5 Non Alcoholic Drink Recipes - Also Perfect for Christmas

If you’re after non-alcoholic drink recipes that actually feel like a proper drink rather than an afterthought, you’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together five of our favourite tea-based mocktails, complete with exact measurements & step-by-step instructions, so you can make them at home rather than just admiring a photo of someone else’s. Some happen to work especially well at Christmas, but every single one is built to earn it's place on the table any time of year - booze or no booze.

Why We Do Things A Bit Differently

Tea’s an unusually good base for a mocktail because it already does half the work a spirit normally would - it brings colour, depth, aromatics, sometimes even a bit of warmth on the back of the throat, without needing a shot of anything to make it interesting. Brew it strong, cold brew it, or turn it into a concentrate & you’ve got a proper drink rather than a squash-&-lemonade situation. That’s really the whole philosophy behind these recipes.

The Recipes At A Glance

These are the five non-alcoholic drink recipes we keep coming back to, whether it’s for a party, a quiet night in, or a Christmas gathering where not everyone’s drinking.

1. Starry Night Tea Mocktail - A dreamy, fruity mocktail inspired by Van Gogh’s painting, shaken over ice with pineapple, lemon & grenadine.

2. Ginger Beer Tea Mocktail - A warming spiced spritz garnished with a lemon rind & a slice of ginger.

3. MojiTEA Iced Tea - Our mojito-inspired green tea, served over ice with fresh lime & mint.

4. Spiced Margarita Matcha Mocktail - A spicy, tangy matcha twist on a margarita, with a salted chilli rim & a squeeze of lime.

5. Limoncello - A bright, zesty new blend, topped 50/50 with sparkling water & lemonade.

1. Starry Night Tea Mocktail

Starting of with our favourite Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipe & inspired by Van Gogh’s painting of the same name, this one’s built to be alcohol-free from the start - a shot of vodka is the optional extra here, not the default.

What you’ll need:

• 2½ Perfect Tea Spoons of Starry Night Tea

• 100ml boiling water

• 50ml pineapple juice

• 10ml lemon juice

• 5ml grenadine

• A cup of ice

• A cocktail shaker

• Tea leaves, to garnish

What to do:

1. Brew the tea in 100ml of water for at least 8 minutes.

2. Strain into your cocktail shaker over ice.

3. Add the pineapple juice, lemon juice, & grenadine.

4. Shake well until the shaker is properly cold.

5. Strain into a glass, leaving the ice behind in the shaker.

6. Sprinkle over a few tea leaves to garnish, & enjoy.

2. Ginger Beer Tea Mocktail

Perfectly spiced; this Ginger Beer Spritz is sure to turn heads at every festive party.

What you’ll need:

• 2 Perfect Tea Spoons of Ginger Beer loose leaf tea

• 100ml boiling water

• Sparkling water

• A cup of ice

• A cocktail shaker

• Lemon rind & a thin slice of ginger, to garnish

What to do:

1. Brew the tea in 100ml of water for 4 minutes.

2. Strain into your cocktail shaker over ice.

3. Shake well until properly cold.

4. Pour into a glass & top up with sparkling water.

5. Garnish with a lemon rind & a thin slice of ginger & enjoy.

3. Mojito Iced Tea

Our mojito-inspired green tea blend, served long over ice with fresh lime & mint. This one makes enough for 4-5 glasses, so it’s a good one for a gathering rather than a single serve. 

What you’ll need:

• 8 Perfect Tea Spoons of MojiTEA loose leaf tea

• 900ml water (around 80°C)

• Fresh mint leaves

• 3 limes

• Extra water, to top up

What to do:

1. Brew the tea for 3 minutes, then strain & leave to cool (or cold brew it in the fridge overnight for an even easier version).

2. Half-fill your glasses with ice.

3. Squeeze in a good amount of fresh lime juice.

4. Top up each glass with around 50ml of water.

5. Clap a few mint sprigs between your hands to release the flavour, then drop them in.

6. Garnish with a lime wedge & enjoy.

4. Spiced Margarita Matcha Mocktail

A matcha twist on a spicy margarita: earthy, tangy, & with a proper kick from the chilli rim.

What you’ll need:

• ½ tsp Spicy Margarita Matcha powder

• 100ml water (around 80°C)

• Water, to top up

• 1 lime wedge

• Tajín, to rim the glass

• Tabasco, to taste

• A chilli & a lime slice, to garnish

• A coupe glass

What to do:

1. Rim a coupe glass with Tajín.

2. Squeeze in the lime wedge.

3. Whisk the matcha powder into 100ml of 80°C water until smooth, then add it to the glass.

4. Top up with water.

5. Garnish with a chilli & a lime slice, add Tabasco to taste & enjoy.

5. Limoncello

Our newest blend, kept bright & zesty with a simple 50/50 topper of sparkling water & lemonade rather than anything more complicated. 

What you’ll need:

• 2 Perfect Tea Spoons of Limoncello Tea

• 100ml water (around 80°C)

• Sparkling water

• Lemonade

• A cup of ice

• Lemon slice, to garnish

What to do:

1. Brew the tea in 100ml of water for 4 minutes, then strain & leave to cool.

2. Pour over a glass of ice.

3. Top up with equal parts sparkling water & lemonade.

4. Stir gently, garnish with a lemon slice & enjoy.

What Makes A Non-Alcoholic Drink Feel Special

The gap between a proper mocktail & a glass of squash usually comes down to three things: something tart or bitter to balance the sweetness, plenty of ice, & a garnish that looks like you meant it. Tea does the first job for you, which is why it’s such a good base for non-alcoholic drink recipes. Chill your glasses if you can, use fresh citrus rather than bottled, & don’t skip the mint or the orange rind. It takes seconds & it’s what makes the drink feel like an occasion.

If you want to build out a full alcohol-free drinks menu, our Alcohol Alternative Tea collection is the best place to start.

Serving These At Christmas

Hosting over the festive season & want something alcohol-free that still feels part of the party? Starry Night makes a lovely welcome drink for guests arriving on Christmas Eve, & a big jug of MojiTEA is easy to make ahead & leave in the fridge, so you’re not stuck shaking drinks while the roast timer’s going off. Serve in your best glasses & add a sprig of rosemary or a few cranberries as garnish, & you’ve got a festive drink that looks the part.