The Margarita Mocktail
Prep time: 3 minutes
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 2 oz non-alcoholic tequila alternative (Lyre’s Agave Blanco or Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (about 2 limes, never bottled)
- 1/2 oz fresh orange juice
- 1/2 oz agave syrup
- 1/4 oz white grape juice or non-alcoholic orange liqueur (optional)
- 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
- 1 lime wedge (for rimming and garnish)
- Kosher salt or Tajín for the rim (optional)
Instructions
- Salt or Tajín the rim: Run a lime wedge around the outer edge of a rocks glass or coupe. Dip at a slight angle into your salt or Tajín, coat only half the rim. Set the glass aside.
- Load the shaker: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila alternative, lime juice, orange juice, agave syrup, grape juice (or orange liqueur), and apple cider vinegar.
- Shake hard and long: Shake vigorously for 20 seconds, longer than the cocktail version. Without alcohol to emulsify the ingredients, a hard shake is what binds this drink together and gets it properly cold.
- Strain and taste: For rocks: fill your rimmed glass with fresh ice and strain over it. For up: strain into a chilled coupe. Taste before serving, if it feels flat or thin, a tiny extra splash of apple cider vinegar or a pinch of salt stirred in can sharpen it immediately.
- Garnish: Add the spent lime wedge to the rim or a fresh lime wheel on top. A small sprig of mint or thin orange slice also works beautifully.
Notes
Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar, it’s essential for mimicking the throat-burn of real tequila.
Shake Harder Than a Normal Marg, Without alcohol, I recommend an 8-second vigorous shake to create the right texture and body.
Juice Quality: Use freshly squeezed lime juice only. Bottled versions are a bit too acidic and will make your marg taste flat.
Pro Tip: If the drink feels thin, I recommend adding a tiny pinch of salt directly into the shaker to make the citrus flavors pop.
