Virgin Mai Tai Mocktail

A refreshing yellow cocktail garnished with a lime wheel and mint sprig, served in a glass of ice on a wooden board with fresh lime slices, mint leaves, and a pineapple nearby.

5 from 2 votes

An easy non-alcoholic twist on a classic, this virgin mai tai has all the flavor and none of the headache. With the option to make it as a mocktail for one or in a batch for guests, it's refreshing, delicious and comes together in less than 5 minutes.

Prep Time2

Cook Time3

Total Time5

Course: Drinks

Servings:

Calories: 59kcal

Author: Natalie Battaglia

Ingredients

1 ½ oz non-alcoholic white rum (or substitute - see Note 1 below)
¾ oz orange juice
1 oz pineapple juice (optional)
¾ oz lime juice
½ oz orgeat syrup (or substitute - see Note 2 below)
2 dashes bitters (optional, but adds depth, I like All The Bitter Orange Bitters)
½ oz non-alcoholic dark rum (for float - optional)
Mint + lime for garnish

Metric - US

Instructions

Add rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup and bitters to a shaker, with a decent scoop of crushed ice (at least ½ cup).
Shake for a few seconds only, until the ingredients are juice combined.
Dirty pour (i.e. pour the whole lot) into your glass. Top with more crushed ice.
Optional step: to create the traditional Mai Tai layer, slowly pour in your non-alcoholic dark rum.
Garnish with a generous sprig of mint and a slice of lime, and serve!

Notes

Note 1 (non-alcoholic rum): if you don't want to use non-alcoholic rum, I'd recommend a splash (around ½ teaspoon) apple cider vinegar, or 1 oz (30 ml) extra pineapple juice. Vinegar is a by-product of alcohol and can help to replace some of the body that goes missing when alcohol is removed from a drink. Pineapple juice will also be delicious!

Note 2 (orgeat syrup): a traditional Mai Tai relies heavily on orgeat to balance acidity and create depth...it's also one of its 'signature flavors'. So if you want to get as close to the real thing as possible, use the orgeat syrup. Great replacements are a drop or two of almond extract or essence, or even a splash of almond-flavored coffee syrup!

Nutrition