My New Year's Eve mocktail is fun and festive and zero proof! I created this crisp bubbly to mimic a sparkling glass of champagne with no alcohol so everyone can welcome the new year in style!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my mocktail margaritas and refreshing ginger ale mocktail, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick & Easy - You only need five minutes to craft this mocktail recipe for New Year's Eve and you can make it even if you don't have bar tools! Just peep my pro tips for substitution options.
Festive - This NYE themed mocktail has the yellow gold color and effervescence we associate with New Year's Eve champagne so it blends perfectly with the holiday. Check out my serving suggestions below for different garnish ideas to take it over the top.
My parents' wedding anniversary falls on New Year's Eve and my siblings and I loved toasting with them with our glasses of sparkling cider. I crafted this mocktail with those memories in mind.
I'm not always in the mood for alcohol and, even when I am, want all of my loved ones to be able to celebrate fully--including the kids. So I have plenty of holiday themed mocktail recipes you should save for every occasion: strawberry vanilla Valentine's Day mocktails, blood orange Thanksgiving mocktail, spiced Christmas mocktail, and creepy Halloween mocktail!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
White Grape Juice for the wine vibes. You can use a sparkling white grape juice as a shortcut but I typically find them to be too sweet.
Apple Cider Vinegar tones down the sweetness of the juice to make this drink more crisp or dry tasting while adding another fruity note. Alternatively, you can use lemon juice or orange juice.
Sparkling Water or club soda or mineral water for the bubbles. Any brand works, including Topo Chico but I recommend an unflavored and unsweetened one.
Sparkling Sugar, also called sanding sugar creates a fun blinged out rim on the glass and adds a touch of sweetness to each sip. This is typically found on the baking aisle of grocery stores and you can use sugar sprinkles instead but regular granulated sugar is too fine to really sparkle.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Sweetener - If you want a sweeter cocktail, add the sweetener of your choice to taste. Simple syrup or maple syrup or your favorite zero sugar option will all work well. Flavored options are also fair game and I recommend my ginger infused honey syrup or citrus sugar syrup for flavors that work well here.
Soda - Want a more juicy and sweet flavor profile? Replace the water with ginger ale, ginger beer or a lemon lime soda like Sprite or 7UP!
Make it a Punch - You can multiply this recipe out to serve multiple guests from a pitcher or punch bowl. This makes hands-off hosting (my favorite) easy but still delicious.
How to Make a Mocktail for New Year's
- Step 1: Run a wedge of citrus around the rim of a cocktail glass then dip it in sparkling sugar to garnish.
- Step 2: Stir the white grape juice and apple cider vinegar together over ice.
Pro Tip #1
I use a mixing glass, bar spoon, and hawthorne strainer for this recipe but you can use a cocktail shaker instead. And, if you don't have any bar tools, use a large measuring cup or highball glass, regular table spoon or butter knife to stir, and a mesh strainer or colander to strain.
- Step 3: Strain the chilled grape juice mixture into your prepared glass then top up with sparkling water and serve.
Pro Tip #2
Much like champagne, this drink is best served cold so make sure the sparkling water is chilled!
Frequently Asked Questions
Because of the bubbles, I don't recommend making this drink ahead of time, however, you can mix the white grape juice and apple cider vinegar a couple of days in advance and store in the fridge until you're ready for it.
In a punch bowl or pitcher, mix together 16 ounces of white grape juice and four ounces of apple cider vinegar over ice. Pour in 16 ounces of sparkling water or leave it alongside the serving vessel so that guests can top up their own glasses. Serves eight.
How to Serve
These drinks are best when served super cold but I don't recommend serving them over ice to avoid dilution. As an alternative to the sugar rim, you can add a rock candy stick to each glass--or do both for extra extra razzle dazzle. Other great garnish options include citrus twists, citrus slices, and edible glitter.
For NYE, we love small bites so I recommend enjoying this virgin drink with appetizers like savory meat pies, praline baked brie, chai popcorn, and a simple cheese board plus a colorful winter kale salad!
More Favorite Mocktail Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this alcohol-free drink for New Year's Eve among the people you love the most. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
New Year's Eve Mocktail
Equipment
- 1 coupe glass or champagne flute
- 1 cocktail mixing glass or highball glass
- 1 bar spoon or regular table spoon
- 1 cocktail strainer or mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1 wedge citrus fruit orange, lemon, lime, etc.
- sanding sugar or sugar sprinkles
- 2 ounces white grape juice
- ½ ounce apple cider vinegar
- sparkling water chilled
Instructions
- Run citrus wedge around rim of cocktail glass then dip the rim into sugar to coat. Set aside.
- Fill mixing glass halfway with ice then pour in white grape juice and apple cider vinegar then use bar spoon to stir until combined.
- Use strainer to strain the liquid into prepared glass then top up with sparkling water. Serve immediately.
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