Sunrise Mocktail

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This easy sunrise mocktail takes only a few minutes to make. This eye-catching drink is perfect for kids or a large group of friends for a morning brunch!

This mocktail sunrise is a non alcoholic version of the classic drink, the tequila sunrise. 

There are so many variations of the sunrise drink, including this amaretto sunrise or this vodka sunrise. But this mocktail version is great for both kids and adults.

For other refreshing mocktails, try this strawberry mojito mocktail, this guava mocktail, this mango mojito mocktail, or this paloma mocktail.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• Step By Step Instructions
• Garnish Ideas
• Variations
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick & Easy — This drink takes only a couple of minutes to prepare. 
• Looks Stunning — Probably the most impressive thing about this mocktail is how presentable it looks. This drink is great for serving on a large platter for guests.
• Perfect for Brunch — This is the best mocktail to make for a large, fancy brunch get together! Serve it with some bananas foster pancakes, this RumChata French toast or these decadent maple walnut muffins.
• Customizable — You don’t have to stick with the standard sunrise flavors. There are so many variations you can experiment with to create a truly unique drink.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Orange Juice: If you have the time, freshly squeezed orange juice will truly elevate this cocktail. However, if you are using store bought orange juice, choose a high quality brand without pulp. 
• Grenadine: Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranate juice and sugar. You can find it in most grocery stores or online. You can use another dense red colored syrup as a substitute, such as raspberry simple syrup or strawberry simple syrup. 
• Lime Juice: Lime juice adds a bit of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the orange juice and the grenadine, compensating for the lack of tequila. Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor.

Equipment

• If you are planning to use freshing squeezed orange juice, a citrus juicer will help you juice fresh oranges most efficiently. 
• You’ll need a cocktail shaker for preparing this drink, although you can get by without one. 
• For serving this drink, highball cocktail glasses work best as they emphasize the sunrise effect well.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Add the orange juice and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for 10 seconds and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. 

Step 2: Pour the grenadine syrup slowly over the back of a spoon, or on top of an ice cube, into the glass. Add any optional garnishes and serve.

Garnish Ideas

There are lots of ways to garnish this sunrise mocktail drink. A couple garnishes go a long way in making a drink more presentable when serving it to guests. Here are some creative garnish suggestions:

• Orange Slices: Cut oranges into wheel slices, wedges or use a twist of the peel for garnish on the side of the glass.
• Maraschino Cherries: Use a cocktail pick to add a couple maraschino cherries on the edge of the glass. The bright red from the cherries brings out the sunrise effect.
• Red Berries: Bright red berries, like strawberries, raspberries or pomegranate arils complement the sunrise look well. 
• Edible Flowers: An edible flower gives a tropical, summery vibe. 
• Straws & Umbrellas: Experiment using brightly colored straws or mini umbrellas.
• Herbs: Add a sprig of fresh herbs, such as a few mint leaves.

Variations

Traditional sunrise cocktails are always made with orange juice and grenadine — but they don’t have to be! Here are some ideas for creative variations to try with different flavors:

• Pineapple Sunrise Mocktail: Replace half or all of the orange juice with pineapple nectar. 
• Peach Sunrise Mocktail: Replace the orange juice with peach nectar.
• Strawberry Sunrise Mocktail: Instead of grenadine, use this homemade strawberry simple syrup. 
• Blue Sunrise Mocktail: Use a non-alcoholic blue curacao syrup instead of grenadine.
• Raspberry Sunrise Mocktail: Replace the grenadine with this raspberry simple syrup.
• Mango Sunrise Mocktail: Use mango nectar instead of orange juice.

Expert Tips

• Use non-alcoholic tequila. If you are looking to recreate an almost identical version of a sunrise cocktail, then add 1 oz of a zero-proof tequila to this cocktail. In this case, leave out the lime juice. 
• Add in some bubbly. If you want a bit of a bubblier mocktail, add in some non-alcoholic sparkling wine or some lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7Up. 
• Pour the grenadine over a spoon. Pouring the grenadine slowly over the back of a spoon distributes the syrup more evenly, and creates a better sunrise effect. 
• Stir before drinking. While this drink should not be stirred once served (otherwise the sunrise effect will disappear), it is best to stir before actually drinking. Otherwise, the flavors will not be evenly distributed and you may take a sip of pure sugary syrup. 

Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe