Every January my body is craving a post-holiday reset. All of the holiday treats, heavy meals and cocktails start to take a toll on my body. A few years ago I gave up alcohol for the month of January. Then did it again the following year and now it’s just become something that I do. As much as a love a glass of wine or a festive cocktail, I actually don’t miss the actual alcohol during this booze free month.

Dry January is a public health campaign that started in the United Kingdom ten years ago. That first year 4,300 people pledged not to drink for a month. News of Dry January spread(thanks to social media) and fast forward to 2022 where more than a third of legal aged adults in the US participated. Wowzers! While the name is relatively new, the idea of giving up alcohol for stretches of time isn’t. People have been doing this for years to recover from excess drinking over the holidays. It dates as far back as the 1940s when Finnish people practiced Sober January as part of the war effort. Dry January has a better ring to it than Sober January though, in my opinion.

Anyway, here are some more mocktails to try out this January or any time you are looking for a reset!

Cider, Thyme and Tonic

This mocktail is delicious but make sure to plan ahead. You will need to make the thyme simple syrup and allow to cool before stirring up this CT&T.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz apple cider
• 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 oz thyme simple syrup
• 1 bottle (9.3 ounces) tonic water
• Additional thyme and lemon slices for garnish

Directions:

Add all ingredients except tonic to a pitcher and stir until fully incorporated. Add ice to four glasses, filling each about halfway. Divide the cider mixture evenly among the glasses. Top with tonic water. Stir gently. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Thyme Simple Syrup

• half cup sugar
• half cup water
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Turn heat to low and stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until syrup coats the back of a spoon.Remove from heat. Take out the thyme sprigs and allow syrup to cool before using. Store leftover syrup in a jar in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks.

Pomegranate Lime Booch-A-Rita

This super easy margarita mocktail has a crisp flavor that packs just enough tartness thanks to kombucha and fresh lime. You can find this recipe and more on Health-Ade’s site.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Health-Ade Pomegranate Kombucha
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/4 oz pomegranate juice
• 1 lime
• Ice
• Salt for rim

Directions:

Zest the lime. Combine zest and salt on small plate, set aside. Slice half of the lime into wheels and set aside. Using the other half of the lime, wet the rim of your glass, and tap/roll into salt/zest mixture. In the rimmed glass add the ice, pomegranate juice, and fresh lime juice. Top with Health-Ade Pomegranate Kombucha, garnish with lime wheel.

Blood Orange Sparkler

This drink is not only pretty but it will give you an immunity boost with all of that Vitamin C! Don’t pre squeeze the juice and then refrigerate, the honey won’t mix in well. You can mix everything together(minus the seltzer) and then pop it in the fridge though!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. blood orange juice, freshly squeezed (about 2-3 oranges depending on size)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 oz. lime seltzer (le croix key lime is SO good)
• Ice
• Blood orange slices for garnish

Directions:

Squeeze the blood orange juice into a mason jar with a lid or cocktail shaker. Add the honey and vanilla extract to the unchilled juice. Shake. Pour evenly into two ice filled glasses. Top with lime seltzer and a slice of blood orange on top. So pretty!

Basil Lime Smash Mocktail

Oh my this is delicious! I love how fresh this mocktail tastes, it’s so refreshing. I found this recipe on the Moody Mixologist’s site, they have a ton of cocktails and mocktails.

Ingredients:

• 12 Basil leaves
• 5 green grapes
• 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• Seltzer water

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker or Mason jar, using a muddler or a spoon, muddle or mash the basil leaves and lime juice vigorously. Add grapes and muddle some more.Add simple syrup and fill shaker 3/4 with ice. Shake until chilled. Fine strain into a cocktail glass and top with an ounce or two of seltzer. Garnish with basil.

Greyhound/Salty Dog Basil Mocktail

One of Andrew’s go to breakfast cocktails is a Salty Dog. This mocktail version is just as good if not better than the original. Check out more recipes from the Kale Junkie here.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Basil Leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 4 Ounces Grapefruit Juice freshly squeezed
• 2 Ounces Grapefruit Seltzer
• A Pinch of flaky salt
• Optional- Salt for rim

Directions:

If you are making yours a salty dog start by wetting the rim of your glass with a slice of grapefruit, and tap/roll into salt. Add your basil and honey to a glass. Using a muddler or a spoon, muddle or mash the basil and honey together, until the aromatics begin to release from the basil. Next, squeeze your grapefruit juice into the glass. Add in your seltzer until the liquid reaches the top of the glass. Stir your drink together, so that all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Top your mocktail off with another honey drizzle, a sprig of basil, and a pinch of the flaky salt.

Looking for more mocktails? Find some of my other favorites here, here, here, and here! Cheers 🙂