This Blueberry Mocktail is sweet and sour with the perfect combination of flavor and color to make it almost as appetizing to look at as it is to drink. This take on a whiskey smash is easy to make and provides depth of flavor where that can sometimes be missing in a mocktail.
If you like these delicious mocktails, try our Non Alcoholic Moscow Mule!
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The Bite of a Cocktail in a Mocktail
The one thing I need in a mocktail is a little "bite" or sourness. I can't just have a sweet drink. I don't have any interest in a mocktail that tastes like sweet juice. I love that this blueberry mocktail has the sour forward flavor that makes it feel like an adult beverage.
I don't mean to say that it tastes like alcohol — I just mean that it feels like an adult drink. Like my kid probably wouldn't want to drink it. And you can bet your ass I'm not muddling berries for that little terror.
If you served it at a party, it would feel elevated and not like you're serving blueberry juice to everyone. I like to think of this cocktail as a Blueberry Smash Mocktail — sort of like a Whiskey Smash.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Seltzer. When I make mocktails, I've found that using a flavored seltzer can add in a little of that flavor that's lost if you're looking for that "cocktail" flavor. This Blueberry Pomegranate one complemented the drink perfectly.
- Agave. The agave gives the drink a little bit of froth when shaken. You can substitute simple syrup for the same flavor and effect.
- Blueberries. The sweeter and more flavorful the better. If it's not blueberry season, frozen blueberries work really well!
- Thyme. Thyme adds a subtle flavor and aroma I find goes really well with this drink. Rosemary could be a good substitute.
- Lemon. The acidity of the lemon balances the drink out from the sweetness of the blueberries.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to make a Blueberry Mocktail
Step 1: Add blueberries, lemon juice, and thyme, removed from stem, to a cocktail strainer. Use a muddler to muddle the blueberries into a pulp.
Step 2: Add ice and agave and shake vigorously.
Step 3: Pour the seltzer into the shaker and stir well. Strain the drink into a martini glass to serve up. Garnish with a sprig of thyme as shown below.
This drink is great for the evening and it can be served with appetizers like Steamed Mussels in White Wine or Veggie Stromboli.
Pro-Tips
- Roll the lemon on a cutting board to loosen up the juice before you cut it open to squeeze in.
- Thaw the blueberries in the refrigerator overnight if using frozen blueberries.
Recipe FAQs
Whiskey goes great in a smash cocktail like this. I tried it both with and without whiskey and it is flavorful and delicious with or without.
If you know that it's not blueberry season and your berries won't be sweet, definitely substitute frozen berries. Thaw them the night before or even a couple hours before. Frozen berries are almost always sweet.
You don't need to use a flavored seltzer, but I like to in a mocktail. A plain seltzer with no flavor is fine with an alcoholic beverage, but I like the extra kick of a flavor this Blueberry Pomegranate seltzer gave this drink!
More Cocktails and Mocktails
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Mocktail (Smash)
Equipment
- 1 muddler
- 1 cocktail strainer
- 1 cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 4 oz seltzer
- ½ oz agave
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 1 sprig thyme
Instructions
- Add blueberries, lemon juice, and thyme, removed from stem, to a cocktail strainer. Use a muddler to muddle the blueberries into a pulp.
- Add ice and agave and shake vigorously.
- Pour the seltzer into the shaker and stir well. Strain the drink into a martini glass to serve up.
Notes
- Roll the lemon on a cutting board to loosen up the juice before you cut it open to squeeze in.
- Thaw the blueberries in the refrigerator overnight if using frozen blueberries.
Vinny
This is such an elevated mocktail. I love this one because it makes it feel like an adult beverage versus just another drink!