Light, bright, and effortlessly cool, this Margarita Mocktail brings a fresh twist to your daily rhythm. It’s crisp, citrusy, and just sweet enough with ingredients that support hydration, clarity, and balance. No sugar spikes, no artificial extras, just a clean craft drink that feels as good as it tastes.
Whether you’re winding down after a full day, hosting a casual get-together, or carving out a quiet moment of calm, this Margarita Mocktail offers the perfect blend of freshness and fun. It’s a simple way to elevate your drink game while staying aligned with your wellness goals.
Margarita Mocktail Benefits
The base recipe features fresh lime juice, a touch of raw honey, and is enlivened with sparkling water. Lime juice is a natural source of vitamin C and antioxidants, supporting immune function and collagen health.1,2 It also helps replenish hydrating electrolytes. A small amount of raw honey brings gentle sweetness along with anti-inflammatory properties,3 while sparkling water adds the refreshing fizz that elevates this drink from simple to satisfying.
Perfect for afternoon hydration, entertaining guests, or just winding down after a long day, this healthy Margarita Mocktail offers all the flavor with none of the compromise.
Creativity in a Cup: Different Ways to Dress Up Your Drink
The beauty of this beverage is how flexible it is. You can explore with all sorts of ingredient combos until you find your own signature beverage. Below are some of our favorite twists on this classic beverage!
- Watermelon-Basil Margarita: A blend of hydration and herbal calm, watermelon is rich in lycopene4 and electrolytes, while basil adds an adaptogenic edge and its volatile oils support mental clarity.5
- Orange-Turmeric Margarita: A sunshine-colored twist with fresh orange juice for added vitamin C, turmeric for inflammation balance, and black pepper to boost bioavailability.
- Cucumber-Jalapeño Margarita: Cucumber offers cooling hydration and mineral content, while jalapeño delivers a gentle heat to enliven the senses.
Margarita Recipe Variations
Watermelon-Basil
Ingredients:
- Lime wedges
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- ½ cup fresh watermelon
- 5-8 basil leaves
- Crushed ice
- 2 cups sparkling water
Directions:
- Use a lime wedge to rim two glasses.
- In a cocktail shaker or jar, combine lime juice, watermelon, and basil. Muddle, then shake well to combine.
- Fill glasses with ice and strain mixture between them. Top each glass with sparkling water. Stir gently.
- Garnish with lime wedges and serve.
Orange-Turmeric
Ingredients:
- Lime wedges
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 TBSP fresh orange juice
- 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
- Pinch black pepper (AIP – omit)
- Crushed ice
- 2 cups sparkling water
Directions:
- Use a lime wedge to rim two glasses.
- In a cocktail shaker or jar, combine lime juice, orange juice, turmeric, and black pepper. Shake well to combine.
- Fill glasses with ice and strain mixture between them. Top each glass with sparkling water. Stir gently.
- Garnish with lime wedges and serve.
Cucumber-Jalapeño
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup cucumber, sliced
- 2 slices jalapeño (AIP – omit)
- 2 cups sparkling water
- Crushed ice
- 2 cucumber ribbons
Directions:
- In a cocktail shaker or jar, combine lime juice, cucumber, and jalapeño. Muddle in the shaker, then shake well to combine.
- Fill glasses with ice and strain mixture between them. Top each glass with sparkling water. Stir gently.
- Garnish with cucumber ribbons and serve.
One Base, Endless Options
This Margarita Mocktail is more than just a recipe, it’s your ticket to your own signature crowd-pleasing, clean-crafted creation. Try it with muddled herbs, seasonal fruit, or even exotic rim spices (like cumin and cinnamon) for your own signature spin. However you shake it, this mocktail supports your health goals while keeping things festive and fun!
TIP: For an exotic twist: Try rimming the glass with a mixture of equal parts ground cumin and ground cinnamon (we used 1 teaspoon of each, which was more than enough for 2 glasses).
Dietary Restrictions: Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.
Love our recipes? Make going Paleo even easier and download our 7-Day and 28-Day digital meal plans!
References:
- Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211
- Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866
- Ranneh, Y., Akim, A. M., Hamid, H. A., Khazaai, H., Fadel, A., Zakaria, Z. A., Albujja, M., & Bakar, M. F. A. (2021). Honey and its nutritional and anti-inflammatory value. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 21(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-03170-5
- Naz, A., Butt, M. S., Sultan, M. T., Qayyum, M. M., & Niaz, R. S. (2014). Watermelon lycopene and allied health claims. EXCLI journal, 13, 650–660.
- Varney, E., & Buckle, J. (2013). Effect of inhaled essential oils on mental exhaustion and moderate burnout: a small pilot study. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 19(1), 69–71. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2012.0089
Margarita Mocktail
- Recipe by: Brian Keenan, ND, DOM
- Serves: 2
- Meal: Beverage
- Serves: 2
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Lime wedges
1 cups fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
1 1/4 tsp raw honey
Crushed ice
2 cups sparkling water
Directions
Use a lime wedge to rim two glasses.
In a cocktail shaker or jar, combine lime juice and honey. Shake or stir well to combine.
Fill glasses with ice and divide mixture between them. Top each glass with sparkling water. Stir gently.
Garnish with lime wedges and serve.
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