Liven up dry January with alcohol-free cocktails
Updated: 22 February, 2024
January is here, and with that comes New Year's resolutions, fresh starts and good intentions, which means many of your guests may be participating in dry January. Whether you need some ideas to satisfy their needs, or simply want to add some new non-alcoholic drinks to your menus, check out our top picks below.
Tea and Tonic
For the Earl Grey syrup:
  1. Combine one cup (approx. 285g) of sugar with half a cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the contents into an airtight container
  3. Add three Earl Grey teabags to the container, and leave to steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Remove the teabags, and once cooled, store in the fridge
For the mocktail:
  1. Fill a tall glass with ice
  2. Add 20ml of the Earl Grey syrup and 15ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the glass
  3. Top the glass with 120ml of tonic water
  4. Stir and serve
Cranberry Cos-no-politan
For the drink:
  1. To a cocktail shaker, add 90ml of cranberry juice, 30ml of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 60ml of sparkling or soda water
  2. Add a handful of ice and shake gently until chilled
  3. Finish with a splash of orange juice and serve
Impress your guests with a lime and sugar rim:
  1. Grate some lime zest using a fine grater onto a plate
  2. Add a small amount of sugar to the zest and mix together using your fingers
  3. Taking a small wedge of lime, run it around the rim of your martini glass
  4. Place the glass upside down in the plate and ensure the whole rim is coated in the lime-sugar mix
  5. Pour the drink into the glass and serve
Mocktail Margarita
  1. Take a margarita or tumbler glass and rub a wedge of lime around the rim. Roll the glass in a small dish of sea salt flakes, then tap off any excess
  2. Fill your glass with ice
  3. To the glass, add 60ml of freshly squeezed lime juice, two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, two tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice and one tablespoon of agave nectar
  4. Stir the contents of the glass well (for at least 30 seconds)
  5. Fill the remainder of the glass with soda water and garnish with a wedge of lime
Top tip: If you don't have agave nectar, you can also use maple syrup, sugar syrup or honey.
Alcohol Free Whiskey Sour
  1. Pour 150ml of boiling water from the kettle into a teapot or heatproof jug, and add two Assam tea bags. Leave to steep for a few minutes then remove the tea bags.
  2. Add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, mix and set aside to cool
  3. In a cocktail shaker, pour in 50ml of the cooled tea, then add 25ml of lemon juice, 1/2 an egg white and 3/4 tablespoon of sugar syrup along with a handful of ice
  4. Shake until the cocktail shaker feels cold
  5. Fill a tumbler glass with ice and strain the contents of the shaker into it
  6. Garnish with a lemon slice and cocktail cherry, then serve
Cherry No-jito
  1. Add five chopped cherries to a glass (with the stone removed), along with four lime quarters
  2. Add a dash of sugar syrup for sweetness if desired
  3. Muddle together the lime and cherries for around a minute (you can use the end of a wooden spoon if you don’t have a cocktail muddler)
  4. Take 6-8 mint leaves in your hands, and clap together to release their scent, then add to the glass
  5. Gently muddle in with the cherries and lime
  6. Fill the glass with ice and top with sparkling or soda water
  7. Garnish with a round of lime, some mint leaves and cherries, then serve
These recipes have been prepared by our JJ Foodies (JJ employees and customers). We do not profess to be professional mixologists, but we are passionate about food and drinks, and love putting together ideas using JJ ingredients to create great-tasting recipes for everyone to enjoy.