Our virgin tequila sunrise mocktail recipe is one of the tastiest (and simplest!) alternatives available, whether you need one for a baby shower, brunch, kids’ night, adolescent party, or simply to enjoy with other non-drinking guests. Even though the components are simple, the appearance is beautiful!
The virgin tequila sunrise mocktail is a fruity-refreshing concoction of orange juice, grenadine syrup, and your choice of non-alcoholic tequila. We’re making ours with Ritual Tequila Alternative.
It is the ideal beverage to enjoy poolside on a hot summer day. Have you ever wished you could catch the stunning colors of a summer sunrise and preserve them forever? Yeah, us too.
pro tip: bookmark to make later
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Reasons We Love Our Tequila Sunrise Mocktail
This Tequila Sunrise mocktail recipe has only a few ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. It has orange juice, lime juice, Ritual Tequila Alternative and grenadine for the gorgeous layered sunrise look.
Here are the top three reasons why you’ll love this tequila sunrise mocktail recipe:
- Aesthetically pleasing look. The grenadine syrup’s sugar, which is denser than water and settles to the bottom of the glass, results in a stunning reddish-orange “sunrise” that will surprise your family and friends.
- Easy to make. This drink is incredibly simple to create and goes by many, many names, including virgin sunrise, sweet sunrise, and mocktail with orange juice and grenadine.
- Perfect for non-drinkers. Tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup make up a traditional tequila sunrise. All you have to do is replace the tequila with a virgin alternative and add a splash of lime juice (which helps to simulate the “sting” of alcohol).
Tequila Sunrise Mocktail Recipe
The traditional Tequila Sunrise cocktail traces its origins back to the early 1970s in Sausalito, California. The exact inventor of the drink is contested, but it is often credited to bartender Bobby Lozoff.
The cocktail gained widespread popularity when Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones was seen drinking it during a tour in the early ’70s. The vibrant appearance of the drink, with its gradient of orange and red hues, is said to have been inspired by the stunning sunrises seen in coastal California.
Today, the Tequila Sunrise remains a beloved classic, known for its refreshing blend of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup.
Tequila Sunrise Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Ritual Tequila Alternative
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 3/4 ounce grenadine syrup
- Orange slice and Maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Depending on how you like your sunrise, you can top your drink with grenadine or add it to the bottom.
Grenadine on the bottom:
- Add the grenadine to the bottom of the glass first.
- Pour Ritual Tequila Alternative and orange juice in flute.
- Garnish with a cherry.
Grenadine on the top:
- Pour Ritual Tequila Alternative and orange juice a highball glass over ice.
- Stir to combine.
- Pour in grenadine, slowly over the back of a spoon.
- Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.
- Grenadine – Grenadine is a classic pomegranate-based dark crimson non-alcoholic syrup. Most supermarkets have it in the booze area. A tart cherry concentrate is the finest possible option because it has a sweet and tart flavor and will help you achieve the same ombré dawn appearance.
- Orange juice – Use pulp-free orange juice to give your sunrise mocktail the nicest texture possible. You can also use store-bought orange juice, but freshly squeezed would elevate this cocktail.
- Lime or lemon juice – You can add a little lime juice to the mocktail if you use store-bought orange juice, as it might occasionally lack a hint of fresh citrus taste. A little of the “sting” you’d get from a conventional alcoholic cocktail also helps. This also prevents the juice from making the beverage overly sour.
- Tequila alternative – Although optional, doing so is recommended. You can use a non-alcoholic tequila substitute, which may be hard to find in your neighborhood shop. If you’re not using this, you can increase the amount of orange juice, grenadine, and lime juice as desired. You can try Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative, Lyre’s Agave Reserva – Zero Proof Tequila, or CleanCo’s Non-Alcoholic Tequila as alternatives.
- Garnishes – While this orange juice-grenadine mocktail is lovely on its own, you can make it seem even prettier by adding some of your favorite garnishes!
- Ice – This cools the beverage and makes it appear a little larger. Since the virgin tequila sunrise cocktail is rather sweet, this visually suggests a larger drink without overdosing on sugar.
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Tequila Sunrise Mocktail FAQs
Does tequila sunrise have to contain alcohol?
Not always. You can make a non-alcoholic tequila sunrise using only basic ingredients like orange juice and grenadine.
A virgin tequila sunrise cocktail is one of the loveliest (and simplest!) alternatives available, whether you need one for a baby shower, brunch, kids’ night, adolescent party, or simply to enjoy with other non-drinking visitors. Even though the components are simple, the appearance is beautiful!
What kind of non-alcoholic tequila is best for a virgin tequila sunrise cocktail?
Although optional, doing so is recommended. You can use a non-alcoholic tequila substitute, which may be hard to find in your neighborhood shop.
You can try these tequila alternatives if you choose to include a N/A tequila recipe in your virgin tequila sunrise cocktail.
1. Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative
2. Mockingbird Spirit Agave
3. Free Spirits The Spirit of Tequila
4. ArKay Alcohol-Free Tequila
Why do they call it tequila sunrise?
The modern beverage was first made in Sausalito, California, in the early 1970s, following the creation of an earlier version in Phoenix, Arizona, in the 1930s. The drink is so called because when it is poured, the color gradations resemble a sunrise.
The grenadine syrup’s sugar, which is denser than water and settles to the bottom of the glass, results in a stunning reddish-orange “sunrise” that will surprise your family and friends.