You’re off the clock at 5pm sharp, just as orders start coming in for happy hour drinks. Instead of dashing home to change out of your office look and rushing across town to your favorite bar, treat yourself to something special and sophisticated in the comfort of home. Make it a gathering and invite your colleagues for post-work drinks to kick off the weekend. Don’t forget the apps! Here are seven simple vegan cocktails and mocktails to get you started.
Seedlip
1 Seedlip spice and Ginger mocktail
Seedlip is a UK-based line of distilled non-alcoholic spirits that have propelled the mocktail trend onto mainstream cocktail menus. While mocktails of the past typically left out the alcohol, Seedlip-based beverages are built around these spirits to deliver the same nuanced tasting experience—without the buzz or hangover. This three-ingredient recipe combines Seedlip Spice with ginger ale over ice. Serve with an orange wedge, and you’re ready for happy hour.
Get the recipe here
Real House Moms
2 Dirty (or not) Shirley
It may no longer be your go-to, but that old school mix of lemon-lime soda and grenadine never fails to induce a comforting wave of nostalgia. If you’re drinking the childhood version, add large cubes of ice to a glass then top with one ounce of grenadine, eight ounces of lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up or Sprite), and as many maraschino cherries as your 12-year-old self desires. For the dirty version, add an ounce of vodka or follow this recipe by Real House Moms.
Get the recipe here
Natalie Williams
3 Vegan square root
Sweet and minty fresh, this cocktail serves a pop of color with a spicy-sweet punch of flavor. With less than 10 ingredients, it comes together in a flash. Beyond happy hour, swap out your mimosa for this cocktail. Oranges make it a breakfast bev, after all.
Get the recipe here
Like A Vegan
4 Vegan amaretto sour
Traditional amaretto sours include whipped egg whites, but this veganized version replicates the drink’s silky smooth texture by swapping in aquafaba (whipped chickpea brine—just trust it).
Get the recipe here
Dora’s Table
5
Strawberry Frozé margarita
Frozé (aka frozen rosé) has been a summertime trend for years now, and we just discovered it can get even better by turning it into a margarita. Sip this punchy cocktail and pretend you’re on that Cancún vacation you had to cancel.
Get the recipe here
Anson Smart
6 Ginger peach sangria
White grape juice, sweet and supple peaches, and aromatic ginger combine to make this summer-ready cocktail. You’ll be shocked by how many flavor notes pass over your tongue on the way down. Trust us, you’ll want to make this your new house cocktail.
Get the recipe here
GT’s Living Foods
7 Watermelon Wonder Maria mocktail
A quality kombucha makes for an excellent mocktail—the fizzy, flavorful drink experience encourages sips instead of massive swallows. Simply stir in some aloe juice and ginger juice with your watermelon flavored kombucha and you have an equally sophisticated beverage. Take a tip from this recipe and dip the rim of your glass in sea salt and cayenne pepper for an added kick before garneshing with lime and cilantro.
Get the recipe here
For more vegan happy hour recipes, read:
Vegan Cream Liqueur
Creamy Vegan Piña Colada Mocktails
Vegan Sweet Orange Agave Margarita
This post was originally published on VegNews.com.