There's no need to miss out if you don't drink alcohol. This Smoky Non-Alcoholic Lime Margarita is loaded with flavor, with no side effects of alcohol!
Mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks of all varieties are having a moment. Go to any liquor store, or even well-stocked grocery stores, and you'll find specialty non-alcoholic craft beers, wines, and pre-mixed cocktails available in cans or bottles.
In fact, for New Year's Eve this year, since I planned to be the designated driver, but didn't want to miss out on feeling like I was indulging, I went out to my local liquor store and bought a 4-pack of locally brewed non-alcoholic peach sour beer. It was delicious, and I was pleasantly surprised that the calories in it were MUCH lower than regular craft beer.
The one downside to these commercially available non-alcoholic drinks is that they can be expensive. That 4-pack I bought was only a couple of dollars cheaper than regular alcoholic craft beer, and I get it. I'm sure it takes just as much work to make them as making the alcohol-containing drinks.
But the good news is that you can easily make your own delicious non-alcoholic drinks at home without spending a fortune. Today we'll start with this Smoky Non-Alcoholic Lime Margarita.
Why try this recipe?
A lot of the time mocktail recipes are simply cocktails but without the alcohol. But sometimes that leaves the non-alcoholic versions of the drinks tasting a little flat. After all, the alcohol does contribute some (or a lot) of the flavor to cocktails.
I wanted to create a non-alcoholic version of a margarita that had some of the smokiness that tequila is known for, and I had the perfect ingredient in mind to accomplish that.
What is Lapsang Souchong?
Lapsang souchong is a black tea that has been smoke-dried, typically over a wood fire. The smoking process gives the tea an intense smoky flavor that is present even after it's brewed.
When I first tried lapsang souchong, I knew I wanted to try using it in non-alcoholic cocktails. And I couldn't believe how well it worked! It does lend a smoky flavor to this otherwise tart non-alcoholic lime margarita. I think this adds a lot of depth to the flavor and makes it feel like you're not just drinking juice, which is the feeling I get with some mocktails.
Are Mocktails safe for kids?
Most mocktails are safe for kids. However, it is best to check the ingredients to make sure that they don't contain anything that you're not comfortable with your kids having. Most mocktails contain a lot of sugar.
This smoky-non alcoholic does contain some caffeine, but since each mocktail only has ¼ cup of the tea, the amount is fairly low. This particular mocktail also has a tiny bit of alcohol from the bitters (see recipe notes for more information).
In general, I would feel comfortable giving my kids a glass of this mocktail, but you may not for the reasons mentioned above.
How to make Smoky Non-Alcoholic Lime Margarita:
The first point to note when trying this recipe is to make sure to allow time for the lapsang souchong tea to steep and cool, which should take about an hour. Don't rush and try to add the tea while it's still warm or it will melt the ice and dilute your mocktail.
Tip 💡
Lapsang Souchong is intensely smoky. If you want your non-alcoholic margarita to be only a little smoky, use only ½ teaspoon of tea instead of the full 1 teaspoon.
Once your tea is cooled, the process to mix up the drinks (the recipe makes 4) goes very quickly. Simply stir together the tea with the sugar, lime juice, lemon juice and bitters. If you want to be fancy, salt the rims of the glasses you will be using. If you're in a rush, feel free to skip that and add some salt directly to the margarita (don't skip this - that little bit of salt really does make a difference).
Feel free to garnish your drinks with lime wedges or slices, and or an extra squeeze of lime juice.
If you happen to have any of the margarita mixture leftover, simply pour it into an airtight jar or bottle and store it in the fridge. It will last for up to 5 days.
What type of glass should I serve my margarita in?
If you're planning to serve margaritas often (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and want an authentic tropical vibe, go with a bowl-shaped margarita glass.
However, if you only plan to make margaritas occasionally, and don't have room to store specialty glassware, you can't go wrong with a straight-sided old-fashioned or rocks glass, which is more versatile and can be used to serve many types of cocktails and drinks.
You also can't go wrong with this classic stackable tumbler, which can be used for anything from water, to milk, to the fanciest cocktails.
Smoky Lime Margarita Ingredients:
- Lapsang souchong tea - you can find lapsang souchong tea at your local specialty tea store (I'm partial to Vintage Fork here in Edmonton).
- Boiling water: use whatever water you normally drink. Tap water is fine.
- Granulated sugar: You could substitute your favorite low-calorie sweetener to meet your dietary needs.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice has the best flavor, but bottled lime juice will work in a pinch too.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice has the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch too.
- Orange bitters: You can find bitters in liquor stores, or in some well-stocked grocery stores in the aisle with cocktail mixes. Or you can order it online.
- Kosher salt
- Crushed or cubed ice
Want more Non-Alcoholic Drink recipes?
Smoky Non-Alcoholic Lime Margarita Nutrition Notes:
Compared to a regular lime margarita that contains tequila, this non-alcoholic lime margarita contains approximately 80 fewer calories.
If you are interested in reducing calories further, or if you prefer to cut back on sugar, you could also use a low-calorie sweetener like stevia to sweeten this margarita. Follow the directions on the package to help you determine how much to use to replace the sugar.
Smoky Non-Alcoholic Lime Margarita
Equipment
- Margarita Glasses or rocks glasses
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lapsang souchong tea or one tea bag (see note)
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lime juice
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon orange bitters (optional, see note)
- kosher salt
- crushed or cubed ice
- lime wedges or slices optional, for garnishing
Instructions
- Measure out 1 cup boiling water into a heat-proof measuring cup or mug. Steep 1 teaspoon lapsang souchong tea in the water using a tea infuser. Allow the tea to continue steeping until it cools to room temperature, about an hour.
- Discard the tea leaves, and pour the lapsang souchong tea, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup lime juice, ½ cup lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon orange bitters to a 2-cup meauring cup. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt onto a small plate. Wet the rim of the glass(es) with water, lime juice, or the margarita mixture and dip the rims into the salt (note that this step is optional - if you don't want to salt the rims of the glasses, add about ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt to your margarita mixture).
- Fill the glass(es) about ¾ full with crushed ice. Pour the margarita mixture over the ice and garnish with lime slices or wedges, if desired. Serve immediately. Store any leftover margarita mixture in an airtight glass jar or bottle.
Notes
Nutrition
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