From dive bars to upscale restaurants, the options for tasty, creative mocktails (traditional cocktails sans the alcohol) only continue to grow. But in addition to flavor, mixologists are starting to experiment with using ingredients to increase their health benefits—trending drinks known as functional mocktails.
Some functional mocktail recipes focus on following specific flavor profiles, while others are centered around healthy ingredients that the mocktail can offer. These recipes intend to help you sleep, reduce inflammation, improve gut health, or give you an energy boost.
But functional mocktails go beyond providing a healthier drink option—they also focus on layering flavors that have the same complexity as a classic mixed beverage. They can include elements you'll get from an elegant cocktail, like smoked rosemary, citrus peel swirls, and salted or sugared rims.
With their multiple bases, flavorings, and garnishes, functional mocktails are much more elaborate than a regular juice or tea. Some mocktail mixologists swear by green or white teas to create a complex cocktail base, while others will use soda water, juice, and syrup combinations for their concoctions. The most common health-centric ingredients used range from ginseng to chamomile or even ashwagandha. You can use these ingredients on their own or purchase them in herbal mixes.
If you’re looking for an exciting party drink or want to make something to last you the rest of the week, functional mocktail recipes are simple to scale up. Because you won't need to purchase any pricey spirits or liqueurs, they also tend to cost less compared to making a traditional spiked punch bowl.
Browsing TikTok offers plenty of inspiration for recipes: The grapefruit white tea mocktail from @lizmoody, which has nearly 75,000 likes, uses "quickly steeped but strong tea" as the base. This adds health benefits and delivers a flavor complexity similar to alcoholic drinks. It also features grapefruit zest in the honey salt rim, which is as functional as it is pretty.
"I love cocktails, and my functional mocktail series is really built around learning to make drinks I enjoy that make me feel good, too," she said in her video.
This kumquat and thyme mocktail from @olivianoceda, focused on increasing immunity and reducing inflammation, has racked up over 415,000 likes. Along with the kumquats and thyme, the ingredients include honey syrup, lemon juice, non-alcoholic whiskey or black tea, orange or kumquat juice, and an egg white. The creator describes it as "tart yet subtle with a botanical finish."
"When I stopped drinking alcohol and got into making mocktails, they weren't trending like they are now," she said. "Making them at home felt like a challenge and often resulted in a watered-down juice. Over time, I realized that creating mocktails with flavor complexity, aesthetic, and functionality is actually enjoyable and simple."