12 Easy Nonalcoholic Classic Cocktail Recipes to Make at Home

As the nonalcoholic spirits category grows, so does an attention to the craft of spirit-free cocktails. While some bartenders find freedom in building nonalcoholic recipes that are entirely removed from familiar templates, others see replicating beloved classics, like the Negroni, as an exciting challenge.

Constructing these zero-proof drinks can be as simple as swapping out the spirits for spirit-free alternatives. But in some cases, the cost, taste or texture of nonalcoholic analogues makes them difficult to mix with, and some bartenders decide to create their own instead. There are other objectives, too: matching the mouthfeel of an alcoholic drink, for example, or nailing the astringent “bite” that some spirits offer.

Whether your Dry January drinking plans include making a bespoke amaro or simply throwing together an easy spritz, we’ve compiled bartender-backed recipes for 12 spirit-free takes on the classics to get you started.

Much like the Negroni Sbagliato’s origin story, this nonalcoholic Negroni was created when bartender Leanne Favre mistakenly grabbed a bottle of Wilfred’s nonalcoholic aperitif in lieu of a similarly-labeled gin substitute. The resulting drink was our favorite in a tasting of 10 nonalcoholic Negronis, favored for its bracing and bitter qualities. “The bitterness helps me come back for another sip rather than want to throw it back,” said Tom Macy, a judge at the tasting.

At San Francisco’s Chezchez, Giffard’s Aperitif Syrup, which is made with bitter orange and gentian root, provides a Campari-like base that is combined with an N/A sparkling wine and bitter lemon tonic water for a spin on the Negroni Sbagliato.

It can be difficult to replicate the texture of a traditional spirit-forward cocktail, but a rich sweetener can help achieve the desired mouthfeel. At New York’s Barbuto, the N/A Old-Fashioned uses maple syrup, which harmonizes with the bourbon alternative at its base and imparts a satisfying texture to the resulting cocktail.

The spirit-free menu at the Swan Room at New York’s Nine Orchard has recently expanded to include new nonalcoholic takes on the classics, like a Sbagliato and an Amaretto Sour, as well as wholly original drinks. Included on this roster is the Champaxne Cocktail, which turns to nonalcoholic sparkling wine and a sugar cube infused with orange flower water to channel the same visual appeal of the celebratory original.

Alex Jump, formerly of Death & Co. Denver, pays careful attention to the texture of her N/A recipe, the Neon Moon, a zero-proof take on the fizz. Kefir whey and egg white add body to the cocktail, while a bright syrup of makrut lime leaf, lemongrass and shiso keeps the drink feeling light and refreshing, in typical fizz fashion.

At Garden Bar PHX, Kim Haasarud crafted an Averna-inspired “amaro” out of chicory, gentian root and Mexican Coke, among other ingredients; alongside cold-brew coffee and Demerara syrup, it serves as the base of the bar’s zero-proof take on the Espresso Martini. The bar also makes “Nopari,” a Campari alternative, that is used in aperitivo-style drinks.

Hop water is an increasingly popular ingredient in N/A cocktails, as it’s a natural fit to swap into beer-based drinks. In the Hop Watah Michelada, John deBary combines the nonalcoholic ingredient with Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water, a Hawai‘i-inspired condiment made from vinegar, peppers and ginger, for the requisite spicy, tangy flavor.

Seedlip Garden 108, an herbal nonalcoholic spirit that commonly replaces gin, stars in the Southside riff at Maydan in Washington, D.C. A housemade fresh mint syrup ties the vegetal spirit and bright fresh lime juice all together, maintaining the key flavor characteristics of the shaken classic.

Shrubs and vinegars often figure into nonalcoholic recipes to provide body and an acidic kick. In the Queen Garden Swizzle, Portland, Oregon’s Lydia McLuen turns to umeboshi plum vinegar, alongside Seedlip Garden and chilled mint tea, which lends a refreshing quality to this tropical swizzle.

To replicate the astringent “bite” of alcoholic spirits, Barbuto bar manager John Dillon incorporates Scrappy’s Bitters Firewater, a habanero chile tincture, into cocktails like his N/A Whiskey Sour. The inclusion of egg white gives the drink a fuller texture, while a brown sugar simple syrup imparts roundness and amplifies the flavor profile of Kentucky 74, a bourbon alternative.

Another cocktail calling on hop water, this N/A Paloma combines the ingredient—and its piney, citrusy hops—with a black pepper and grapefruit oleo saccharum. To mimic tequila’s vegetal, earthy notes, the drink also gets a dose of red bell pepper juice.

At Thunderbolt in Los Angeles, the nonalcoholic Lychee Daiquiri “is one of the easiest, lowest-prep cocktails we make,” says the bar’s owner, Mike Capoferri. Calling on rum extract—a common baking ingredient—in place of the spirit, and a full can of lychee (blended together, fruit, syrup and all) for a textural boost, the Daiquiri is complex and refreshing.