stock (or re-stock) your summer mocktail ingredients. Download the Fetch app, check out your personalized offers and craft your mocktail shopping list from ingredients that will earn you extra points. If you’re feeling responsible, you can use those points for a gift card toward your next grocery trip, but we won’t tell anyone if you treat yourself instead.