25 Winter Mocktails To Get Cozy With

It’s cold. Or so I hear. I live in Florida, where if I want seasons, I have to Mrs. Dalloway-style make them myself. But perhaps that makes me only more deeply appreciate the cozy touches of a big throw blanket, a pair of wool mittens, and a steaming mug of something clovey and balanced. Enter: winter mocktails. If you’re not drinking alcohol — for whatever reason you have — you can still enjoy some warming, complex brews by the fire. Or, you know, by the fake fire that you queue up on your television. (Actually, mocktails by a mockfire has a nice ring to it. WAIT: Mocktails by a mockfire while wearing a mock turtlenack…now that’s what I call a vibe.)

Here are a slew of options — some of them warm, some of them merely wintry in their flavors, some lending heat by way of spice. All of the following recipes are alcohol-free.


Not Toddies

Yep, you guessed it: These are winter mocktails that are riffs on hot toddies. Get your cottagecore vibes on with these warming, spice-filled drinks.

Green Tea Nonalcoholic Hot Toddy

Four-Ingredient Hot Toddy

Hot Apple and Cinnamon Toddy

Virgin Hot Toddy

Hot Ginger Turmeric Toddy


Hot Stuff

a.k.a. more hot winter mocktail options that go beyond the hot toddy for inspiration! Some of these are alcohol-free versions of classic hot cocktails, and some are just recipes for wonderfully reliable non-alcoholic hot drinks like savory cocoa and chai.

Hot Buttered Pineapple Mocktail

Virgin Irish Coffee

Note: This recipe is made with Nespresso pods, but you could easily sub in regular espresso. Also, check out this recipe for alcohol-free Irish cream.

Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine

Savory Spiced Hot Chocolate

A mugful of Savory Spiced Hot Chocolate
via Food52

Everyday Chai

A cup of Everyday Chai
via Food52

Hot Cranberry Juice

A mugful of hot cranberry juice
via Shutterstock

Spiced Vanilla-Bean Steamers

Sweet Potato Latte

Slow Cooker Pear Cider

Sweet and Spicy Hot Orange Drink with Chili and Lime


Cold 4 Cold

Winter mocktails don’t have to be warm! If you live in a hot, seasonless place and still want to channel winter vibes while drinking something refreshing and cool in the winter sun or if you keep your place so toasty in the winter that you wanna sip something icy, here are some nonalc recipes full of citrus, spice, and minty goodness.

Winter Spiced Orange Mocktail

Non-Alcoholic Winter Sangria

Winter Cranberry Spritz

Non-Alcoholic EspressoMartini

A martini glass full of Non-Alcoholic Espresso Martini
via Food52

Dragonfruit Delight Mocktail

Sparkling Spice

A champagne glass of Sparkling Spice
via Sunset

Non-Alcoholic Champagne Punch

Really super simple! But that makes it ideal for batching for a gathering. If you don’t have an ice round, you can still create a cool ice effect by adding edible flowers or berries to normal ice molds.

Cold Fashioned

Spicy Jalapeno Mule Mocktail

Spicy Margarita Mocktail

A margarita glass of Spicy Margarita Mocktail
via Bonsan

Def feel free to sub in your favorite hot sauce.


Make any good wintry mocktails lately? Shout em out in the comments!


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Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya is the managing editor of Autostraddle and a lesbian writer of essays, short stories, and pop culture criticism living in Miami. She is the assistant managing editor of TriQuarterly, and her short stories appear or are forthcoming in McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, Joyland, Catapult, The Offing, and more. Some of her pop culture writing can be found at The A.V. Club, Vulture, The Cut, and others. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram and learn more about her work on her website.

Kayla has written 504 articles for us.

7 Comments

  1. Lmao I do love that the savoury hot chocolate recipe says “If you don’t have a Vitamix, I totally understand, I was there once too.” Thank you for understanding that I live in a tiny apartment, random Internet recipe writer!

  2. Ooh I love these, thanks for the roundup Kayla!!

    My personal favorite mocktail is kind of like the NA mulled wine recipe, but served over ice! I use about an ounce each of pomegranate juice and apple cider (not sparkling, just the kind you get at an orchard), then top off with sparkling water (I like berry and grapefruit). Super easy & delicious without being too sweet.

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